Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan, accompanied by his grandchildren, casts his ballot at a polling station in Istanbul, Turkey June 24, 2018.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan casted his vote on Sunday in Turkey’s presidential and parliamentary elections.
Erdoğan voted at the Saffet Çebi Middle School in Istanbul's Üsküdar at approximately 1:30 p.m. local time. He was accompanied by First Lady Emine Erdoğan.
Speaking to reporters after casting his vote, Erdoğan praised the high voter turnout, which according to him had crossed 50 percent.
"It [turnout] displays how advanced Turkish democracy is and how developed its democratic maturity is.
"Turkey is experiencing a democratic revolution with this election," he added.
In an unprecedented move, “portable ballot boxes” found their way to the homes of the sickly and elderly in Turkey’s presidential and parliamentary elections being held on Sunday.With the introduction of portable ballot boxes, disabled, sickly and elderly voters were able to cast their votes in the comfort of their homes with the help of officers of the election board. Over17,000 voters registered for services of mobile ballot boxes, after complying with requirements of the Supreme Election Council.The voters had to present a medical report explaining their reason for being unable to come to polling stations.Grateful citizens, who conveyed their previous hardships in elections, thanked officials for the portable ballot box system.Six candidates are running for president: Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for the alliance (People’s Alliance) formed by Turkey’s ruling AK Party and the MHP, Muharrem Ince for CHP, Selahattin Demirtas for HDP, Meral Aksener for the Good (IYI) Party, Temel Karamollaoglu for the Felicity (Saadet) Party, and Dogu Perinçek for the Patriotic (Vatan) Party.Video: Ballot box brought to sickly voter’s home in TurkeyGaleri: Portable ballot boxes brought to elderly, sickly voters’ homeIn April, Parliament passed a bill calling for early elections on June 24, cementing Turkey’s move from a parliamentary to a presidential system. In an April 2017 referendum, Turkish voters approved the switch.Under the changes, the number of lawmakers in parliament rises from 550 to 600, presidential and parliamentary elections will be held every five years, and presidents can retain ties to their political party. The prime minister post is also abolished.Female presidential candidate Akşener votes in Turkey electionsTurkish PM casts vote in electionsTurkey’s main opposition presidential candidate İnce votes in electionsRecep Tayyip Erdoğan has served as president since 2014, and is Turkey's first popularly-elected president. Before that, he served as prime minister from 2003 to 2014.Erdoğan would be Turkey's first leader to rule under the presidential system should he win the election.
Portable ballot boxes go to sickly, elderly voters in Turkey elections for the first time
Erdoğan further asserted that, with the new governing system, Turkey will be able to reach the level of contemporary civilizations.
The president will follow the elections initially in Istanbul and later arrive in Ankara during later hours to follow rest of the elections.
Supporters gathered in front of the polling station he voted at and chanted slogans in support of him.
The elderly and sick who could not make it to polling stations got a chance to vote at home for the first time in Turkish election history. For the presidential and parliamentary election on Sunday, 17,258 voters registered for services of mobile ballot boxes, after complying with requirements of the Supreme Election Council.The voters had to present a medical report explaining their reason for being unable to come to polling stations.A private polling booth was set up where voters cast their votes in privacy.In the Black Sea province of Zonguldak, Hatice Oral, 55, who has a congenital disability, used the facility. "This simplifies things for us," said Recep Sengec, 72, who suffers from a muscular dystrophy. He availed the facility in the northwestern province of Sakarya.In the northwestern province of Kocaeli, bed-ridden 90-year-old Fatma Buyukgol, cast her vote.Voting started at 8.00 a.m. local time (0500GMT) and will continue through 5.00 p.m. local time (1400GMT).
Turkey's elderly, sick cast votes in mobile ballot boxes
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has served as president since 2014, and is Turkey's first popularly-elected president. Before that, he served as prime minister from 2003 to 2014.
Erdoğan would be Turkey's first leader to rule under the presidential system should he win the election.
Meral Akşener, the only female presidential candidate and chairwoman for the İYİ (Good) Party, casted her vote on Sunday in Turkey’s presidential and parliamentary elections.Akşener voted in Istanbul’s Beylerbeyi district at around 11 a.m.Six candidates are running for president: Recep Tayyip Erdogan for the alliance (People’s Alliance) formed by Turkey’s ruling AK Party and the MHP, Muharrem Ince for CHP, Selahattin Demirtas for HDP, Meral Aksener for the Good (IYI) Party, Temel Karamollaoglu for the Felicity (Saadet) Party, and Dogu Perincek for the Patriotic (Vatan) Party.Turkish PM casts vote in electionsTurkey’s main opposition presidential candidate İnce votes in electionsIn April, Parliament passed a bill calling for early elections on June 24, cementing Turkey’s move from a parliamentary to a presidential system. In an April 2017 referendum, Turkish voters approved the switch.Under the changes, the number of lawmakers in parliament rises from 550 to 600, presidential and parliamentary elections will be held every five years, and presidents can retain ties to their political party. The prime minister post is also abolished.Turkey goes to polls in presidential, parliamentary electionsRecep Tayyip Erdoğan has served as president since 2014, and is Turkey's first popularly-elected president. Before that, he served as prime minister from 2003 to 2014.Erdoğan would be Turkey's first leader to rule under the presidential system should he win the election.
