The number of young voters in Turkmenistan who are 18 years old and who will vote for the first time in the upcoming parliamentary elections is 75,606 people, according to the Central Commission for Elections and Referendums in Turkmenistan.
According to the CEC report on preparations for the elections of deputies of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan, members of the halk maslahaty of velayats, etraps, cities and gengeshes, which will be held on March 26, as of March 12, 2023, 3,496,475 voters were registered in the country.
The number of voters over the age of seventy is 75,500. Voters who cannot come to the polling station due to a disability will be given the opportunity to vote at home.
13,078 voters will vote in foreign countries.
7222 constituencies were formed in the country, including:
- 125 constituencies for the election of deputies of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan, for the election of members of the Halk Maslahaty of the velayats and the city of Ashgabat
- 240 constituencies – for the election of members of the etrap halk maslahaty
- 960 electoral districts – in 49 etraps and cities with the rights of etraps
- 5897 constituencies – by elections of members of gengeshes in 572 gengeshi
To date, a total of 2,644 polling stations have been created, including 365 in Akhal velayat, 272 in Balkan velayat, 536 in Dashoguz velayat, 567 in Lebap velayat, 550 in Mary velayat, 312 polling stations have been created in the city of Ashgabat. And also, at the diplomatic missions and consulates of Turkmenistan abroad, 42 polling stations were created for voting.
More than 23,000 members of election commissions provide organizational work for the conduct of elections. The term of office of all election commissions is 5 years.
The Central Election Commission for Elections compiled and published 12 manuals and leaflets. Some of them were published in two languages - Turkmen and Russian, some in three languages - Turkmen, Russian, English. The guidelines are intended for election commissions at various levels, media representatives, international and national observers, as well as interested citizens.
The Turkmensvyaz Agency is providing support to equip 240 polling stations with video cameras. Voting will be broadcast live on the website of the Central Election Commission on March 26 from 7:00 to 19:00.
To date, 2,855 national observers have been appointed from political parties and public associations. Among them are 594 national observers from the Democratic Party, 307 from the Industrialists and Entrepreneurs Party, 408 from the Agrarian Party, 600 from Trade Unions, 302 from the Women’s Organization, 570 from the Youth Organization, 21 from civic groups and 53 from candidates.
Representatives of international organizations such as the UN, the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Organization of Turkic States, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Bureau for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe will monitor the course of the elections. Media representatives from foreign countries will also arrive.
The long-term working group of the Commonwealth of Independent States and the expert group of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights began monitoring the preparations for the elections in the first half of March.
There are 258 registered candidates for deputies of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan, including:
• from the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan 97,
• from the Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Turkmenistan 27,
• from the Agrarian Party of Turkmenistan 51,
• From groups of citizens, 83 candidates were nominated for deputies of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan.
515 candidates were nominated for members of the Halk Maslahaty of velayats and the city of Ashgabat, 2,001 candidates for members of the Halk Maslahaty of etraps and cities, and 12,098 candidates for members of the Gengeshes.
In all elections, the number of nominated candidates amounted to 14,872 people, that is, two and three candidates will compete for one seat.
Early voting started on March 16. ///nCa, March 19, 2023
