Turkish voting ends abroad with record turnout of 53 percent

The election process for the Turkish voters living abroad lasted from April 27 to May 9. While 53.18 percent of the voters cast their votes as an all-time record, voting will continue at customs gates until the election date of May 14.

Wednesday May 10 2023 10:19 pm

Duvar English

Turkish citizens living abroad have cast votes in 73 countries for the presidential and parliamentary general elections between April 27 and May 9. Approximately 3,416,000 citizens living abroad were eligible to vote in the 2023 elections.

As of May 9, the number of votes cast in foreign missions was recorded as approximately 1,691,000 and the number of votes cast at customs gates as approximately 125,000. The total number of votes cast at foreign missions and customs gates was nearly 1,817,000, which corresponds to 53.18 percent of the total number of voters abroad.

The participation rate from abroad in the elections held since 2014 has steadily increased. The 18.94 percent participation rate in the 2014 elections increased to 50.9 percent in the 2018 elections.

The votes cast in Turkey's foreign missions have been brought to Turkey by diplomatic couriers via Turkish Airlines. The authorities stated that the votes are kept in a room with seven locked doors at Istanbul Airport. On the other hand, voting at customs gates will continue until May 14.

Turkish citizens living abroad can vote in presidential elections, parliamentary general elections and referendums held in Turkey following the legal amendments made to the electoral legislation in 2012.