96 are the machines with which the voting was terminated at 4 p.m
Voter turnout in the country as of 4 p.m. was 26.25%. It is highest in Smolyan – 32.33%, lowest in Sliven – 20.34%.
This was announced by the spokeswoman of the CEC and its deputy chairman, Rositsa Mateva, at the commission’s second official briefing of the day.
She also made a comparison with the voting at the same time in the previous elections in June – then the turnout was 20.44%, the highest turnout was again in Smolyan, and the lowest in Sliven. In April, the activity was 27.7%, the highest was in the capital’s 23 MIR, and the lowest in Kardzhali. In October 2022, the activity was 25.58%, the highest again in the 23rd MIR, the lowest in Kardzhali. The trend is continuing, Mateva said.
As of 4:45 p.m., voting was terminated with 95 machines, 4 of them abroad. As of the same time in June, the blocked machines were a little more than 100. The trend continues here as well, Mateva said, clarifying that in the previous vote it was not possible to vote with a total of 148 machines.
And when asked if the problem in the machines comes from the paper used, the CEC spokeswoman said that she could not give an unequivocal answer. Mateva recalled that, at the direction of the commission, an inspection was made of all the machines that did not work in June – by experts in the ministry and two docents from the BAS.
“They couldn’t give a clear answer. According to them, the cause is not in the paper. We recommended prevention, including the printers,” she said, adding that it is assumed that with frequent use, the printer’s rollers may become dirty. We will commission an analysis and try to get the experts to do it to see if it’s a software problem or a paper problem, Mateva said.
Notifications have also been submitted to the CEC for the publication of preliminary voting data. There is also one for the machine vote, two of which are for the paper – they were forwarded to the BNB Printing Office, which is its supplier.
Mateva also commented on the non-appearance of members of commissions, as well as several reports from people who showed up, started work, some even voted in the sections, after which they were notified that they were replaced by RIC decisions, adopted late last night or today early.
“I cannot say what are the reasons why RIC do not fulfill the instructions of the CEC, the responsibility is theirs. Our instructions are legal, but the RIC organizes the elections in the respective region, the questions should be addressed to them as well,” she noted.
The CEC spokeswoman noted that the next parliament should consider a broad discussion on changes to the Electoral Code and take into account the CEC’s recommendations regarding the appointment of the CEC. She listed some of the recommendations – to appoint members of sectional commissions closer to election day and to replace them only for serious reasons. Or to have a database of members to be trained between elections, to be issued certificates and for parties and coalitions to choose between them.
When asked how Delyan Peevski voted in the village of Babyak, Mateva indicated that he did not know. But he specified that candidates for people’s representatives, observers and members of committees can vote at an address other than the permanent and current one, if they present a certificate.