Live Blog: Armenia Votes For President

As RFE/RL's Artur Papyan notes, while Gymuri is important, the latest numbers say it won't make a difference in the national count. The latest numbers for the region:

Turnout: 50.6%
Eligible voters: 125,000
Total votes cast: 63,000

Even if Hovhannisian wins with 70%, that means he wins a bit less than 45,000 votes -- probably not enough to turn a national tide.

But CEC says on national level Sargsyan has 65% of the votes so far mediamax.am/am/news/politi… (arm.) #armvote13

— Vachagan Gratian (@vgratian) February 18, 2013

Preliminary data: Raffi Hovhannisyan won with 70% of the votes in #Gyumri (source Asbarez.com) #armvote13 fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn…

— Vachagan Gratian (@vgratian) February 18, 2013

Calling it a night:

And with that it's time for bed. #armvote13 will have to wait. What matters now is a) the @osce_odihr statement and b) size of Raffi's rally

— Onnik Krikorian (@onewmphoto) February 18, 2013

After asking his supporters to head to polling places to defend his proxies (each candidate can have three per district), Raffi Hovhannisian is now calling on his followers to NOT go to polling places.

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Րաֆֆի Հովհաննիսյան
ՈՒՇԱԴՐՈՒԹՅՈՒՆ

Խնդրում եմ խուճապի չմատնվել, գիշերը չգնալ տեղամասեր, կռվի և այլ սադրանքների չենթարկվել:
Րաֆֆի Հովհաննիսյանի դիրքերը ամուր են:
Տեղում անհրաժեշտության դեպքում օգնության կհասնեն ՎՍՏԱՀԵԼԻ նաձինք:
Վտանգ կա, որ որոշ ուժեր կփորձեն սադրել ու ստրվերել Րաֆֆիի հաղթանակը:
Հիշեք նախընտրական իրադարձությունները:
Զգոն, հանգիստ ու հավասարակշռված:

Խնդրում եմ տարածել:

RFE/RL TRANSLATION:

ATTENTION - Please don't panic, don't go to the polling stations, don't get into fights or give way to provocations. Raffi Hovhannisian is controling the situation. If there is a need, RELIABLE people will help our proxies in the polling stations. There is a risk, that certains forces will try to provoke and cast a shadow over Raffi's victory.

Remember the pre-election developments. Be alert, calm and balanced.

Please Disseminate.
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Differing messages coming from the Hovhannisian camp, to say the least.

Opposition candidate Raffi Hovhannisian has posted a note on his Facebook page saying the following:

Եթե ունեք Րաֆֆի Հովհաննիսյանի վստահված անձ ընկեր, բարեկամ, հարազատ որը հիմա տեղամասում է անպայման գնացեք իրենց մոտ օգնության:

Համատարած հարձակվում են տեղամասերում ՐաՖՖի Հովհաննիսյանի վստահված անձանց:

ՇՏԱՊ ՏԱՐԱԾԵԼ !!!

RFE/RL TRANSLATION:

If you have a friend or relative who is a proxy of Raffi Hovhannisian, who is currently in the polling station, go there to help them.

They are being attacked everywhere.

URGENT!!!

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There is as yet no evidence of this being the case and there have been no names announced of those supposedly attacked. If that changes, we will update. 

Raffi's facebook page has appealed for help for its representatives in the precincts facebook.com/Raffi4Presiden… #armvote13 #Armenia

— CivilNet.AM (@CivilNetTV) February 18, 2013

Less than 5% of votes counted: Serzh Sarkissian is leading with 67% of the vote. Raffi Hovhannisian is second with 27% #Armvote

— Artur Papyan (@ditord) February 18, 2013

More impressions from Raffi Hovannisian's press conference. 

