Top election board takes all measures for election safety, transparency

The president of the Supreme Election Board (YSK) stressed yesterday that all measures to provide physical security and transparency in the March 31 local elections have been taken.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Sadi Güven said, "We have received physical security, but beyond that, we took measures regarding the transparency of the election." He underscored that the most important issue after the vote is the tabulated result with wet signatures in the ballot boxes. Güven said that citizens will be able to see voting results from each province and district during the elections.

Turkey will head to the polls on March 31 to elect municipal council members in cities and in rural areas, mukhtars and members of elder councils. Turkish local polls are held every five years to elect the mayors of 30 metropolitan municipalities and 51 provincial municipalities.

Offering details about the election process, Güven said that at least five representatives from various political parties would preside over each ballot box in the districts. Accordingly, he highlighted, "They will determine the results of the polls and resolve any objections in the first phase." The results of the elections will be published 10 days after the votes are counted on the official website of the YSK. The head of the top election watchdog said that no objections so far were recorded with regards to repeated voters or re-voting. For the upcoming local elections, the ruling Justice and Development (AK Party) and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) decided to continue their People's Alliance previously formed for the June 24 presidential elections. In the elections race, the opponent of the People's Alliance will be the Nation Alliance, which was formed by the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and the Good Party (İP).