Election board opens probe into elections in Yalova

ANKARA

According to the first results, the AKP’s candidate had won the mayoral office by just a single vote over the CHP. AA Photo

Turkey’s High Election Board (YSK) has agreed to investigate an appeal by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) over election fraud claims in the northwestern province of Yalova.

The election board told vote organizers in Yalova late April 9 to investigate a complaint from the AKP that there had been irregularities there.

The AKP claimed in its complaint that those who are not eligible to vote, such as soldiers, voted in some ballots in the city. The YSK decided to investigate the allegations and reveal whether those who were not eligible to vote cast ballots in the March 30 local elections in Yalova.

The AKP lost the mayoral election to the Republican People’s Party (CHP), according to informal tallies of the result reported in the media. According to the first results, the AKP’s candidate won the mayoral office by just a single vote over the CHP.

The CHP objected to the result, leading to a recount in which the CHP ended up winning by six votes.