In brief
The Central Election Commission, led by Chair Georgi Horozov, marked the end of election day at 9 p.m. on Sunday during a live‑streamed meeting. Voter turnout climbed to 19.33 %, up from 15.95 % in the first round. Final results will be released within three days and published in the State Gazette the following week.
On Sunday, Central Election Commission of Bulgaria declared that the presidential and vice‑presidential election day had concluded at 9 p.m., as announced by Chair Georgi Horozov during a live‑streamed online meeting of the commission.
The live‑streamed session, hosted by the commission, also served as the platform for the Chair to emphasize the seamless management of the polling process and the importance of voter participation in the new electoral cycle.
During the briefing, the commission released the official turnout figures: 1,282,848 ballots were cast, translating to an overall turnout of 19.33 % as of 4 p.m. for Bulgaria and abroad. The figure represents a notable rise from the 15.95 % turnout recorded during the first round of the presidential contest.
Spokesperson Stoyanka Balova highlighted that the increase of nearly 3.5 percentage points indicates growing public engagement, especially across voters outside national borders. She noted that the higher turnout could influence the competitive dynamics of the upcoming runoff.
Balova also outlined the commission’s post‑election timetable, stating that the final results of the presidential and vice‑presidential elections will be announced within three days of election day. She added that those results will subsequently be published in the State Gazette no later than seven days after being declared.
The announcement attracted attention from political observers and media outlets covering the national political landscape, who noted the commission’s adherence to scheduled reporting procedures and the transparency offered by the live‑stream format.
In the days that follow, the commission will finalize vote counts, conduct necessary audit procedures, and collaborate with the State Gazette’s editorial team to disseminate the definitive outcomes of the election to the public. Observers anticipate that the forthcoming official publication will also include detailed breakdowns of voting patterns across regions and demographic groups.
