Turkey referendum: Erdoğan wins vote amid dispute over ballots – as it happened

Supporters of the “Yes” vote, wave flags during celebrations in Istanbul, on Sunday, April 16, 2017 (AP Photo/Newsis)

Unofficial results show that Turks have approved changes to their constitution, handing President Erdoğan sweeping new powers in Sunday’s referendum, the head of the country’s high electoral board (YSK) has said.

The yes campaign won 1.25 million more votes than the no campaign and with only about 600,000 votes still to be counted that meant the changes had been approved, YSK chairman Sadi Güven told a news conference in Ankara.

He said the YSK had decided to consider unstamped ballots as valid unless they were proved to be fraudulent, after a high number of complaints – including one from the ruling AK Party – that its officials had failed to stamp some ballot papers.

The “no” campaign said the last-minute decision raises questions about the validity of the vote. But Güven said the decision was taken before results were entered into the system, and that members of the AKP and the main opposition were present at almost all polling stations and signed off on reports.

Güven said official results were expected in 11 or 12 days.

-The Guardian

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2017/apr/16/turkey-referendum-recep-tayyip-erdogan-votes-presidential-powers