Veliko Tarnovo: voting ends, turnout at 16.96% as of 16:00

Information as of 21:00 on 25 October 2026. Voting for president and vice-president has ended at all polling stations in Veliko Tarnovo Province. According to the Regional Directorate of the Interior Ministry, cited by RegNews, the last stations closed at around 20:25. No serious incidents were reported, and police arranged security for the transport of election documents.

CEC: 33,839 people had voted by 16:00

The Central Election Commission's official figures show turnout in the province at 16.96% as of 16:00: 33,839 people had voted out of 199,548 registered voters. At 11:00, turnout was 7.02%, or 14,011 people. These are interim figures; final turnout after the close of voting has not yet been announced.

Turnout across the ten municipalities

According to the regional figures published by RegNews for 16:00, the highest reported turnout was in Suhindol at 20.17%, followed by Veliko Tarnovo at 19.84%, Svishtov at 17.85% and Elena at 17.05%. Turnout was 16.15% in Lyaskovets, 15.23% in Gorna Oryahovitsa, 14.54% in Pavlikeni, 13.57% in Zlataritsa, 13.35% in Polski Trambesh and 11.14% in Strazhitsa.

The local media report cites 33,839 voters, matching the CEC figure. However, it gives the total electorate as 199,489, whereas the CEC's official page shows 199,548. We use the official CEC figures for the province's electorate and turnout percentage.

Technical problems resolved

Two voting machines, in Veliko Tarnovo and Gorna Oryahovitsa, had problems at the start of voting. According to regional reports, these were resolved. Three polling commission members who failed to attend in Pavlikeni and Svishtov were replaced. No complaints or reports of violations had been registered in the province as of 16:00, RegNews reported.

According to information provided by the regional police, Bulgarian identity document units issued nine certificates between 19 and 25 October, only one of them on election day itself. Polling station records are still to be processed. Voter turnout percentages must not be presented as results for individual candidates.

Sources: CEC — official turnout figures for Veliko Tarnovo; RegNews — municipal turnout and the voting process, 16:43; RegNews — regional police information on the close of voting, 20:37.

Photo: Dmitrii Vaccinium / Unsplash (Unsplash License). Illustrative image; it was not taken in Veliko Tarnovo Province during the election on 25 October 2026.