Citizens in areas hit by 2023 earthquake cast votes in local elections

Citizens in earthquake-affected regions of Türkiye, including Hatay, Gaziantep, Malatya, and others, cast their votes in local elections amid high turnout and tight security measures

Citizens in Kahramanmaras, the epicenter of the 2023 earthquakes, along with the affected regions of Hatay, Gaziantep, Malatya, Adiyaman, Sanliurfa, and Kilis, are casting their votes for the local elections.

In Gaziantep, 1.39 million voters have started voting in 4,418 ballot boxes set up across 824 schools.

For the first time in this election, 36,507 people will vote, and seven mobile ballot boxes will be set up for those who cannot reach polling stations.

To ensure smooth elections, 8,288 law enforcement officers will be deployed in the city.

Voters arriving at polling stations early in the morning, accompanied by officials, are placing their prepared envelopes in the ballot boxes.

Hatay

In Hatay, 1.07 million citizens will go to the polls. Earthquake-affected citizens will cast their votes in 3,424 ballot boxes.

In the areas devastated by the earthquake, 96 container polling stations have been set up for citizens to cast their votes.

In Antakya district, where 66 of the container polling stations are located, voters started coming to the container polling stations set up in the courtyard of Beyhan Gencer Primary School in Cebrail Mahallesi to cast their votes.

Kahramanmaras

Polling station presidents and officials in Kahramanmaras headed to schools early in the morning to complete their preparations.

Voters in the yard of Mehmet Gumuser Anatolian High School in the Dulkadiroglu district began voting as early as 7 a.m.

In the city with approximately 754,000 registered voters, the voting process is ongoing in 2,405 ballot boxes.

Sanliurfa

In Sanliurfa, 1.25 million voters have started voting in 4,435 ballot boxes.

Citizens are casting their votes at the Yavuz Selim Primary School in the Eyyubiye district, and voting will continue until 4 p.m.

Governor Hasan Sildak, monitoring the election security process at the Security and Emergency Center, stated that security measures have been maximized in all polling areas and residential areas and expressed hope for peaceful elections.

Malatya

Voters in Battalgazi’s Teknokent Temporary Accommodation Center, housing earthquake victims, lined up early at the ballot box containers.

At the 15 July Martyrs Anatolian Imam Hatip High School in Battalgazi, citizens formed lines to cast their votes at 7 a.m.

Polling station officials have been assisting citizens at the ballot boxes.

Around 542,177 voters in Malatya will cast their votes in 2,007 ballot boxes.

Adiyaman and Kilis

In Adiyaman, 412,272 voters will cast their votes in 1,582 ballot boxes.

The city witnessed a high voter turnout, including residents living in container cities, in the early hours of the day. 

In Kilis, voting began after the officials had completed their preparations early in the morning. 

In the city, 98,938 voters will cast their votes in 415 ballot boxes.

Source: Newsroom

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