Turkish Electoral Boards have dismissed objections lodged by the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) to alleged manipulations in voter registrations in Kurdish-majority districts ahead of the 31 March local elections.
The DEM Party lodged objections against what it perceives as irregular voter registrations in Iğdır (Îdir) and Karaçoban (Qereçoban) districts, but their objections were rejected by the respective Electoral Boards. The party raised concerns over 2,193 voters who had apparently moved into Iğdır’s Police Headquarters and a military base, and 320 voters registered in three households in Karaçoban.
“The trustee regime in Kurdistan is resorting to such methods because it has lost its legitimacy. This is akin to vote theft, a practice that has gained momentum during the AKP’s tenure,” commented Yılmaz Hun, DEM Party MP for Iğdır.
The backdrop of these events involves accusations against the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) of manipulation of voter registrations in key Kurdish-majority districts. This strategy includes the potentially fraudulent registration of thousands of young male voters, particularly security personnel, in areas traditionally supportive of the DEM Party and its pro-Kurdish predecessor parties. DEM Party Deputy Co-chair for Municipalities Mehmet Rüştü Tiryaki stressed the potential impact of such manipulation on election outcomes in these regions.
A location previously listing 10 voters in Siirt (Sêrt) now registers 2,099, and a single family home in Iğdır now records 1,445 voters. These alarming scenarios are part of a pattern observed across several provinces, including Kars (Qers), Muş (Mûş), Batman (Êlih), Mardin (Merdin) and Diyarbakır (Amed).
DEM Party spokeswoman Ayşegül Doğan revealed significant irregularities in voter registrations in Şırnak (Şirnex) and Iğdır (Îdir). An unexpected surge in voter numbers has been noted in Şırnak, while at least 4,361 questionable registrations were identified in Iğdır.
The Eğil (Gêl) District Electoral Board dismissed allegations of voter registration manipulation in Eğil, Diyarbakır (Amed). The Board acknowledged that the newly registered voters were military personnel but said they had not found sufficient evidence of voter manipulation.
These incidents raise broader concerns about the integrity of Turkey’s coming local elections, particularly in Kurdish-majority areas. The DEM Party plans to continue its legal efforts to address the alleged irregularities.