---
title: "Gagauzia opens candidate registration for Nov. 15 governor vote"
url: https://moldova1.md/p/85775/gagauzia-opens-candidate-registration-for-nov-15-governor-vote
published: 2026-09-21T04:45:00Z
language: en
author: "Dumitru Petruleac"
section: "Elections"
source: moldova1.md
---

# Gagauzia opens candidate registration for Nov. 15 governor vote

> Gagauzia’s electoral authorities on Monday opened candidate registration for the November 15 regional elections to choose the autonomous region’s next governor and members of its local legislature, officials said.

![](https://storage.moldova1.md/images/469de546-89a7-43d6-9a16-72395881ed5e.jpg)

Gagauzia’s electoral authorities on Monday opened candidate registration for the November 15 regional elections to choose the autonomous region’s next governor and members of its local legislature, officials said.

Prospective contenders and political initiative groups have until October 6 to file nomination papers with the Gagauzia Central Electoral Council in the regional capital, Comrat. 

**Nomination procedures and ballot positioning**

Registration dossiers will be accepted on regular weekdays through October 5, while the final submission window on October 6 will run from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Independent candidates will also be issued signature endorsement sheets to collect the necessary public support for their bids.

The regional council established a special commission to handle the receipt of submissions. If two or more hopefuls file on the same day, a daily lottery held at 5:00 p.m. will determine the contenders' placement order on the final ballot.

**Twin votes to break political impasse**

The twin elections on November 15 will select both the governor (bashkan) of the autonomous territorial unit in southern Moldova and deputies to the Gagauzia People's Assembly. 

The mandate of the regional legislature expired on November 15, 2025, while the governor's office became vacant after a court finalized a seven-year prison sentence against former bashkan Evghenia Guțul. Regional authorities in Comrat officially confirmed the vacancy on August 17, 2026.

**Observation mission and public expenditure**

For the first time, independent election monitoring association Promo-LEX will observe both the legislative and gubernatorial races, mobilizing nearly 80 field observers across polling stations.

Central authorities estimate the combined regional votes will cost the state budget over €695,000 (approx. 13.6 million MDL).

Several public figures have signaled their bids for the governorship, including former Prosecutor General Alexandr Stoianoglo, along with Nicolai Dudoglo, Fiodor Gagauz, Grigori Uzun, Ivana Koksal, and Piotr Vlah.

Translation by **Iurie Tataru**
***
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