Roundup: Lithuanians express will in municipal, direct mayoral elections

More than 40 percent of Lithuanians eligible to vote have casted their votes during elections of city and town municipal councils and the first direct mayoral elections held in the country on Sunday.

According to the Central Electoral Commission (CEC), voting activity reached 39.82 percent until 19:00 local time (1700 GMT). Voting stations closed at 20:00 (1800 GMT), therefore, the CEC suggested the overall voting activity would undoubtedly exceed 40 percent and may reach 46-47 percent.

During the early voting earlier this week, 5.97 percent of voters expressed their will, according to the data from the CEC.

"It will take time for local electoral commissions (to count the votes)," Zenonas Vaigauskas, chairman of CEC, said in a press conference held after electoral stations had been closed.

The first results for the bigger cities are expected on early Monday morning.

The highest rate of voting activity has been recorded in the resort town Druskininkai, with 51.72 percent of eligible voters to have casted their ballots.

A total of 40 percent voters' activity was recorded during previous municipal elections in 2011.

A number of 171 reports about alleged violations of electoral rules have been submitted to the police during the day, local website delfi.lt reported.

Lithuania's Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevicius said he expected higher voting activity due to direct mayoral elections.

"I expected it will encourage the voters to participate more actively and give their support to one or another candidate," Butkevicius was quoted as saying by BNS news agency.

Butkevicius, the leader of ruling Lithuanian social democrats, said he expected his party to win 18 to 20 out of 60 mayoral offices in the country.

The head of the government also suggested the possibility of giving more powers to directly elected mayors.

Many analysts and politicians fear that mayors might have not enough instruments to fulfill their promises to residents, due to possible opposition in newly elected municipal councils.

"If it happens, then we should think about strengthening mayors' powers," said Butkevicius.

"It is very important that municipal reform is not finished with direct mayoral elections, mayors should have more possibilities and instruments for implementing their promises," Eligijus Masiulis, the leader of Lithuania's Liberal Movement, noted.

SECOND ROUND

Many cities and towns, including capital Vilnius, are expected to have the second round to elect their mayors.

"In terms of structure of Vilnius residents, the second round is unavoidable," current Vilnius mayor Arturas Zuokas said.

According to Statistics Department of Lithuania, Polish people account to 23 percent of inhabitants in Vilnius region. Their candidate is expected to move into a second round receiving substantial amount of support and not allowing any of leading candidates to get more than 50 percent of votes.

Direct mayoral elections are being held in Lithuania for the first time. Previously mayors were elected by municipal councils.

The second round of mayoral elections will be held after two weeks in those municipalities where winners were unable to receive support from more than half of voters.

A total of 1,524 members of municipal councils including 60 mayors will be elected during the ballot.

In conjunction with municipal and direct mayoral elections, the elections of member of the Seimas, Lithuanian parliament, are being held in Zirmunai, the district of capital Vilnius. A total of 12 candidates are seeking a parliamentary seat after Vytenis Andriukaitis, the social democrat MP and the former health minister, went to the European Commission to serve as the Commissioner for Heath and Food Safety. Enditem