Voter turnout by 11 am was 15 percent

YEREVAN, May 5. / ARKA /. By 11 am some 15 percent of voters registered in the capital city Yerevan (123, 121 voters) were said by the Central Election Commission (CEC)  to have gone to the polls to elect their Council of Elders (city assembly) that will in turn elect a mayor. According to official data, Yerevan has 816,475 eligible voters.

The elections are contested by six registered parties and one bloc -  the parties are Arakelutyun (Mission), Bargavach Hayastan (Prosperous Armenia),  the Armenian National Congress, Orinats Yerkir (Country of Law), the  Republican Party of Armenia and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation/Dashnaktsutyun  (ARF), as well as Hello, Yerevan bloc.

The list of the ruling Republican Party is toped by incumbent mayor Taron Margaryan.  The list of Orinats Yerkir – by emergency minister Armen Yeritsyan.  The list of Prosperous Armenia- by Former foreign minister Vartan Oskanian. The ANC list is headed by ex mayor Vahagn Khachatryan. The ARF list is topped by Armen Rustamyan. The slate of Hello, Yerevan - by deputy chairman of Heritage party Armen Martirosyan. The list of Arakelutyun is topped by Mesrop Arakelyan.

The Council of Elders is composed of 65 people, who are elected by proportional system (by party lists). If a party or a bloc gains more than 50% of the vote, the first number of the party list automatically becomes mayor of Yerevan. Otherwise, the mayor is to be elected by the Council of Elders. The right to nominate candidates for mayor belongs to the factions within the Council of Elders. The electoral threshold for parties is 6%, for party blocs is 8%. 

In a related news the Office of the Ombudsman said it has received calls from voters reporting about violations. 

“Currently we are counting their numbers, however, their number is insignificant,’ the Office said in a press release. It said it will unveil vote violation reports during the second half of the day. -0-