Voting begins in Turkey’s local elections

<p style="text-align: left;">Voting started at 7.00 a.m local time and will continue through 4.00 p.m. local time in 32 out of Turkey’s 81 provinces.<br /> In the remaining provinces, polling stations will open at 8.00 a.m and close at 5.00 p.m. local time, Anadolu agency reported.<br /> Voters living in Turkey’s larger cities will vote to elect a mayor for the entire city, as well as district municipal mayors, city council members and members of elder councils.<br /> The voters will choose from 12 political parties competing in the local elections.<br /> More than 44 million citizens are expected to vote at 142,777 polling places in 30 biggest cities, called metropolitan municipalities.<br /> Meanwhile, 12.8 million voters will vote at 51,851 polling places across 51 provinces in Turkey.<br /> Turkey is holding its first local elections under the new presidential system, adopted in the April 2017 referendum.<br /> The previous local elections were held in 2014.<br /> Reporter's code: 50101</p>