Complaints of Yerevan residents mainly refer to big queues at polling stations: CEC

YEREVAN, May 5./ARKA/. The voters at Yerevan Council of Elders election mostly complain about the queues at the polling stations, Chief of Legal Department at the Central Electoral Commission Nune Hovhannisyan said in her interview with Armnews TV channel.  

Yerevan Council of Elders election is being held today in the capital. The polling stations will close at 20:00. Some 816,475 constituents are registered in the electoral lists.

“Indeed, a big number of voters attended some polling stations, which resulted in the queues. In some cases, the congestion was eased by the policemen, and as a result voters were entering one by one,” Hovhannisyan said.

Such situation appeared because of the great number of party representatives, observers and commission members at polling stations.

She also noted many complaints are refuted  after being verified.  

As of May 4, the Central Electoral Commission received seven complaints, five of them were submitted by the candidate parties. The complaints mainly referred to violations during campaigns. She also clarified no proof was found after the Central Electoral Commission had reviewed them. 

Araqelutyun (Mission), Prosperous Armenia, Armenian National Congress, Orinats Yerkir, Republican, ARF Danshanktsutyun parties as well as “Barev, Yerevan” (Hello, Yerevan) bloc are registered in the electoral list. 

Incumbent Mayor Taron Margaryan tops the electoral list of the ruling Republican Party (195 candidates). Chief of Emergency Situations Ministry Armen Yeritsyan is a candidate from Orinats Yerkir (105 candidates). Former Foreign Minister of Armenia Vartan Oskanian represents Prosperous Armenia party (194), foreign Mayor of Yerevan Vahagn Khachatryan-Armenian National Congress (42), parliamentary faction head Armen Rustamyan- ARF Dashnaktsutyun (65) and deputy head of Heritage party Armen Martirosyan tops the electoral list of “Hello, Yerevan!” bloc (64). Economist Mesrop Arakelyan comes up as Araqelutyun party (29) chief candidate.

The Council of Elders is made up of 65 members who are elected through party lists. If a party or a bloc gains 50% of the vote, the top candidate of the list automatically becomes Yerevan Mayor. Otherwise, Mayor will be elected by the Council members. The minimal threshold for parties is 6%, for blocs-8%.—0-