site.btaCentral Election Commission Adopts Schedule for October 27 Snap Parliamentary Elections

Bulgaria’s Central Election Commission (CEC) Tuesday adopted a schedule for the October 27 early parliamentary elections, the CEC said.

Scheduled by President Rumen Radev earlier in the day, the upcoming snap vote will be the country’s sixth since the regular parliamentary elections on April 4, 2021. The most recent snap elections for members of the National Assembly were held on June 9.

The election campaign will start at 12 a.m. on September 27 and end at midnight on October 25. On election day, polls will open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. and no later than 9 p.m. For voting sections abroad, voting will begin at 7 a.m. and end at 9 p.m. local time. The CEC will announce the names of the elected Members of Parliament no later than seven days after polling day.

No later than August 30, the Commission will determine the terms and conditions for the setting up of voting sections outside the country, including the conditions, order, and organization for voting by Bulgarian citizens abroad, and will send information to the Foreign Ministry.

Until 6 September, the CEC will compile a list of places outside the country where at least one voting section was set up with no less than 100 voters in elections held in the previous five years.

Between September 2 and 11, parties and coalitions have to register with the CEC for participation in the elections. No later than September 11, the CEC will register the parties and coalitions that will take part in the elections.

Initiative committees have to submit applications for participation in the elections by September 16.

Parties, coalitions, and initiative committees have until 5 p.m. on September 24 to make proposals for the registration of candidate lists.

The CEC will determine by lot the consecutive numbers of the parties, coalitions, and initiative committees in the ballots and will announce them on September 25.

By October 5, the Commission will determine the locations in the countries where voting sections will be set up abroad and the number of voting sections in each location.