Cypriot voters cast ballot in crucial runoff election

Cypriots return to the polls Sunday to elect the 8th President since the establishment of the Republic of Cyprus. The two front-runners in last weekend's first round, are Nicos Christodoulides, former Minister of Foreign Affairs in the cabinet of outgoing President Nicos Anastasiades, and Andreas Mavroyiannis a diplomat who served as negotiator for the Cyprus problem.

Christodoulides took 32.04 percent of the vote in the first round (127,309 votes), against 29.59 percent (117,551 votes) for Mavroyiannis.

A total of 561,273 citizens are voting today. Voting starts at 7 and lasts until 6 in the afternoon, with a one-hour break between 12 and 1300. There are 1,113 polling stations operating in Cyprus. Abroad stations operate in Greece, Bulgaria, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and Luxembourg and the USA.

The voting hours in the polling centers abroad have been adjusted so that the voting ends at 6.00 pm, Cyprus time. In exceptional cases, the presiding officer of each polling station may extend voting hours, if necessary, until 9:00 p.m. at the latest, provided that, outside the polling station, waiting to vote, large number of voters. Voters are advised to come to the polls on time.

According to statements by Chief Returning Officer results are expected to be announced by 1930 because right after the authorities must issue the final official result, so that the proclamation ceremony can take place.

Voting is taking place by showing an electoral booklet or ID and by placing +, x or √ in the rectangle under the name of the candidate of our preference. Any other sign or mark will make the ballot invalid.

In the first round, registered voters were 561,273 and 404,321 voted, i.e. 72.04%.

The proclamation ceremony will take place at the "TASSOS PAPADOPOULOS - ELEFTHERIA" stadium at around 2200. The public is advised to be at the stadium no later than 2100.

Increased security measures will be in force.

Police have deployed a bigger number of officers today, because of the proclamation ceremony later tonight. A total of 2,250 officers are on duty, at all polling stations and in patrolling operations while a crisis management center is also operating today at the headquarters.

Helicopters and drones will be used for security purposes and for the transport of ballot boxes from remote areas.

Authorities announced that the capacity of the stadium is limited and, therefore, arrangements will be made so that the public can also watch the event from giant screens, which will be placed outside and around the perimeter of the stadium.

Archbishop Makarios was elected the first president of the Republic of Cyprus and he remained in power from 1959 until his death in 1977. In the 1959 elections he received 66.82% against 33.18% of Ioannis Klerides.

In the period 1965-1967, his term was extended by a special law due to the prevailing conditions. In 1968 he received 96.26% and in 1973 he was elected unopposed. In 1977 a substitute election was held due to his death and Spyros Kyprianou was elected second president who was re-elected in 1978.

Spyros Kyprianou wins the elections again in 1983 with 56.54% and remains in office until 1988. George Vasiliou was elected third president for a five-year term from 1988 to 1993. He received 51.6% against 48.4% of Glafkos Klerides.

In 1993 Klerides wins the elections and his tenure was over in 2003, having served for 2 terms. In 1993 he received 50.31% and in 1998 50.82%.

In the February 2003 elections, Tassos Papadopoulos was elected President from the first round with 51.51%. He was succeeded in 2008 for a five-year term by Dimitris Christofias, who secured 53.37% in the second round.

In the 2013 elections, the office of President was assumed by Nicos Anastasiades who was re-elected in 2018. In 2013 he received 57.48% and in 2018 55.99%.