MINSK, 16 February (BelTA) – The turnout during the first three days of the early voting in the local elections in Belarus made up 18.73%, BelTA learned from the Central Election Commission of Belarus.
On 13-15 February, 16.27% of eligible voters cast their early voting ballots in Brest Oblast, 19.67% in Vitebsk Oblast, 19.49% in Gomel Oblast, 16.81% in Grodno Oblast, 19.56% in Minsk Oblast, 20% in Mogilev Oblast and 18.92% in the city of Minsk.
The polls for the early voting opened on 13 February. Chairperson of Belarus' Central Election Commission Lidia Yermoshina cast her early voting ballot on 15 February. She attributed the relatively high turnout in the early voting to the encouragement campaign in budget-sponsored organizations, enterprises, and educational institutions. “I am talking about calls and recommendations to go to the polls early and have a good rest on the weekend,” Lidia Yermoshina said.
More than 18,000 deputies of the local councils out of over 22,200 candidates standing in the local elections will be elected in Belarus on 18 February 2018.
The polling stations will be opened from 10h00 to 19h00 with a lunch break between 14h00 and 16h00 through 17 February inclusively. According to the Central Election Commission (CEC), everyone who is unable to come to the polls on 18 February can cast their votes early in support of one of the candidates. For those who are going to be abroad on the voting day, 18 February, the CEC suggests voting early as no polling stations are set up outside the country for the local elections.
