Countdown begins for Türkiye's March 31 local elections

By Ismet Karakas

ANKARA (AA) — The countdown for Türkiye’s local polls kicked off with the new year, according to an electoral calendar released by the country's Supreme Election Council.

Electoral proceedings officially began on Jan. 1 for the local elections slated for March 31, with the council on Tuesday to disclose the political parties that will run in the polls.

Political parties will be required to inform the council about the methods and principles they will use for candidate selection in which electoral districts by Wednesday.

Applications will also commence for bedridden voters with illnesses or disabilities to cast their votes in mobile ballot boxes.

Local polls are held in Türkiye every five years to elect mayors of 30 metropolitan municipalities and 51 other municipalities, along with district mayors, provincial assemblies, and neighborhood and village administrators.

The last local elections were held on March 31, 2019, when President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Justice and Development (AK) Party won in 39 out of 81 provinces, while the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) got 21 provinces, including the capital Ankara and metropolis Istanbul.

⁠- Electoral calendar

Jan. 1: Election process officially begins.

Jan. 2: Names of political parties that may run in the polls to be announced.

Jan. 27: Order of political parties’ names on ballot papers to be determined by lots drawn by the Supreme Election Council.

Feb. 22: Temporary lists of candidates for provincial and district mayors to be announced. Lists to be subject to appeal until March 3.

Feb. 29: Voter notification cards to start being distributed (until March 24).

March 21: Campaigning period officially begins.

March 30: Campaigning period ends.

March 31: Election Day.