Voting in Abkhazia’s Presidential Election Concludes
The CEC is expected to announce preliminary results on 16 February.
SUKHUM / AQW’A — Voting in Abkhazia’s presidential election has officially concluded, with polling stations closing at 8:00 PM local time.
A total of 152 polling stations operated across the republic, alongside two additional stations abroad in Moscow and Cherkessk. Voting commenced simultaneously at 8:00 AM, with 134,500 registered voters eligible to cast their ballots.
By 6:00 PM, the Central Election Commission (CEC) reported that 55% of voters—more than 79,000 people—had participated in the election, surpassing the required threshold to validate the process. The election was monitored by over 100 international observers.
Following the closure of polling stations, election officials have begun counting the votes. The CEC is expected to announce preliminary results on 16 February.
What Comes Next?
The election features five candidates:
- Badra Gunba
- Adgur Ardzinba
- Robert Arshba
- Oleg Bartsits
- Adgur Khurkhumal
To secure an outright victory, a candidate must obtain more than 50% of the votes cast plus one additional vote.
If no candidate meets this requirement, the CEC will call for a runoff between the two leading candidates. According to electoral regulations, a second round of voting must take place within two weeks.
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