Election body aims to enhance Türkiye’s system by studying int’l voting

WASHINGTON

Türkiye's top electoral authority will conduct an evaluation of electoral systems from different countries in order to enhance the current system, states Supreme Election Council (YSK) head Ahmet Yener.

Yener, who has been in the United States since Nov. 3 at the invitation of the U.S. election body, stated that officials gave the Turkish delegation a comprehensive explanation of how the election system operated and the various stages of the voting process.

He emphasized that they visited polling stations and noted that the elections were conducted with remarkable ease.

“After we return to Türkiye, we will assess our observations within our board and evaluate how the U.S. electoral system could potentially impact our own system,” Yener said.

Yener also recalled that during the year, he observed elections in countries such as Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Maldives, Georgia, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Venezuela and Russia.

He further stated that international symposiums were attended in Kazakhstan, Colombia, South Korea and Poland, where valuable insights were gained.

These experiences, alongside an assessment of the similarities and differences with the Turkish election system, will help in the ongoing effort to "advance" the country’s electoral processes.

Notably, Yener mentioned that he had opportunity to observe firsthand how electronic voting operates in the U.S.

He pointed out that absentee voting via mail is another method used in the U.S. He assured that all these methods will be evaluated for their potential adaptability to Türkiye’s system.

"What are the advantages and disadvantages of electronic voting for Türkiye? By observing firsthand, we will assess these aspects upon our return and begin formulating plans. The YSK has already conducted preliminary studies on this matter.”