The allocation of senior positions at large polling stations in the municipality of Nikola Kozlevo proved difficult not because of a dispute over the posts, but because no one wanted them. During consultations with mayor Ismail Ibryam, the parties present unanimously declined the chair and secretary positions at some of the largest polling stations, then assigned them by default to the political formations Continue the Change–Democratic Bulgaria (PP-DB) and There Is Such a People (ITN), whose representatives had not attended the meeting.
For the parliamentary elections on 19 April, 13 polling stations and one mobile polling station will be set up in Nikola Kozlevo municipality. Under a decision by the Central Election Commission, all polling commissions will consist of nine members, allowing each of the nine political formations represented in parliament to appoint a representative.
The parties in Nikola Kozlevo easily agreed on the composition of the polling stations but ran into difficulties when it came to the most responsible positions – chair and secretary at the larger stations, which none of those present wanted.
GERB, which was entitled to the largest number of senior positions – 11 in total – asked for and received only deputy chair positions.
At the very first polling station discussed, in Vekilski, it became clear that there were no candidates for either chair or secretary. In the end, Revival agreed to take the chair, while the secretary position was assigned by default to the absent ITN.
There was further hesitation over the senior positions in Valnari, which has the two largest polling stations in the municipality, with 864 and 997 registered voters respectively at the previous election.
At one of the stations there was no candidate for chair, and the position eventually went to Velichie. At the other, no one volunteered for secretary, so the position was again assigned by default to ITN.
The ITN was also given the chair position by default at the polling station in Karavelovo, which had 483 registered voters.
The chair position at the polling station in Krasen Dol, with 103 registered voters, was likewise assigned by default, this time to PP-DB.
Again by default, and again to PP-DB, went the chair position at the polling station in Kriva Reka, which had 494 registered voters.
The chair position at the polling station in Pet Mogili, with 537 registered voters, was assigned by default to ITN.
In Harsovo, no one wanted either the chair or secretary position, so the posts were again allocated by default.
The only section where a dispute arose was in Ruzhitsa, where Revival and GERB both wanted the deputy chair position. It ultimately went to GERB.
How the municipality voted on 27 October 2024
At the previous parliamentary election on 27 October 2024, Nikola Kozlevo municipality recorded the highest turnout in the region, at 43%. It also registered the second-highest result in the area for Peevski’s party, with DPS–New Beginning receiving 73.5% of the vote.
Here are the results by polling station for the two main contenders, DPS–New Beginning, associated with Delian Peevski, and the Alliance for Rights and Freedoms (APS), associated with Ahmed Dogan:
Vekilski – 45 voters on the roll, 27 voted. DPS received 11 votes, APS none.
Valnari, polling station 3 – 864 registered voters, 425 voted. Not a single vote was cast by machine. DPS received 314 votes and APS 83.
Valnari, polling station 2 – 997 registered voters, 385 voted. DPS received 262 votes and APS 93. Again, not a single machine ballot was cast.
Karavelovo – 483 registered voters, 215 voted. No machine ballots were cast. DPS received 188 votes and APS 13.
Krasen Dol – 103 registered voters, 59 voted. DPS received 33 votes and APS five.
Kriva Reka – 494 registered voters, 232 voted. Only one machine vote was cast, for the Bulgarian Socialist Party. DPS received 154 votes and APS 60.
Nikola Kozlevo – 797 registered voters, 358 voted, including 71 by machine. DPS received 194 votes and APS 23.
Pet Mogili, polling station 8 – 710 registered voters, 265 voted. No machine ballots were cast. DPS received 140 votes and APS 48.
Pet Mogili, polling station 9 – 537 registered voters, 214 voted. No machine ballots were cast. DPS received 134 votes and APS 19.
Ruzhitsa – 513 registered voters, 212 voted. No machine ballots were cast. DPS received 184 votes and APS just seven.
Harsovo – 355 registered voters, 210 voted, including four by machine. DPS received 168 votes and APS just two.
Tsani Ginchevo – 373 registered voters, 139 voted, including five by machine. DPS received 85 votes and APS 31.
Tsarkvitsa – 701 registered voters, 266 voted. No machine ballots were cast. DPS received 205 votes and APS 34.
Mobile polling station, Nikola Kozlevo – 22 voters on the roll, 23 voted. DPS received 17 votes, APS three, and Revival, Mech and the Bulgarian Socialist Party received one vote each.
