Turkish expats begin voting in presidential elections

ANKARA - The Associated Press

Sinan Seven, a Turkish citizen living in Melbourne, Australia, became the first elector to cast his vote during the country's first ever presidential election by popular vote. AA Photo

Turkish citizens living abroad have begun casting votes in Turkey's first direct presidential elections. It is also the first time expatriate Turks are casting votes in their countries of residence.

Some 2.8 million expatriate Turks - about half of them in Germany - are eligible to participate in the elections although reports say a few hundred thousand have registered to vote. Polls opened in Germany and several other countries on July 31.

Sinan Seven, a Turkish citizen living in Melbourne, Australia, became the first elector to cast his vote during the country's first ever presidential election by popular vote. 

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is the strongest contender in the elections to be held in Turkey on Aug. 10. The former head of the Organization for Islamic Cooperation, Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu, and Kurdish politician Selahattin Demirtaş are also running.