As of August 9 when the deadline for applications expired, 163 candidates registered to run in the race for the People’s Assembly of the Gagauz autonomy, with the elections to take place on September 9. Yana Kovalenko, deputy head of the Gaguz Election Commission, told Info-Prim Neo that the Communist Party fielded the largest number of candidates – 27. The others were from the Liberal-Democratic Party, the Socialist Party, the Social-Democratic Party, the Democratic Party, the Liberal Party and the People’s Socialist Party. Nearly half of the candidates are independent. The electoral expenses were estimated at 1.7 million lei, but no funds have been allotted yet. The ballot papers will be in three languages: the official language, Russian and Gagauz. 62 polling stations will be opened in UTA Gagauzia. In September, people will be called to elect the 35 members of the autonomous region’s legislative body. The members of the People’s Assembly are elected by direct vote for a term of 4 years. The parties, electoral blocs and other political organizations can propose a single candidate for each of the 35 electoral precincts. In electoral precincts where no candidates obtain over 50% of votes, runoffs will be held.