Podcast in English

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. 

PP/DB appeal Central Election Commission’s decision to do away with machine vote at Supreme Administrative Court

The Ministry of e-Government published and sent to the Central Election Commission its report on the evaluation of the voting machines, in accordance with the provisions of the Election Code of Bulgaria. Voting machine scandal as election..

updated on 10/28/23 1:23 PM

Central Election Commission decides voting at tomorrow's local election will be by paper ballots only

The Central Election Commission (CEC) has made the decision that voting at tomorrow’s local election shall be by paper ballots only.   Voting machine scandal as election campaign draws to a close PP-DB: GERB and MRF fabricated fake..

published on 10/28/23 10:24 AM

How do Bulgarians elect their governing figures

"The subject must be undoubtedly literate, have a satisfactory command of beautiful handwriting, read quickly silently without staring, and most of all have a satisfactory command of simple calculations - the multiplication table and other arithmetic..

published on 10/28/23 10:05 AM

Election silence 24 hours before Bulgaria's 29 October local elections

Today, 28 October, is a day of reflection ahead of the first round of local elections for mayors and municipal councillors scheduled for 29 October.  The ban on political campaigning and any form of disclosure of poll results is in force from today..

published on 10/28/23 4:35 AM

The price for buying a vote in the local elections in Bulgaria is from BGN 40 to BGN 150

To date, 1,080 reports of violations of electoral legislation have been filed ahead of the local elections on October 29 . The overwhelming majority - 635 of them - are for buying votes, Interior Minister Kalin Stoyanov announced.  124 of them are for..

published on 10/27/23 5:48 PM

Campaigning ends at midnight

At midnight tonight, the campaign for the municipal elections on 29 October will come to an end . Saturday 28 October is a day of reflection and campaigning is prohibited.

published on 10/27/23 4:51 PM
Kiril Petkov (front) and Atanas Atanasov

PP-DB: GERB and MRF fabricated fake news

The electoral situation has led GERB and MRF to invent "fake news with the manipulation of voting machines". This was said by GERB co-leader General Atanas Atanasov in connection with earlier reported news that the code for the machines had been..

published on 10/27/23 3:53 PM

"Gallup: 45% of voters expected to go to the polls 

44.8% of eligible voters are expected to go to the polls in the local elections on 29 October. 2.5% of them are likely to vote "I do not support anyone" for the municipal list. These are the results of a survey conducted by Gallup International Balkan..

published on 10/27/23 2:46 PM
E-Government Minister Alexander Yolovskiл

Voting machine scandal as election campaign draws to a close

Deputy Prime Minister Mariya Gabriel and representatives of the Central Electoral Commission will be heard at an emergency meeting of Parliament's presiding body , (including the Parliament Chair and his deputies, and the floor leaders of the parties)...

published on 10/27/23 1:56 PM

Voting machines to be transported to the polling stations on Friday

The preparations for the local elections on Sunday, October 29, continue normally and the installation of the machines has already started, CEC spokesperson Rositsa Mateva has reported. On Friday, the devices will go to the stations..

published on 10/24/23 4:18 PM