Poland Votes In Local Polls Amid Low Turnout, Minor Disturbances - Electoral Commission

WARSAW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st October, 2018) Poles were voting in local elections on Sunday marked by a low turnout and hundreds of minor incidents that the National Electoral Commission told reporters not to worry about.

"The number of incidents reported to police has risen to 416. Don't pay much attention to this figure ... We do not expect these incidents to affect the electoral process," the commission's spokesman said.

Damage to campaign materials, electoral silence violations, and taking ballot papers out of polling centers were among the most common disturbances. Thirteen cases were reclassified as crimes. Three people were detained.

Polling stations opened at 7 a.m. local time (5:00 GMT) and will provisionally close at 9 p.m. (19:00GMT). Poles are electing regional councilors and mayors. In Warsaw, 14 candidates are vying for the seat.

The turnout neared 16 percent, as of noon. A second round of mayoral elections will be held on November 4 if no candidate gets over 50 percent of votes. Regional voting will not go into the runoff.