Bishkek, November 17, 2024 – The Europe Today: The local council elections in Kyrgyzstan commenced today at 8:00 AM, marking a significant step in the country’s administrative and territorial reforms. A total of 264 local councils are to be elected, including 33 city councils and 231 village councils, a result of restructuring aimed at streamlining governance. Prior to the reforms, Kyrgyzstan had 32 city councils and 452 village councils, bringing the total number of local councils to 484.
According to the Central Election Commission, the final voter list includes 4.135 million citizens, with 1.62 million eligible to vote for city councils and 2.514 million for village councils. The city council elections, which comprise 993 seats, will follow a proportional system based on party lists. In contrast, the 5391 seats for village councils will be filled through a majority system in single-member election districts.
In a bid to increase women’s participation in politics, a special legislative measure has been enacted to reserve at least 30% of the seats for women. In the capital, Bishkek, 642,000 voters are registered, and over 300 candidates from seven political parties, including more than 100 women, will compete for 51 local council seats. 268 polling stations have been set up across Bishkek for voters to cast their ballots.
This year’s election also introduces a new feature: remote voting. For the first time, internal migrants can cast their votes at polling stations different from their permanent residences. A total of 10 remote voting stations have been established, with four in Bishkek and others in regional districts. This allows 9,050 citizens to participate who would otherwise be unable to do so.
Voting will conclude at 8:00 PM, with all ballots being counted and results announced in due course.
