In the settlements which are included in the composition of the municipality of Chisinau, the participation rate in local elections reached 31.8% at 15.30, so that the elections can be considered valid in the suburbs, Chairman of the Chisinau District Election Council Ion Cretu told Info-Prim Neo. 22.3% of voters participated in the polls in the municipality of Chisinau so far, thus, according to Cretu, there are few changes that the voter turnout rate will not reach 25% required to validate the elections. Different preliminary data show participation rates ranging from 20 to 20.6% of the voters who cast their ballots until the reported hour in the municipality of Chisinau. On May 25, 2003, about 30% had participated in the local general elections until the same hour; 17% and 13.5% respectively participated within the same period in the elections which took place on July 10 and November 25, 2005.