2 yıl önce

How will Türkiye’s election calendar work?

Various political candidates contesting polls must resign by March 16, while voting for Turks living abroad starts on April 27.

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The Supreme Election Council issued the dates for procedural processes of the election of 2023 and the election process started on 18 March / Photo: AA

As Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that presidential and parliamentary elections will be held on May 14, resignations of public officials who intend to run for parliament have already begun.

The incumbent Erdogan’s AK Party is seeking another victory at the ballot box, while the opposition has selected Kemal Kilicdaroglu, leader of the CHP, as its presidential candidate.

Now, many are curious as to how the election calendar will work.

36 political parties will be participating to compete in the elections, including the Justice and Development Party (AK Party), Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), Grand Unity Party (BBP), Republican People's Party (CHP), Saadet Party, DEVA Party, Gelecek Party, IYI Party, Homeland Party, Yeniden Refah Party, Demokrat Party, Democratic Left Party, HDP and Communist Party of Türkiye.

The Supreme Election Council has issued dates and deadlines to ensure certain key protocols are met well ahead of the polling date.

Here are some of the important dates to keep in mind :

March 18: Election schedule officially kicks off. The process of handing over the alliance protocol to the Supreme Election Council containing signatures of the chairmen of the political parties that have decided to participate will begin.

March 31: The final list of candidates for the presidency will be published in the Official Gazette and the propaganda period for the presidential election will start.

April 9: The deadline for political parties to submit their candidate lists to the supreme election board will end at 17:00 PM. Objections to be made will be decided by the high election board until 23.59 PM.

April 27- May 9: Voting will begin for Turkish citizens living abroad and last until May 9.

May 14: Presidential and parliamentary elections officially start. The provisional results of the presidential election will be announced by PM.

May 28: If the first ballot fails to secure a majority of votes, the timetable for the second vote in the presidential election will come into effect and be held on May 28.

The Supreme Election Council has marked mid-April as the beginning of what it calls "propaganda period," a period time when political parties in the country campaign with the help of boisterous advertisements, musical bands and songs.

Pre-elections restrictions

The decisions of the Supreme Election Council, which set the practices and prohibitions related to the election day, were also published in the Official Gazette.

Voting will begin at 8:00 AM local time and end at PM local time.

The sale of alcoholic beverages will be prohibited between 06.00 AM and 00.00 AM local time on election day.

Except for those in charge of preserving safety and order, no one will be permitted to carry weapons in residential areas.

On election day, all public entertainment venues such as coffee shops, cafes, and internet cafes will be closed.

Before 6:00 PM local time, media outlets are prohibited from making predictions and remarks about the elections and their results.

The election council will provide news and statements between 6:00 PM and 9:00 PM local time for media outlets to publish.

Broadcasters will be allowed to report on the election results after 9:00 PM local time or earlier.

How will earthquake victims vote?

The General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs reported that measures had been taken to ensure earthquake victims' eligibility to vote in elections.

Earthquake victims can report their address information in the new provinces and districts where they reside after the disaster, including temporary residences such as tents, dormitories, containers, through the population directorates and e-government portal until March 17.