The Central Election Commission has released the first results of the referendum in Azerbaijan, APA reports.

Speaking at a press conference, chairman of the Central Election Commission Mazahir Panahov said that 91.2 percent of the voters supported to increase the term of office of the president in the referendum in Azerbaijan, held on Sept. 26.

“91.2 percent of electors voted for increasing the term of office of President and more than 89 percent of voters for creation of an institute of vice presidency,” said Panahov at a press conference in the Central Election Commission.

However, 88 percent of voters supported the elimination of the age limit for the election to the parliament and 91 percent of electors voted for the elimination of the age limit for the election of the President.

Citizens of Azerbaijan also gave the president the right to dissolve parliament. “For the corresponding amendment to the constitution voted 2.33 million voters, representing 87.4 percent,” added Panahov.

“Azerbaijani voters approved of all 29 issues put to referendum, so all these amendments can already been regarded as legitimate,” Panahov said.
Panahov said that according to initial results, 3,671,707 people voted in the referendum, with reports from 70.2% of the polling stations (3950 polling stations) processed. Overall voter turnout was 69.7%, he said.

He said polling stations opened at 8:00 and closed at 19:00 local time across Azerbaijan.

He said the voting took place in a democratic and transparent manner.

Panahov added that the Central Election Commission ensured the conduct of the voting in accordance with law.

The voting was conducted in 125 constituencies in 5,627 polling stations, of which 5,415 were permanent and 212 temporary. The number of eligible voters in the country is 5,276,111.

The Central Election Commission (CEC) issued a total of 5,280,924 ballot papers for the referendum. All constituencies were supplied with computers and other necessary equipment. All polling stations were provided with indelible ink and special devises for reading it.

Throughout the day, the Central Election Commission issued five reports on the voter turnout (10.00, 12.00, 15.00, 17.00, and 19.00) through the State Automated Information System, which was available at the commission’s official website.

1000 polling stations in 119 constituencies were equipped with webcams to provide internet users with an opportunity to watch the voting process online.

As many as 117 observers from 18 international organizations, including the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) – have been accredited by Azerbaijan’s CEC to observe the referendum.

The total number of the observers was around 53,000.

Apa.az