President of the Chahed Observatory for election monitoring and support for democratic transitions Oula Ben Nejma told TAP that voter turnout had been very low at all polling stations up to 10:30 a.m..
She pointed out that the Chahed Observatory is participating in the observation of the first round of local council elections with a team of 547 people divided between 503 observers on the ground and 44 regional coordinators, pointing out that several officers of the Independent High Authority for Elections (ISIE) in the constituencies have refused to cooperate with the civil society.
The voting process for the local elections got off to an ordinary start in the various constituencies, although there was a slight delay in the opening of some polling stations and some shortcomings in the training of ISIE officers, according to a press release issued by the Chahed Observatory.
Violations of electoral silence were reported at several polling stations, such as Hay El Ommel in Zarzouna (Bizerte governorate), Ena
dhour (Zaghouan governorate), Habib Bourguiba (Béja) and the polling stations at Rue El Jomhouria in Radès and Bougatfa 1 in Zarzouna (Bizerte), according to the same source.
Observers had also noticed attempts to influence voters during the vote at the Ain Battoum Enadhour school, the observatory added.
Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse