YEREVAN. – Twelve of the 3,712 precinct election commission members did not show up to the polling stations on Sunday, the election day for the Armenian capital city Yerevan Council, Central Electoral Commission (CEC) Chairman Tigran Mukuchyan stated.

He informed that 464 precincts opened in Yerevan on Sunday, and sessions were convened at 7am at all precincts.

“New designations [to replace the aforesaid twelve members] were not made, since the number of members is not less than seven in all commissions,” Mukuchyan added.    

The CEC chief recalled that 26 NGOs, including 6,613 local observers and twelve observers from the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, are carrying out an observation mission.

In addition, the ink of the stamps—which will be put on the voters’ passports to attest to the fact that they have cast their ballots—is tested, Mukuchyan informed. He also called upon the people not to try to have the ink removed because this could damage the passports.   

To note, Yerevan Council elections kicked off Sunday at 8am.

Six political parties and one bloc are running in the vote. They are the Republican Party of Armenia, Prosperous Armenia Party, Orinats Yerkir (Rule of Law), Armenian National Congress Party (ANCP), Arakelutyun (Mission) Party , ARF Dashnaktsutyun Party, and the “Barev, [Hello] Yerevan” bloc of parties.

The participating political forces are vying for 65 Council seats. The Yerevan Council election is held with proportional—that is, party—lists only.