Local Turkish polls: Vote recounts continue in Istanbul

By Hanife Sevinc and Ibrahim Halil Akturk

ISTANBUL (AA) - In the wake of Sunday’s local elections in Turkey, a recount of invalid votes is underway in 15 of 39 districts of the Istanbul metropolis, while all the votes are being recounted in three districts, according to city and district electoral councils.

Early Wednesday, responding to a legal challenge by the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party, the Supreme Electoral Council (YSK) decided to resume the recounts, overturning an earlier decision.

The 15 districts where invalid votes are being reexamined are Kucukcekmece, Beyoglu, Basaksehir, Maltepe, Buyukcekmece, Cekmekoy, Eyup, Fatih, Tuzla, Sariyer, Atasehir, Beykoz, Sile, Bayrampasa, and Umraniye.

Meantime, all the votes are being recounted in the western Catalca and Silivri districts and the eastern Kartal district.

In the Istanbul mayor’s race, Ekrem Imamoglu of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), with 48.79 percent of the votes, currently has a narrow lead over the AK Party’s Binali Yildirim, with 48.51 percent, but the AK Party has said a recount might change these results.

- Sunday's local elections

Millions of Turkish voters cast their votes nationwide Sunday in elections to choose Turkey’s mayors, city council members, mukhtars (neighborhood officials), and members of elder councils for the next five years.

According to unofficial results, the AK Party is leading in 15 metropolitan municipalities (larger cities), with 24 smaller cities also claimed by AK Party candidates.

Mansur Yavas, the CHP’s mayoral candidate in the capital Ankara, is leading with 50.91 percent of votes, according to unofficial results, with the AK Party’s Mehmet Ozhaseki at 47.1 percent.

The AK Party has also challenged the poll results in all 25 districts of Ankara.

* Writing by Beyza Binnur Donmez