Voter turnout high as Armenia’s election day passes midway mark

Voter turnout in Armenia’s parliamentary elections stood at 33.84% as of 2:00 p.m. local time, according to the Central Electoral Commission, marking a significantly higher participation rate compared to the previous election cycle.

A total of 847,226 people had cast their ballots by that point. During the 2021 elections, turnout at the same time of day stood at 26.8%.

The highest participation was recorded in Syunik province, where slightly more than 39% of eligible voters had cast their ballots. The lowest turnout was reported in Armavir province, at 30.39%. Turnout in Yerevan was broadly in line with the nationwide average.

Voting across Armenia began at 8:00 a.m. and will continue until 8:00 p.m., after which vote counting will begin. The first preliminary results are expected to be announced a few hours later. A total of 2,005 polling stations were set up across the country.

Earlier in the day, the leaders of all major contending parties cast their votes.

The election pits Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s ruling Civil Contract party against a fragmented opposition, including the Strong Armenia alliance led by Russian-Armenian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan and the Armenia alliance of former President Robert Kocharyan.

Most pre-election polls suggested that Civil Contract would lead by double-digit margins, although more than 40% of voters were either undecided or declined to disclose their preference.

As of 1:00 p.m., law enforcement authorities reported 293 alleged violations, including cases of double voting and breaches of ballot secrecy. Criminal proceedings had been initiated against 297 individuals.

Other reported incidents included bomb threat calls and messages, though no explosives were found.

Also read: Election update 12:30 pm: Turnout rises above 2021 levels