Hovhannisian calls on world to recognize rights of self determination of Nagorno-Karabakh and recognition of Arm. Genocide #armvote13

— Liana Aghajanian (@writepudding) February 18, 2013

Raffi talks a lot about the Armenian people and opened his speech w reference to #ArmenianGenocide #armvote13 very diff msg in EN than in AM

— Adrineh (@_adrineh_) February 18, 2013

Presidential candidate #Raffi Hovannisian press conference live: livestream.com/a1plus #Armenia #armvote13

— Armen Devejian (@daddykool) February 18, 2013

We hosted a Google Hangout last week on today's elections from our Yerevan bureau. Our panel warned the polls would be "boring"

Exit polls conducted by Gallup International (no, not *that* Gallup) say President Serzh Sarkisian has won a second five-year term. Ahead of the vote he was projected to win with nearly 70% of the vote. Exit polls have him at around 60%. 

60.05% of eligible voters have voted according to official data released by Central Electoral Commission #armvote13 ow.ly/hOStF

— Artur Papyan (@ditord) February 18, 2013

Today at polling station #2/08:

Activist Artur Minasyan announced, "No to the criminal regime, freedom to the political prisoner Arakelyan" before eating his voting ballot. 



Arakelyan, a leader of the opposition Armenian National Congress' youth wing was accused of attacking officers maintaining public order in the city center in August 2011. All of the activists except Tigran Arakelian were set free but may also be imprisoned pending their appeal.

Up until 20:00, 60.1% of voters voted, reports CEC #armvote13 #Armenia

— CivilNet.AM (@CivilNetTV) February 18, 2013

Via RFE/RL's Armenian Service: 

Reported ballot stuffing at 17/5 polling station.

A good summary by RFE/RL's Armenian Service: "Authorities Declare Armenian Vote Clean Amid Opposition Complaints" 

BREAKING: Exit poll shows Armenian President Serge Sarkisian re-elected for a second term.

— The Associated Press (@AP) February 18, 2013

The polls have now officially closed. The first official results on turnout are expected to be announced at 12:00 local time, 15:00 EST.

15 minutes before the poll stations close. #armvote13

— Vachagan Gratian (@vgratian) February 18, 2013

Via RFE/RL's Armenian Service:
   
“We are seeing the best ever presidential elections with minimal violations,” says Eduard Sharmazanov, spokesman for ruling party.

49.81% of eligible voters have voted by 17:00 according to the Central Electoral Commission #armvote13

— Ազատություն ռ/կ (@armenialiberty) February 18, 2013

UPDATE: The stamp in the passport that we reported on earlier serves as an additional security measure as voters have to sign participation lists. Therefore, if someone wipes the seal off and goes to the polling station to vote again, they may be caught by the police. RFE/RL's Armenian Service reports that they do not have evidence that this technique has been applied to forge votes.

Most serious incident report so far: of ballot stuffing in Artashat. 1 witness, denied by electoral official #armvote13 ow.ly/hOpqr

— Artur Papyan (@ditord) February 18, 2013

Mukuchian says wiping the election seals off the passports is illegal #armvote13 azatutyun.am

— Artur Papyan (@ditord) February 18, 2013

Tigran Mukuchyan is chairman of the Central Electoral Commission (CEC). 

Useful hashtag analysis of #armvote13 by Katy Pearce.

#armvote13 hashtag got taken over – looks suspicious katypearce.net/cv/armvote13-h…

— Katy Pearce (@katypearce) February 18, 2013

Katy Pearce is an assistant professor of communication at the University of Washington who studies the use of Internet technologies in the former Soviet Union.

Global Voices Caucasus editor, Onnik Krikorian claims that the Twitter accounts that have hijacked #armvote13 belong to IRELI, Azerbaijan's state-funded equivalent of the pro-Putin youth movement Nashi.

Pro-Aliyev IRELI hijack the #armvote13 hashtag, but in doing so ironically risk helping Armenian President by drowning out #CivSoc voices.

— Onnik Krikorian (@onewmphoto) February 18, 2013

Kim Kardashian got a vote today.

