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Local elections

On 29 October, 2023, Bulgarians are voting for local authorities – mayors and municipal councilors. A little over 6 million 48,000 people have the right to vote. In this section you will find information, commentaries and analyses about the local elections in Bulgaria. 

Vice President Iliana Iotova

President Radev to discuss requested resignation of National Security chief next week

I have voted by machine since the voting machines were introduced. I think this is the best vote because it is the most protected, Vice President Iliana Iotova said this after voting in the second round of the local elections in Sofia.  When asked how..

published on 11/5/23 2:22 PM

Election silence day ahead of Bulgaria's local elections runoff on November 5

Today, November 4, is a day for reflection in Bulgaria before the second round of the local elections. A ban on political campaigning and advertising in any form of forecast results from public opinion polls has been reinstated, and will remain in..

published on 11/4/23 6:05 AM

The voting machines are ready for being transported to polling stations

Bulgaria's Central Election Commission gave permission to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to start the transportation of the voting machines at 5:00 p.m. from the storage warehouse in Sofia according to an approved transportation plan. In the local..

published on 11/3/23 5:16 PM

Institutions working to guarantee fair voting in election runoff on Sunday

The government and the Ministry of the Interior have boosted their efforts to combat buying and selling of votes in the local elections run-off on Sunday, Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov said in a video address. He pointed out..

published on 11/3/23 9:15 AM

Technical check of the voting machines has been completed

The Ministry of e-Governance has completed the technical checks part of the certification of machine voting devices for the local election run-offs, the department reports. Experts continue the work on the technical layout of the..

published on 11/2/23 3:53 PM

Must be local, honest and well-known. These are the qualities we look for in a mayor

In the first round of local elections, only 8 of the country's regional mayors were elected. A run-off will be held on November 5 in all the remaining 19 regional cities, including the three largest - Sofia, Plovdiv and Varna.  Local government is..

published on 11/1/23 2:50 PM

Voting machines for run-off elections already being prepared

Minister of E-Government Alexander Yolovski said that he had launched a procedure for the certification of voting machines for the second round of local elections. Certification teams will work overtime. Today, Central Election Commission (CEC)..

published on 10/31/23 3:48 PM
CEC spokesperson Rossitsa Mateva

CEC: Turnout in local elections was 44.94

Turnout in Bulgaria's 29 October local elections was 44.94, in line with preliminary forecasts by sociologists. More than 2 713 000 voters went to the polls out of a total of just over 6 038 000 on the electoral rolls. This can be seen from the data..

published on 10/31/23 2:05 PM

Candidates of PP-DB and „BSP for Bulgaria“ to compete for the mayoral seat in Sofia

The candidate of PP-DB and "Save Sofia", Vasil Terziev, who has 31.8% of the votes in Sofia and the candidate of "BSP for Bulgaria", Vanya Grigorova, with 21.59% support will compete for the mayoral seat in the runoff on Sunday ,..

published on 10/31/23 9:26 AM

Bulgarian court reinstates machine voting

During a five-hour-long session, the Supreme Administrative Court canceled the recent decision of the Central Election Commission that banned machine voting. CEC made the decision a day before the local elections. However,..

published on 10/31/23 8:58 AM