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Turkish voters to go to polls in local elections, March 29

28 March 2009 08:12 (UTC +04:00)

The ballot boxes will open from 7 a.m. until 4 p.m. and in the rest of Turkey the voting will start run from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. A total of 19 political parties will be competing in the local elections.
As daylight savings time will start on March 29, officials from the Supreme Election Board (YSK) have cautioned voters to be careful to make it to the polling booths on time.
Primary and secondary schools will be closed on Monday as many teachers will be serving at polling boards on Sunday.
Voters living in metropolitan cities will vote for 5 candidates at a time. They will vote for a member of the provincial assembly, the metropolitan mayor, the district mayor, a member of the municipal assembly and their local headman.
Voters had to have their ID cards having their identity number on it. Otherwise they have to show a registered copy of their identity certificate.
Those under arrest and those convicted will be voting in the prisons starting from 8 a.m. on Sunday, if their name appears on the confirmed electorate list for the prisons. For blind, paralyzed, or those who cannot use their hands, help from a relative or another voter at the same ballot box is allowed. One voter will not be allowed to help more than one disabled person.
Most polls predict the AKP will win about 47 percent of votes, roughly the same level of support it enjoyed in general elections of July 2007.