Ilham Aliyev wins presidential election with 92.05% of votes - preliminary results

The snap presidential election  wrapped up in Azerbaijan on February 7, at 7 p.m. local time, AzerTAC reports.

Voting took place at 6,537 polling stations across 125 constituencies, including 6,319 permanent stations and 218 located in Azerbaijan’s embassies, consulates general and permanent representations in foreign countries, as well as in military units, treatment and correctional facilities, sanatoriums, ships navigating under the country`s national flag in the Caspian Sea and international waters.

According to the Information Center of the Central Election Commission, a total of 4,590,075 people cast their ballots, which means 70.85% of the total number of eligible voters across the country, as of 17.00.

1000 polling stations were equipped with webcams to provide internet users with the opportunity to watch the whole voting process online via the CEC website.

The election process was monitored by 790 international observers from 72 international organizations and citizens of 89 countries. The election was covered by 216 representatives of 109 foreign media outlets.

Chairman of the Central Election Commission of Azerbaijan Mazahir Panahov has held a press conference on the preliminary outcomes of the snap presidential election.

Panahov disclosed that the results from 6,102 out of 6,537 polling stations (93.35 percent) in 125 constituencies have been submitted to the CEC. He highlighted that the number of valid votes counted according to those protocols amounted to 4,651,473. These valid votes were distributed among the candidates as follows:

Leading candidate Aliyev Ilham Heydar oglu – 4,281,625 votes (92.05%);

Aliyev Fuad Aghasi oglu – 24,799 votes (0.53%);

Hasanguliyev Gudrat Muzaffar oglu – 81,799 votes (1.76%);

Musayev Elshad Nabi oglu – 31,033 votes (0.67%);

Mustafa Fazil Gazanfar oglu – 92,980 votes (2%);

Nurullayev Razi Gulamali oglu – 37,386 votes (0.80%);

Oruj Zahid Maharram oglu – 101,851 votes (2.19%).

Mazahir Panahov stated that the Central Election Commission had not yet received data from very few polling places. “I believe that by morning, we will receive the protocols from these district election commissions and determine the votes of the leading candidate based on these protocols. On February 9, we will publicly present the election results based on the protocols of the district election commissions. Following that, we will examine the documents received and present them at the CEC session to approve and adopt the final protocol regarding the voting results. Therefore, after finalizing the elections at the CEC level, we will send the protocol to the Constitutional Court for approval.

The Constitutional Court will review the documents submitted by the Central Election Commission and make a decision. The decision of the Constitutional Court is final, and after this decision, the leading candidate can be declared elected. He will begin his duties as the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan after the inauguration ceremony.”

The Chairman of the Central Election Commission emphasized that the elections were conducted with a high level of preparation. “During this election, Azerbaijani voters exercised their constitutional rights by casting their votes.”