Incumbent mayor leading in Chisinau mayoral elections - exit polls

CHISINAU, June 6 (Itar-Tass) -- Incumbent Chisinau Mayor Dorin
Chirtoaca is leading with 52.7% of votes at the mayoral elections in the
Moldovan capital. His main rival from the Communist Party Igor Dodon
gained 41% of votes.
No one from other 11 candidates for mayor got more than three percent
of votes. These are the results of the exit polls, which were taken by the
Public Policy Institute, the European Institute of Political Studies and
other Moldovan non-governmental organizations under a contract from a
television channel.
The margin of error in the exit poll makes about two percent, the exit
poll takers claimed. However, the exit polls taken by the foresaid
organizations at the November 2010 early parliamentary elections gave
quite contradictory results that differed greatly from the official
election returns.
If no candidate gains more than 50% of votes in the first round, a
second round of the mayoral elections will be held under the law in two
weeks.
According to the preliminary reports, the turnout exceeded 45.7% of
all eligible voters at 9 p.m. local time (10 p.m. Moscow time) on Sunday,
when the polling stations were closed, chairman of the Central Elections
Commission Iurie Ciocan told reporters.
Ciocan noted a high turnout in northern regions of Moldova, where the
turnout exceeded 50%. Over 46% of voters already participated in the
Chisinau mayoral elections.
"A high turnout was reported in the local elections. More than 1.2
millions from 1.6 million eligible voters participated in the voting.
According to the reports from the election constituencies, the elections
were recognized valid almost in all settlements," Ciocan noted. He noted
that no major violations were reported in the voting.