Bulgaria Holds Presidential and Mayoral Elections

Bulgarians are to cast their ballot on Sunday in presidential and local elections, largely seen as a test for the center-right minority government of Boyko Borisov.

This is the first time ever that Bulgaria holds presidential and mayoral elections on one and the same day.

Bulgarians will elect new president, an institution with no direct executive or legislative power, but of pivotal significance for Bulgarian political life, and for mayors and town councilors across the country.

Bulgarian Socialist President Georgi Parvanov's second and constitutionally last term in office expires in January 2012.

Eighteen candidates run for president in the first round of the elections. If no one receives more than 50 % of the valid votes, or if voter turnout is below 50%, the top two candidates will face each other in a runoff a week later.

Bulgaria’s former Construction Minister Rosen Plevneliev has been tipped by the majority of polls as the front-runner. He is expected to garner about 30% of the vote.

Ivaylo Kalfin, 47, former Foreign Minister of the opposition Socialist Party, and independent Meglena Kuneva, 54, a former European Union commissioner — are expected to finish second and third.

All polls say Bulgaria's new president will be known after a run-off next Sunday.

The polling day starts at 6 a.m. and ends at 7 p.m. local time.

Bulgarians will vote for president and vice-president, mayors and municipal councilors with integral ballots that were first used in the country at the parliamentary elections in 2005.

The voter enters the polling booth after receiving a sealed integral ballot from a member of the commission, tick the check box next to the candidate preferred, wraps the ballot and thus concealing the vote hands it over to a member of the commission, who puts a second seal. Next the voter casts the ballot into the polling box and signs in the electoral list.

More than 6 million people are eligible to vote in about 11,400 polling sections across the country. The vote of Bulgarians living abroad is more restricted as at least 100 voters were required for one booth to be opened.

A total of 6.5 million Bulgarians are eligible to vote on Sunday for nearly 30 000 candidates for local mayors and municipal councilors, while 6.9 (including the vote abroad) have the right to elect the country's new president.

Preliminary results will be available 90 minutes after the end of the voting day.

The Bulgarian presidency is largely ceremonial, but is very respected and entitled to legislative veto power.

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