Exit poll to cover 2,500 polling stations in Azerbaijan Who conducting surveys?

Chairman of the Azerbaijani Central Election Commission (CEC) Mazahir Panahov has said that an exit poll will be conducted at nearly 2,500 polling stations in the snap elections for the Azerbaijani parliament.

Panahov made these remarks during a press conference on September 1, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media. 

He noted that three international organizations have been registered with the CEC to conduct the exit poll, namely, the Center of Sociological Research, the Citizens' Labor Rights Protection League in collaboration with the US Oracle Advisory Group, and "Progress" Social Science Research Council in partnership with the Italian SWG Spa market research company.

Panahov stressed that any interested party from any country can observe the elections by visiting the CEC website, showcasing the transparency of the electoral process. 

He also noted that since 2008, the practice of using webcams for election monitoring has been implemented. Voting in the snap parliamentary elections has begun in the correctional facilities of the Penitentiary Service of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Justice.

Some 26 polling stations have been set up across 13 districts to facilitate this process.

Polls have opened in Azerbaijan's snap parliamentary elections. A total of 990 candidates are vying for 125 seats in the Azerbaijani parliament. Across the republic, 6,478 polling stations have been set up to accommodate the 6,421,960 registered voters. Notably, 51,141 citizens will be casting their votes for the first time in the elections.

The Central Election Commission has printed 6,516,567 ballot papers to ensure a smooth voting process. According to the Central Election Commission (CEC), 112,749 local observers and 589 international observers from 51 international organizations and 69 countries have been registered for the elections. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev called for the snap elections on June 28, 2024. 

The polls will remain open from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time. Following Azerbaijan’s Election Code, the election campaign commenced on August 9, 2024, and officially paused 24 hours before the voting began, respecting the election silence period. The elections have attracted participation from 25 political parties, with candidates represented across the ballots. With nearly a thousand candidates, the competition for the parliamentary seats is expected to be intense.