Turkish local polls: Voting ends in all provinces

</p> <p>By Sena Guler</p> <p>ANKARA (AA) – The voting ended for local elections in all 81 provinces across Turkey at 5 p.m. local time (1400GMT) on Sunday.</p> <p>According to the Supreme Election Council (YSK) decision, voting started in 32 provinces at 7 a.m. local time (0400GMT) and ended at 4 p.m. (1300GMT).</p> <p>In the remaining provinces, polling stations opened at 8 a.m. local time (0500GMT) and closed at 5.00 p.m. local time (1400GMT).</p> <p>Under a broadcast ban imposed by the YSK, media organizations are not allowed to broadcast any political advertising, predictions or comments about the polls from 6 p.m. local time (1500GMT) until 9 p.m. (1800GMT).</p> <p>The YSK reserves the right to lift the broadcasting bans before 9 p.m.</p> <p>A total of 12 political parties are competing in the local elections.</p> <p>More than 44 million citizens are expected to vote at 142,777 polling stations in 30 largest cities, called metropolitan municipalities. </p> <p>Meanwhile, 12.8 million voters are expected to vote at 51,851 polling stations in other 51 provinces. </p> <p>Turkey is holding its first local elections under the new presidential system, adopted in the April 2017 referendum.</p> <p>The previous local elections were held in 2014.