The voting process for Bulgarian citizens abroad for the elections to the 5th National Assembly has officially begun. According to information from BNR, the electoral process abroad started at 22:00 Bulgarian time and will continue until the morning of April 20.

The time difference and the first voters

Due to the time difference, Bulgarians in New Zealand (Auckland and Christchurch) will be the first to exercise their right to vote. Voting will conclude last in the American states of California, Arizona, and Nevada.

The total number of opened polling stations abroad is 493 in 55 countries.

Where are there the most polling stations?

The largest number of stations are distributed in the following countries:

  • Germany – 70 stations
  • Spain – 67 stations
  • United Kingdom and Northern Ireland – 28 stations
  • Turkey, Italy, and Greece – 27, 27, and 26 stations respectively
  • USA, Netherlands, and France – 25, 24, and 19 stations respectively

Machine voting and procedures

It is important to note that machine voting is provided in 130 polling stations in 19 countries, while paper ballots will be used in the remaining locations. All materials have been delivered in a timely manner via air and land transport.

Bulgarian citizens who have not submitted a prior application can vote in a station of their choice, provided they fill out the necessary declaration before the commission.