New local elections and by-elections for mayor and councilor in the local council will take place in nine localities of the country this Sunday, May 19. In total, 13 polling stations will be opened and will work from 07:00 a.m. until 09:00 p.m., with over 10,700 citizens with the right to vote expected to go the polls, IPN reports.

New local elections are held to choose a new composition of the local councils in Cairaclia and Salcia villages of Taraclia district, Chioselia Rusă and Cotovscoe of ATU Gagauzia, and also to elect the mayor in Târnova village of Dondușeni district, Bucovăț town of Strășeni district, Sagaidac village of Cimișlia district and Hănăsenii Noi commune of Leova district.

On the same day, mayoral by-elections will be held in Chioselia Rusă and Cotovscoe of ATU Gagauzia and also by-elections to choose a new composition of the local council of Cealîc commune of Taraclia district.

The Central Election Commission printed 12,114 ballots for the May 19 elections. The cost of a ballot paper for the local council elections is 1.32 lei, while for the mayoral elections is 0.96 lei.

A voter who, for health or other serious reasons, cannot go to the polling station can ask to vote with the mobile ballot box. Requests to the electoral bureau shall be made in writing by 02:00 p.m. on the day prior to election day. On election day, applications are accepted by the electoral bureau until 02:00 p.m. only upon the presentation of a medical certificate.

Under the Electoral Code, campaigning on election day and the day prior to election day is strictly forbidden. During this period, candidates are also not allowed to appear in television or radio shows. The local public administration and the advertising broadcasters have the obligation to remove electoral advertising materials. The ban doesn’t apply to information that had been already posted on the Internet.

Also, the electoral contestants cannot make transfers to/from the “Electoral Fund” account.