Polling stations of Yerevan councils of elders election operate normally: CEC

YEREVAN, May 5./ARKA/. All the 464 polling stations, which opened today at 08:00 local time, operate in a normal mode, Chairman of the Central Electoral Commission of Armenia Tigran Mukuchyan said Sunday. 

Yerevan Councils 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.

“Some voters have already attended the polling stations, no violations has been recorded so far,” Mukuchyan said.

He added the electoral commissions consist of 3,712 members including a representative of each parliamentary faction and two representatives appointed by territorial electoral commissions.

“Some 12 members of the commission haven’t shown up, that’s why, in general, some 3,700 people will work at the polling stations,” he said and noted that two of the absentees were the secretaries of the polling stations representing Heritage party. 

Some 6,613 observers from 26 public organizations are watching the elections, he informed.

“As to the international watchdog, there are 12 representatives of the  Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe at the election.” 

Mukuchyan also said the expertise of the passport stamp ink was made during the seminars for the electoral commission members. He appealed to the constituents not to try to erase the ink by different means, for example, wet wipes. 

“By such actions, the citizens can damage their passports, which is not acceptable.”

On May 6 parliamentary and February 18 presidential elections the voters complaint that their passport stamps disappeared within a short period of time.

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 Vardan Oskanyan 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 “Barev, Yerevan” (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-