Turkey’s ruling party candidate elected mayor in Rize

ANKARA (AA) - Ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party's candidate has been elected mayor of Turkey’s Black Sea province of Rize in local elections on Sunday.

Rahmi Metin bagged 25,447 votes, while main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) candidate Ayhan Akyuz got 4,690 votes, according to the unofficial results.

Earlier, millions of Turkish voters headed to the ballot boxes on Sunday for the local elections to choose Turkey’s mayors, city council members, mukhtars (neighborhood officials), and members of elder councils for the next five years.

* Writing by Sibel Morrow