Gyumri election: Civil Contract leads voting but results show likely coalition

Nearly all ballots have been counted in the Gyumri city council election. 

The Central Electoral Commission released preliminary vote counts from 81 of the 82 polling stations. 

111,236 people were eligible to vote in the elections. 

In the 81 polling stations, out of registered 109,493 eligible voters, only 46,680 cast their ballots. 

The ruling Civil Contract party is leading in the polls with 16,938 votes. Sarik Minasyan is the party’s mayoral candidate. 

The runner up is the Communist Party of Armenia, with its mayoral candidate Vardan Ghukasyan, with 9,537 votes.

The third place is secured by the Our City alliance with 7,296 votes (mayoral candidate Martun Grigoryan).

My Strong Community party, with its candidate for mayor Ruben Mkhitaryan, came in 4th with 3,659 votes. 

Mother Armenia alliance garnered 2,844 votes.

Euroalliance garnered 2,071 votes, Aprelu Yerkir party received 1,658 votes, Democratic Alternative garnered 1,387 votes, while the Armenia’s Workers Socialist Party garnered 642 votes.

Thus, 5 political forces have garnered sufficient votes to overcome the threshold: Civil Contract, the Communist Party, Our City alliance, My Strong Community party and Mother Armenia alliance.

The electoral code stipulates that the threshold for local elections is 4% for parties and 6% for alliances.

Since no one garnered over 50% of votes, the political forces will have to form coalitions to be able to elect a mayor. 4 of the political forces are from the opposition and had earlier announced that they would not form a coalition with Civil Contract.