CHP’s Ankara candidate announces victory, warns against ballot security

ANKARA

Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Ankara mayoral candidate Mansur Yavas casts his ballot at a polling station in Ankara on March 30, 2014. AFP Photo

The Republican People’s Party (CHP) candidate for Ankara has declared victory in the polls while calling on voters to watch over the counting process and their votes until they are delivered to the Supreme Election Board. 

“We received almost 50 percent of the votes according to the information we have,” CHP candidate Mansur Yavaş said at a press conference at 8:30 p.m. local time on March 30.

Yavaş suggested there was a “perception management” attempt about the election results by some TV channels.

The CHP candidate said those TV channels were broadcasting nearly 10-15 percent less than the actual vote. He recalled that many votes, such as in central Çankaya – a stronghold of the AKP – had not been counted yet.

“Our wish is at least 51 percent of the votes” he said.

According to the information gathered by the CHP as of 8:30 p.m., out of more than 12,300 total ballot boxes, more than 4,300 ballot boxes – in districts such as Keçiören, Etimesgut, Sincan, Altındağ and Mamak – have been counted, a CHP executive said at the same press conference.

The CHP received 49 percent of the counted votes, while the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) received 42 percent, he said.

Meanwhile, the CHP executives also underlined that although they received 76 percent of the votes in the Çankaya district, their party had been portrayed as the second party in the district, with the ruling AKP having been depicted as the winner.