Counting begins across Armenia
Polling stations across Armenia closed at 8 p.m., with electoral commissions starting the counting of ballots.
Although the Central Election Commission has not updated the information on the voter turnout, we are already receiving information from different polling stations. For example, 910 of 1940 eligible voters cast ballots at Precinct 2/08 in Yerevan's Nor Nork district. Two observers of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) will follow the process of counting at the precinct.
A total of 828 voters participated in the election at Precinct 15/31 in Kentron district where the number of eligible voters stood at 1888. Chairman of the election commission Anushavan Nikoghosyan said many of the voters complained of inaccuracy found on voters' register, many were surprised to find strangers registered at their address.
Some 1988 polling stations operated across the republic on February 18. The polling stations opened at 8 a.m. and closed at 8 p.m., following 12 hours of voting.
Seven candidates were running in the Monday election: chairman of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK), incumbent president Serzh Sargsyan, Heritage party chairman Raffi Hovannisian, leader of Freedom party, former prime minister Hrant Bagratyan, former foreign minister of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Arman Melikyan, Chairman of the National Self-Determination Union party Paruyr Hayrikyan, Radio Hay director Andrias Ghukasyan and epos expert Vardan Sedrakyan.
