Promo-LEX on the Balti Elections: Turnout Was the Lowest in the History of the Moldovan Elections

A parallel vote count in the municipality of Balti, conducted by the Promo-LEX Observation Mission, confirms the preliminary results announced by the Central Election Commission (CEC). The independent candidate for the post of mayor Nicolai Grigorisin won 7,148 votes (84.77%), and his rival Nicolae Chirilciuc from the Patriots of Moldova Party – 1,284 (15.23%). The Association notes a large number of voting ballots declared invalid – 1786, reports ipn.md In the second round of local elections, the candidate who receives the largest number of votes is considered elected, regardless of the number of voters who took part in the elections. In the elections on Sunday, December 19, in the municipality of Balti, only 9.98% (10,218) of voters showed up for the elections, which, apparently, is the lowest turnout in the history of elections in the Republic of Moldova, Promo-LEX notes. According to Promo-LEX observers, the verified polling stations opened and closed on time. The counting of votes by the electoral authorities was generally fast and calm. Nevertheless, in one of the eight checked precincts (045), one of the observers got involved in the vote counting process, which required police intervention. In another case (051), the precinct members did not follow the sequence of filling out a special form for counting the results of voting and the protocol, as provided for by the procedure. Promo-LEX confirms the need to clarify the provisions of the Election Code regarding the organization of the second round of elections. In Balti, the second round of new local elections took place in the context of the fact that earlier the Central Election Commission decided to suspend the elections scheduled for December 5. This decision was made taking into account the cancellation of the registration of an electoral competitor who violated the legal provisions on the rules of election campaign financing. Point