Voting began across Türkiye on Sunday to elect city mayors, district mayors, and other local officials who will serve for the next five years, including in the hotly-contested cities of Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir.
Voting started at 7 am local time and will continue through 4 pm in 32 eastern provinces, and in the remaining provinces, polling stations opened at 8 am and close at 5 pm.
In the March 31 local elections, more than 61 million voters nationwide are eligible to cast their votes at over 200,000 polling stations with candidates from 34 political parties competing.
The major competing parties are the governing Justice and Development (AK) Party, the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), the Good (IYI) Party, and the Peoples' Democratic Party (DEM Party).
Voters can only vote for candidates for office in their districts. Some 1.32 million young people will vote for the first time.
The ballot paper for Istanbul—the seat of Ottoman rule—has 49 candidates.
Over 1,000 mobile ballot boxes will be established for voters who are unable to travel to the polls due to illness or disability.
On election day, the sale and consumption of all types of alcoholic beverages will be strictly prohibited in all alcohol-serving and public venues from 6 am to 12 midnight.
Radio stations and broadcast media are prohibited from making news, predictions, or comments about the election or election results until 6 pm (1500 GMT).
From 6 to 9 pm (1500-1800 GMT), election-related broadcasts can only use news and announcements from the Supreme Election Council (YSK).
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