The first polling station opened in Auckland, New Zealand, at 8pm Bulgarian time today, starting voting abroad in the second round of the presidential election, the Foreign Ministry said.
Bulgarians can vote at polling stations in 60 countries. The last to close will be those on the US west coast, at 6am Bulgarian time on 2 November.
Ballots did not reach the polling stations in Adelaide, Brisbane and Melbourne 1 in Australia in time, because the two rounds are so close together. The Foreign Ministry told the Central Election Commission in good time, and the commission issued a decision telling local election panels how to run the vote.
Voting machines will not reach Tenerife, Montreal 1 and Atlanta in time, said Alina Dobreva of the Central Election Commission. Voters in Tenerife and Montreal 1 will use paper ballots, which are available there.
Officials are still looking for a way to get ballots to Atlanta. Dobreva said the commission will receive updates in good time, so it will be clear whether the delivery will arrive.
Polling stations in Europe are ready for Sunday, 1 November, which is election day there, the Foreign Ministry said. In the US and Canada, the ministry is still supplying voting machines and election papers to all polling stations.
The addresses of the polling stations are on the Foreign Ministry website, under "Elections". The ministry said that in some towns and cities, stations moved between the first and second rounds for organisational and logistical reasons.