Ballot papers unchanged after İnce’s withdrawal

ANKARA

Though Homeland Party leader Muharrem İnce withdrew from the election, the previously printed ballot papers will remain the same, according to the parties’ representatives to the Supreme Election Council (YSK).

Votes cast for İnce will be valid as his withdrawal does not require a change in terms of election law, said Mehmet Hadimi Yakuoğlu, the YSK representative of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP).

For his part, Tolga Öztürk, İYİ (Good) Party’s representative to the YSK, elaborated that the ballot paper will not be changed as the withdrawal deadline has already passed.

“Citizens can vote for the candidate who has withdrawn. However, if İnce passes the 50 percent vote threshold in the first ballot, he won’t be certificated,” said Recep Özel, the YSK representative of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

In Türkiye, a presidential candidate is required to obtain an absolute majority of 50 percent plus one vote to be elected.

The two candidates who garnered the most votes in the first round, except for İnce, will race in the second round, he reiterated.