More than 2.8 million people eligible to vote are expected to cast their ballots in today’s elections and to choose their mayors and local and district councilors for the next four-year term. Over 626,000 people have the right to vote in Chisinau municipality. The polling places work from 7am until 9pm, IPN reports
There were established a total of 1,977 polling places, 309 of which are located in the municipality of Chisinau. Two polling places were set up in Cocieri - one for the voters from the village and another one for the voters from Corjova. More than 7.8 million ballots were printed for the local elections, with over 1.6 million of these being in Russian.
The longest ballot is given to the voters from Comrat to choose the local councilors - out of 79 candidates. The ballot is almost 2 meters long. For convenience, it was folded in the form of a brochure. The shortest ballots are only 15 cm long. They include only one candidate. There are such ballots in several villages.
Today the Moldovan voters are to choose 898 mayors and 12,578 councilors. The voters will receive two to four ballots. Those from municipalities will vote with two ballots, for mayor and municipal council, while those from the suburban settlements – with four ballots, for the mayor general, the municipal council, the mayor of the settlement and the local council. Those from the settlements of the first level will vote with three ballots, to choose the mayor, local councilors and district councilors.
The Moldovans can vote with the identity card or the temporary identity card. Today, all the document issuing sections of the state-run Information Resources Center “Registru” work according to a special program, from 7am until 9pm and issue also temporary identity cards.
The students can vote at the place of domicile or at the place of residence. The persons with locomotor disabilities can ask for the mobile ballot box at home, while the persons with visual impairments can vote being helped by a third person or can ask for the ‘sleeve envelope’ if they want to vote alone.
The elections are overseen by 2,215 national observers representing 14 organizations and 138 observers representing 24 foreign organizations.
The voters from Chisinau will choose their mayor out of 17 candidates:
1. Vasili Chirtoca, the Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova
2. Zinaida Grecheanyi, the Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova
3. Ilian Casu, the Our Party
4.Oazu Nantoi, the Electoral Bloc “European People’s Platform of Moldova - Iurie Leanca”,
5. Timotei Turcanu, the National Liberal Party
6. Serafim Urechean, the Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova
7. Mihail Cirlig, the People’s Party of the Republic of Moldova
8. Valery Klimenko, the Movement “Ravnopravie”
9. Elizaveta Moscaliciuc, the Party “Renaissance”
10. Grigore Petrenco, the Party “Our Home - Moldova”
11. Anatolie Prohnitski, the Green Ecologist Party
12. Marcel Darie, the Party of Law and Justice
13. Tatiana Tomacu, the Party “Moldova’s Patriots”
14. Oleg Brega, the Party “Democracy at Home”
15. Monica Babuc, the Democratic Party of Moldova
16. Igor Caldare, the Electoral Block “People’s List”
17. Dorin Chirtoaca, the Liberal Party
There are 36 competitors running for a seat on the Chisinau Municipal Council:
1. The Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova
2. The Liberal Party
3. The National Liberal Party
4. The Party of Socialists of the Republic Moldova
5. The Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova
6. Serghei Barcari (independent candidate)
7. The Party “Renaissance”
8. Oleg Cernei (independent)
9. Andrei Gutu (independent)
10. The Green Ecologist Party
11. The Electoral Bloc “European People’s Platform of Moldova - Iurie Leanca”
12. The Party “Our Party”
13. Vladimir Ianiev (independent)
14. Mircea Suruceanu (independent)
15. Angela Florea (independent)
16. Eugeniu Brad (independent)
17. The Party “Our Home - Moldova
18. The Party “Moldova’s Patriots”
19.The Party “Democracy at Home”
20. The People’s Movement Antimafie
21. Ion Dron (independent)
22. The Movement “Ravnopravie”
23. Serghei Dubalari (independent)
24. Maia Laguta (independent)
25. Alexandru Cupcea (independent)
26. John Onoje (independent)
27. The People’s Party of the Republic of Moldova
28. Gheorghi Aricov (independent)
29. Marin Chersac (independent)
30. David Marţiniuc (independent)
31. Vasile Iaroţchi (independent)
32. The Electoral Bloc “People’s List”
33. Gheorghe Gaibu (independent)
34. Valeriu Macarevici (independent)
35. Mihai Severovan (independent)
36. The Party of Law and Justice.
