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Bulgaria's CEC begins preparations for 2026 presidential elections
The Central Election Commission (CEC) of Bulgaria has initiated preparations for the upcoming presidential and vice-presidential elections scheduled for October 25, 2026. Key organizational steps include the registration of parties and coalitions, which begins on September 2, with a deadline of September 9 for political parties and September 14 for initiative committees.
A major focus of the preparations involves the maintenance and repair of voting machines. CEC spokesperson Stoyanka Balova-Tsvetkova noted that the machines, purchased in 2021, have not undergone repairs since their acquisition. The current maintenance plan includes replacing flash drives and batteries, as well as procuring new printers, with a goal to complete all repairs and certification by October 15.
To increase transparency and voter engagement, the CEC is launching a communication strategy that includes an updated mobile application. This app will allow citizens to simulate machine voting and check their designated polling stations. Additionally, approximately 200 demonstration machines will be deployed in universities, schools, and public squares to familiarize the public with the voting process. Machine voting will be available in approximately 9,400 sections across the country.
Entities
Bulgaria · Central Election Commission · Georgi Horozov · Information Service AD · Stoyanka Balova-Tsvetkova
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [DISPUTED] The deadline for parties and coalitions to register with the CEC is September 9 at 17:00. fakti.bg
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Information Service AD is the contractor for the technical and software implementation of the election results system.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Registration for initiative committees takes place between September 7 and September 14. fakti.bg
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The CEC scheduled its first regular briefing regarding election preparations for 14:00. podtepeto.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The first interim election results must be published by 23:00 on election day.