Female presidential candidate Akşener votes in Turkey elections
Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım, who is a member of the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party, casted his vote on Sunday in Turkey’s presidential and parliamentary elections.Yıldırım voted in Turkey’s İzmir province at around 11 a.m.Six candidates are running for president: Recep Tayyip Erdogan for the alliance (People’s Alliance) formed by Turkey’s ruling AK Party and the MHP, Muharrem Ince for CHP, Selahattin Demirtas for HDP, Meral Aksener for the Good (IYI) Party, Temel Karamollaoglu for the Felicity (Saadet) Party, and Dogu Perincek for the Patriotic (Vatan) Party.In April, Parliament passed a bill calling for early elections on June 24, cementing Turkey’s move from a parliamentary to a presidential system. In an April 2017 referendum, Turkish voters approved the switch.Turkey’s main opposition presidential candidate İnce votes in electionsUnder the changes, the number of lawmakers in parliament rises from 550 to 600, presidential and parliamentary elections will be held every five years, and presidents can retain ties to their political party. The prime minister post is also abolished.Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has served as president since 2014, and is Turkey's first popularly-elected president. Before that, he served as prime minister from 2003 to 2014.Erdoğan would be Turkey's first leader to rule under the presidential system should he win the election.Election day bansNews media organizations are not allowed to broadcast any political advertising, predictions or comments about the elections until 06.00 p.m. (1500GMT).Between 06.00 p.m. (1500GMT) and 09.00 p.m. (1800GMT), media outlets will only be able to publish official announcements about the elections issued by Supreme Election Council.Selling alcoholic beverages are banned from 06.00 a.m. (0300GMT) to 00.00 p.m. (2100GMT) while consumption of alcoholic beverages are also prohibited in public places.
Turkish PM casts vote in elections
Muharrem İnce, the presidential candidate for Turkey’s main opposition, the Republican People’s Party, (CHP) casted his vote on Sunday in the country’s presidential and parliamentary elections.İnce voted in Istanbul’s Yalova district at around 10.30 a.m.Six candidates are running for president, while eight political parties are contending in the parliamentary elections.In April, Parliament passed a bill calling for early elections on June 24, cementing Turkey’s move from a parliamentary to a presidential system. In an April 2017 referendum, Turkish voters approved the switch.Turkey goes to polls in presidential, parliamentary electionsUnder the changes, the number of lawmakers in parliament rises from 550 to 600, presidential and parliamentary elections will be held every five years, and presidents can retain ties to their political party. The prime minister post is also abolished.Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has served as president since 2014, and is Turkey's first popularly-elected president. Before that, he served as prime minister from 2003 to 2014.Erdogan would be Turkey's first leader to rule under the presidential system should he win the election.
Turkey’s main opposition presidential candidate İnce votes in elections
Turkey's justice minister said on Sunday that voting continues peacefully across the country.Speaking to reporters after casting his vote in southern Gaziantep province, Abdulhamit Gül said he hoped the election results contribute to stability and peace in the country."Till now, we have not received any information regarding any disruption in the elections. Everybody is casting their votes in peace," Gül said.Video: Voting begins for presidential and parliamentary elections in TurkeyTurkish voters are casting their votes in presidential and parliamentary elections. Voting started at 8.00 a.m. local time (0500GMT) and will continue through 5.00 p.m. local time (1400GMT).Turkey goes to polls in presidential, parliamentary elections
Turkish justice minister says voting continues smoothly
Some 415 observers from eight international organizations have been deployed to watch Turkey’s presidential and parliamentary elections on Sunday.According to information compiled by Anadolu Agency, the foreign observers -- including parliamentarians from several countries -- have completed their accreditation with Turkey’s Supreme Election Council.The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has sent 234 observers, while the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCEPA) sent 72, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) deployed 35, and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) sent 10 observers.Video: Voting begins for presidential and parliamentary elections in TurkeyThere are also five observers from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC), 15 from the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic-Speaking Countries (TURKPA), 21 from the Turkic-Speaking Countries Cooperation Council (Turkish Council), and 23 from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). They are tasked with monitoring if the elections are carried out in a fair, free, and transparent manner.Turkey goes to polls in presidential, parliamentary electionsThe observers will be able to watch voting and ballot counting so long as they do not interfere with these procedures.The election monitors will also prepare reports on whether international standards are followed.
415 foreign observers ready for Turkish elections
More than 55 million Turkish citizens began casting votes across the country on Sunday in Turkey’s presidential and parliamentary elections.There are 56,322,632 registered voters and 180,065 ballot boxes across Turkey. Voting is scheduled to begin at 8.00 a.m. (0500GMT) and end at 5.00 p.m. local time (1500GMT).For the first time in Turkish history, political parties run in the elections by forming electoral alliances.Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) formed an alliance dubbed the “People’s Alliance” while the Republican People's Party (CHP), İYİ (Good) Party and the Felicity Party have constituted another dubbed the “Nation’s Alliance.”Video: Voting begins for presidential and parliamentary elections in TurkeyVoters will cast two separate ballot papers in the same envelope, one for their presidential and one for their parliamentary choice.After voting ends, ballots cast for the presidential candidates will be counted first.Turkish expats cast vote abroadSome 1.49 million expatriates voted in a 13-day period between June 7 and 19 at 123 Turkish missions abroad.Expat votes were transported to Turkey by airmail and will be counted simultaneously as the votes cast in Turkey on Sunday. Balloting at customs gates also began on June 7 and will continue throughout election day.Six candidates are running for president, while eight political parties are contending in the parliamentary elections.In April, Parliament passed a bill calling for early elections on June 24, cementing Turkey’s move from a parliamentary to a presidential system. In an April 2017 referendum, Turkish voters approved the switch.Under the changes, the number of lawmakers in parliament rises from 550 to 600, presidential and parliamentary elections will be held every five years, and presidents can retain ties to their political party. The prime minister post is also abolished.Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has served as president since 2014, and is Turkey's first popularly-elected president. Before that, he served as prime minister from 2003 to 2014.Erdoğan would be Turkey's first leader to rule under the presidential system should he win the election.
Turkey goes to polls in presidential, parliamentary elections