The Herald

October 10, 2013

On Wednesday, October 9, citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan exercised their constitutional rights by voting in the nation's sixth presidential election since restoring independence in 1991. Some 5.1 million eligible voters were registered to choose from the crowded field of 10 candidates. Preliminary results published by the Central Election Commission of Azerbaijan show that the incumbent President Ilham Aliyev has secured a convincing reelection with a high voter turnout. This outcome is consistent with exit-polls and independent surveys. 

The 2013 presidential election marked another step forward in strengthening Azerbaijan's democratic institutions. Web cameras were installed in 1,000 polling stations across the country to allow the public to observe the voting in real-time, while over 50,000 observers, including 1,400 international delegates, registered to monitor the proceedings. Nearly 100 international media outlets covered the event. In general, the voting process has been described by observers as open, well-organized and transparent

While awaiting the Constitutional Court's official confirmation of the election's results within 14 days, President Aliyev has already received congratulations of some of his recent electoral rivals and several world leaders. In his post-election address, President Aliyev reiterated the Government's commitment to continue democratic reforms and the process of building a modern state as well as to uphold Azerbaijan's long-standing traditions of tolerance and inclusiveness.

"Our citizens once again overwhelmingly endorsed President Aliyev's successful strategy of building strong, independent and prosperous Azerbaijan," Ambassador Elin Suleymanov said. "High voter turnout among such a diverse electorate suggests great optimism about the country's progress and confidence about its future. Today's election is the victory for the people of Azerbaijan."

The Embassy of Azerbaijan in Washington also opened its doors to provide an opportunity for Azerbaijani citizens in the United States to exercise their right to vote in the Presidential Election. In total, some 160 Azerbaijani citizens, including numerous first-time voters, cast their ballots between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. (EDT). For detailed reports on the election, please

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