Presidential elections kick off in Uzbekistan

By Dilmurod Jumaboyev
Editor-in-chief of Vodiymedia.uz

TASHKENT: Uzbekistan is headed to the polls on Sunday to choose its president for the next five years, with incumbent Shavkat Mirziyoyev widely expected to best four rivals to win a second term.

Polling stations have opened their doors today in Uzbekistan at 8:00 AM.

Candidates from five political parties are running for the presidency: The Movement of Entrepreneurs and Business People – the Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (UzLiDeP) nominated Shavkat Mirziyoyev as a presidential candidate; The People’s Democratic Party of Uzbekistan nominated Maksuda Vorisova for this post; Alisher Kodirov is running on behalf of Milliy Tiklanish Democratic Party; Social Democratic Party Adolat nominated Bahrom Abdukhalimov, and the Ecological Party nominated Narzullo Oblomuradov.

According to the Electoral Code, the polling stations will finish their work at 8 PM. The elections will be recognized as held if more than 33% of voters take part in them. As of 11:00 a.m., out of 19.8 million citizens included in the voter lists, 6.6 million have already voted, which is 33.6% of voters. According to the Electoral Code of Uzbekistan, these elections are considered as valid.

More than 960 international observers have been accredited by the Central Election Commission to observe the elections.

Of these, more than 620 are from international organizations, including the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights.

The list also includes Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Commonwealth of Independent States and CIS Interparliamentary Assembly, the Turkic Council, Parliamentary Assembly of the Turkic Council and Organization of Islamic Cooperation and 340 are from foreign countries.

In addition, more than 1,600 representatives of national and foreign media have been accredited.

According to the figures, 14 districts and 10,761 polling stations have been created for the presidential elections and 54 polling stations have been established at embassies and consular offices in 37 states, as well as 316 additional mobile polling stations in 128 cities, including in 11 states where there are no diplomatic missions of Uzbekistan.