Following Bulgaria’s early parliamentary elections on April 19, Foreign Minister Nadezhda Neynsky reported that nearly 200,000 Bulgarian citizens voted abroad. Of this total, 53,000 voters cast their ballots using machines. The Minister noted that the process was slowed because 156,000 voters, representing 81% of those who voted, did not register in advance and instead submitted applications on Election Day.
Regarding international operations, voting continued past the official end time in several locations. Neynsky stated that in Turkiye, seven sections remained open due to high voter turnout, while five sections in London, UK, extended their hours. Furthermore, voting continued late in sections in Spain, Norway, and Serbia.
The MFA emphasized that its actions adhere to the Electoral Code, which restricts polling stations in non-European Union countries to twenty locations. To manage logistics, the Ministry consulted extensively with local Bulgarian communities and volunteer organizations to determine the optimal distribution of these sections. The Minister detailed that diplomatic representatives have requested the ability to open more sections and increase the size of sectional election commissions.
In terms of reporting, all polling stations abroad submitted their protocols to the Central Election Commission (CEC), with one exception in London due to technical difficulties. Permanent Secretary Ivan Naydenov confirmed that significant efforts were made to optimize election locations in Great Britain and Northern Ireland through dialogue with residents. However, he reiterated that the Electoral Code limited the extension of election day to one hour, which proved insufficient for all citizens who wished to vote.
Topics: #voted #foreign #minister
The details regarding the slowdown in the voting process are worth more attention than the total vote count.
What specific methods were used for the 156,000 voters who did not use voting machines?