Turnout in Bulgarian presidential election reaches 16.04% by 16:00

Activity levels lower than last year

On Sunday, 25 October, the first round of presidential elections is taking place in Bulgaria. According to data released at a briefing by Stoyanka Balova, spokesperson for the country's Central Election Commission (CEC), 16.04% of voters had cast their ballots by 16:00.

For comparison, during the similar vote in 2021, turnout at the same time was 24.12%. Thus, citizen activity is significantly lower this year.

Differences across regions

Turnout figures vary significantly depending on the electoral district. The highest activity was recorded in Sofia's 23rd district, where 25.9% of residents voted. Meanwhile, the lowest result was registered in the Kardzhali district — just 6.77%.

Technical failures at polling stations

Problems with technical support arose during the voting process. According to the CEC, 23 voting machines had broken down by 16:00. At these polling stations, the process was switched to paper ballots. At two other polling stations, only one of two machines was operational from 16:00, but voting continued there using the functioning equipment.

Expectations for results and complaints

The CEC explained that district election commissions are obliged to submit voting summary protocols by Tuesday, 27 October. It is on this day that the official announcement of results and the determination of winners are expected, should the presidential pair secure sufficient support in the first round.

It is worth noting that more than 200 complaints from citizens reporting violations during the first round of the election have been received by the Bulgarian Ministry of the Interior.