The paper vote has a significant advantage over the machine vote. This was established by the section election commissions in the Blagoevgrad villages of Belo Pole and Riltsi.
As “Struma” wrote, the local elections in Belo Pole were accompanied by a curious reduction. Of the 10,985 voters, they melted down to 545, like the thousands of North Macedonians, or the so-called residents with dual citizenship are on a separate list. The first round was marked by a high voter turnout, and against the background of about 150 voters who usually stand in front of the ballot box, last Sunday nearly 350 local residents exercised their right to vote. 223 supported the previous mayor Ivan Stoychev, who had three competitors, but with the support he received, he will continue to govern the village for a sixth term.
And although the citizens of Belopol chose their governor, yesterday the runoff for mayor of Blagoevgrad also saw a high turnout. By noon, 95 people had voted (compared to 115 at the same time last Sunday). Of these, 75 chose the paper ballots and 20 the machines.
“Indeed, most people prefer paper ballots. Otherwise, we have no problems with the machine”, commented the commission.
Members of the SIC joked that the device did not cause them any problems, since in the section they lit the wood stove and thus, in addition to being comfortable for the voters, they created conditions and a suitable temperature for the work of the equipment as well.
Significantly fewer people take advantage of their right to vote in the runoff compared to the first round, summed up Dora Zasheva, the chairman of the SEC in Riltsi. There the list is of 740 people. At 12 o’clock last Sunday, a queue even formed in front of the section and there were about 200 people who voted.
“Now, in the same time, no more than 120 have passed. It’s just that people seem to be overwhelmed by some kind of apathy”, expressed D. Zasheva’s opinion and added that 70% of those who voted chose the paper ballots and only 30% preferred the machine vote.
While a “Struma” reporter was talking to the chairman of the section, the new mayor of the village, Georgi Chorbadjiev, came to exercise his right to vote. He was elected on 29.10. after a “heart attack” with the other candidate Vladimir Georgiev. Then 252 people, or 51.75%, voted for the construction entrepreneur G. Chorbadjiev, and he won the battle with a difference of exactly 30 votes against his opponent.
“I am voting for a better development and future of Rilci”, said the new mayor when the ballot was placed in the ballot box.
STANISLAVA DALEVA
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Tags: paper vote prevailed machines village registered Macedonians Belo Pole
