A Guide to Voting: Step-by-Step
Everything You Need to Know About Voting in Turkish Elections
As Turkey prepares for the upcoming parliamentary and presidential elections, voters have been urged to familiarize themselves with the voting process. Here are the six steps to carrying out the voting process:
1. Knowing Where and When to Vote: Voters must go to the ballot boxes where they are registered to vote, at the place and ballot box indicated on the voter information sheet that is sent to their address. Those who have not received the voter information sheet will be able to get information from the YSK website, the e-Government portal or the Voter Inquiry mobile application. Voters are advised to take note of voting hours which run from 8:00am to 5:00pm throughout the country.
2. ID Documents: Voters are required to bring identification documents such as the identity card bearing the identity number of the Republic of Turkey, cold-stamped identity card issued by official offices, passport, marriage certificate, military service certificate, driver’s license, professional identity card given to judges and prosecutors, and members of the high judicial body, lawyers, notary publics and military personnel.
3. Not Bringing Mobile Phones or Video Recorders: It is prohibited to enter the voting place with video recorders or communication devices such as mobile phones, cameras or film cameras.
4. Using the Appropriate Vote Stamp: Voters will be given two separate ballot papers (for the presidential election and the parliamentary general election). It is important for the voters to select their preferred presidential candidate, political party, alliance, or independent candidate on their respective ballot papers and strictly use either the “PREFERENCE” or “YES” seal without putting any other sign or mark on any part of the ballot paper.
5. Collecting Ballot Papers: All ballot papers will be placed in one envelope.
6. Signing After Voting: After voters place their envelopes in the ballot boxes, they will sign against the place where their names are on the ballot voters’ list.
The disabled, the paralyzed, those with missing hands or physical disabilities, and visually impaired voters will also be able to vote with the help of a relative who is a voter of that constituency, or, if there is no relative around, any other voter.
After the ballot boxes close, the vote counting will begin. First, the presidential election and then the parliamentary election votes will be counted, together with the political party representative members of the ballot box committee. After the results are recorded, two political party members will be picked by lot by the chairman and the votes will be sent to the district election board.
It is important for all eligible voters to carry out their civic duty and vote during this upcoming election.
