LIVE TEXT // General local elections: Polling stations have closed. By 21:00, the voter turnout is 41.4 percent
General local elections are held in the Republic of Moldova. 898 mayors and 11,058 local councilors are to be elected for a four-year term. The elections are held in all administrative-territorial units except for the towns on the left side of the Nistru and the municipality of Bender. 2,762,125 voters are expected at the polls.
Update 19:04. By 19:00, over 40 percent of people voted. The President of the CEC, Angelica Caraman, mentioned that, at this time, out of the 898 localities in the country, in 9 of them we have a voter turnout below 25%. In the context, she recalled that the electoral law provides that if the condition of participation in the vote of one fourth of the number of people registered in the electoral lists is not met, the elections will not be declared valid.
Update 17:39 So far, over a million people have voted, which is almost 38%.
Update15:04 Dorin Recean: "Today we decide on the future of the Republic of Moldova"
We build the European future of the Republic of Moldova every day, and today we do it by offering our vote for European mayors and councilors, said Prime Minister Dorin Recean after voting. Also, the PM encouraged everyone to vote.
"We are voting for the European future of the Republic of Moldova, so that we have truly European towns, where we like to live, walk and spend time. I want to encourage everyone to vote. It is very important today to go to the polls because, in addition to mayors, municipalities, localities, we also elect councilors today, and for councilors there will be no second vote. I also encourage young people to definitely go to vote because today the future of the Republic of Moldova is being decided, including in which localities you will live, in which localities you will go to have fun, to have a better life, to found a family. We build the European future of the Republic of Moldova every day, today we do it by offering our vote for European mayors and councilors. The state institutions will ensure public order, they will ensure that the vote is free and fair", said Dorin Recean.
Update 14:02 The Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu cast his vote in the general local elections, declaring that he voted for "a European capital, for mayors and councilors to represent us".
Igor Grosu, Parliament Speaker: "We voted for a European capital, for mayors and councilors to represent us, not for those who sell the country for 30 silver coins, in the context we all know. We want a European capital and this is possible with people who think European. My call to everyone is to vote. We vote for mayors, we vote for councilors, equally important, because every mayor needs a team of councilors to help him jointly promote projects, programs and initiatives for the benefit of citizens. We want a city without traffic jams, a clean city, beautifully arranged - absolutely natural things. There is a lot to do, that's why it's important to have a European mayor, who can attract investments, large-scale projects".
The CEC announces the first data on voter turnout
Update 12:04 Turnout is approaching 20%. The highest turnout can be seen in the town of Pocrovca in the Dondușeni district, where the voter turnout exceeded 54% and the lowest participation rate is in Salcia, Taraclia with a turnout of 2%. The voting process was resumed at 10:00 a.m. at the Cantemir polling station. The president of the CEC, Angelica Caraman, announced that the ballots for the 8/2 section of Cantemir have been reprinted.
The CEC announced that the Police reported 20 incidents.
Update 11:38 16.06% of the total number of voters registered in the lists voted. The most active are citizens aged 56-65. At the opposite pole are people aged between 18-25.
Update 09:01 The Promo-LEX mission to observe the general local elections received 141 notifications regarding the conduct of the elections
So far, the Promo-LEX mission to observe the general local elections has received 141 notifications regarding the conduct of the elections, 44 of which have been examined. Observers found cases in which ballots were photographed, ballot boxes were not sealed in accordance with the provisions of the legislation in force, the access of observers to polling stations was restricted, the opening of 107 polling stations until 07:00 or after 07:00. Also, for a short period of time, the state information system "Elections" did not work, as well as other cases related to violation of the secrecy of the vote.
Update 08:05 CEC: Voting has been canceled at a polling station in Cantemir.
Update 07:00 The polling stations have opened
Citizens can exercise their right to vote in the 1958 polling stations open in the localities of the Republic of Moldova. Most of them are open in the electoral constituencies of Chisinau, which includes the sectors and suburbs of the capital, and the fewest - in Dubăsari. The polling stations will be open until 21:00.
In the electoral race for the November 5, 2023 election, over 57,000 candidates for the positions of mayor and councilors in local councils from 35 political parties and an electoral bloc, as well as 1,174 independent candidates, were registered.
On Friday, November 3, the Commission for Emergency Situations ordered the cancellation of the registration of all candidates of the "Sansa" political party. The decision was taken in the context of the report presented by the Intelligence and Security Service regarding the involvement of the Russian Federation in the local elections. All electoral contestants nominated by the "Sansa" Party were stamped with the word "Withdrawn" in all ballot papers.
In order to be validated, at least one fourth of the number of voters registered on the electoral lists in each constituency must participate in the elections. The general local elections on November 5 are the eighth since the proclamation of the independence of the Republic of Moldova.
The elections are conducted on the basis of universal, equal, direct, secret and freely expressed vote according to the constitutional provisions. The right to vote belongs to the citizens of the Republic of Moldova, who have reached the age of 18, including on the day of the election, except those deprived of this right by court decision.
