Election day for the presidential elections began at 07:00 in 12,669 polling stations in the country. In the first hours, technical problems with machines were reported in several districts, and in Burgas and Haskovo, individual polling stations switched to voting with paper ballots.
Machines did not work in Burgas and Haskovo
In Burgas, the 36th polling station switched to paper voting due to a malfunctioning machine. In some polling stations in the city, not a single vote had been counted by 08:00, and the start of voting was accompanied by low activity.
„This machine was already under suspicion yesterday, as a problem was found with its reader. This morning, another attempt was made to start the election day with it, but another problem arose“, explained the chairman of the REC-Burgas Georgi Mihov. According to him, it is possible that there is a similar problem in another section.
In the Haskovo region, a machine did not work in the village of Elena, despite the attempt of a technician to fix it. In the section, where about 370 people are entitled to vote, the elections continue with paper ballots. 475 sections have been opened in the region for about 225,000 voters. Four machines had a problem starting due to the switch to winter time, but the malfunctions have been fixed. Several members of section commissions did not show up and were replaced.
Over 400,000 voters in Varna
In Varna, the sections opened without significant difficulties. Problems were found with several machines, but they were quickly fixed. Over 400,000 people in the region are eligible to vote.
Among them are sailors on ships. A section on board can be formed if there are at least 10 Bulgarian citizens from the crew who want to vote. The captain acts as the chairman of the section commission, and the results are reported via radio communication with the Regional Election Commission.
Plovdiv: 2,312 people vote for the first time
In Plovdiv, all sections opened on time. Over 305,000 people are eligible to vote, including 2,312 young people who have reached the age of majority. The lists also include six centenarians.
Machine voting was organized in 466 out of a total of 488 sections. Over 60 teams of the energy company for Southern Bulgaria are ready to respond to power outages.
Violation during re-voting in Ruse
All 335 polling stations in Ruse opened on time. In one of them, the machine was not set to winter time and a technician was called.
One violation was also found in the city. After the machine did not print a receipt, the polling station commission allowed the voter to vote again. Special templates for people with visual impairments have been provided in 13 polling stations.
Voting in prisons and low turnout at the beginning
546 polling stations have been opened in Kardzhali. In over 350 of them, voting is only done by machine, and in almost 200 - only with paper ballots. At the beginning of the day, the turnout in the district was low.
In Montana, all 289 polling stations are open. 113,567 people are eligible to vote, with 184 polling stations voting by machine and 105 by paper ballot.
In Stara Zagora, the elections are being held in 492 polling stations for 280,923 voters. In 367 of them, voting is only by machine, and in the remaining 125 - only by paper ballot.
In 26 polling stations in the country, people deprived of their liberty who do not have a valid sentence can vote. 1,364 people are eligible to vote. Two polling stations have been opened in the prison and detention center in Stara Zagora, where 85 people can vote.
In Blagoevgrad, election day proceeded smoothly, despite two registered technical problems with machines, which were fixed.