It appears that the hashtag #armvote13 has been almost completely hijacked by spam bots claiming to represent Azerbaijanis. It's hard to tell if the accounts are real or not, but there are 3 or 4 tweets being posted that have exactly the same language. 

There have not been a lot of claims of fraud thus far. This is probably the most severe. No word on confirmation, though.

TI observer witnessed over 400+ ballots being stuffed in polling station 17/5 in Artashat. #armvote13 #armenia #iditord

— Seda Muradyan (@sedamur) February 18, 2013

Observer from TI saw 400+ ballots being stuffed in polling station 17/5 in Artashat, where she was attacked by perpetrators. #armvote13

— Seda Muradyan (@sedamur) February 18, 2013

Last month, RFE/RL Armenian Service Director Harry Tamrazian interviewed President Serzh Sarkisian. Watch the entire interview (with English subtitles) here:

Ter-Petrossian voted "for the Republic of Armenia"youtu.be/5g55cR1d0xE#armvote13

— Artur Papyan (@ditord) February 18, 2013

Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian casts his vote in Yerevan:

Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan voted, said "polls are going calmly" #armvote13 ow.ly/hO23N

— Ազատություն ռ/կ (@armenialiberty) February 18, 2013

PM Tigran Sargsyan says authorities are doing all to ensure there are "no doubts" about fairness of elections #armvote13...

— Artur Papyan (@ditord) February 18, 2013

Set your DVRs!

Later today Mr A. Minasyan will speak to CivilNet about why he ate his poll card. Stay tuned #armvote13 #Armenia #iDitord

— CivilNet.AM (@CivilNetTV) February 18, 2013

The Commnwealth of Independent states (CIS) ahs sent 212 observers from Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union of Belarus and Russia and the CIS Executive Committee (link in RU). The only organization with more observers in Armenia is the OSCE with 263.

Syunik region is the most active so far. 15.13% of eligible voters have turned out already via @armenialiberty #armvote13

— Artur Papyan (@ditord) February 18, 2013

The seal has nearly disappeared from the passport of Azatutyun.am cameramen. Voted at 8:30 #armvote twitter.com/armenialiberty…

— Ազատություն ռ/կ (@armenialiberty) February 18, 2013

RFE/RL Armenian Service Director Harry Tamrazian interviews Heidi Tagliavini, the head of the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission in Armenia:

Here are two videos that appear to show the stamp given to voters after they cast their ballots being easily wiped away. The stamps are given to voters in their passports. In the first one, the cloth is soaked with hydrogen peroxide.

Read our story on restrictions on voting for Armenians living abroad:

presidential elections in Armenia. Armenians living abroad won't be able to vote. #armvote13

— Byurakn Ishkhanyan (@Byurakn) February 18, 2013

Follow RFE/RL's Armenian Service for the latest updates from all over Armenia:

Serzh Sarkissian says he'll "vote for Armenia's future" ow.ly/hNOL1 #armvote13 He just voted minutes ago.

— Ազատություն ռ/կ (@armenialiberty) February 18, 2013

Tonino Picula, the head of the OSCE's election observation mission in Armenia, tells Reuters:

"After two days of briefings and other preparations, observers now [are on the ground] not only in Yerevan, but also in other towns, to check whether campaigning will finish with [election day] procedures."

Some say that the campaign season in Armenia has been "boring." Tell that to candidate Paruyr Hairikian, who was shot in Yerevan on January 31. 

We encourage anyone with evidence of irregularities in voting to please share what they can.

@osce_odihr video of voting stamp being wiped away. Check it out bit.ly/12XSFE4#armvote13 #iDitord #Armenia

— CivilNet.AM (@CivilNetTV) February 18, 2013

Pass it on:

Report about electoral violations in #Armenia by SMS to 096332723, or this form iditord.org/reports/submit or using hash-tag #iditord

— Artur Papyan (@ditord) April 5, 2012

Armenians go to the polls today for the fifth presidential election since gaining independence. Despite facing a slate of six challengers, incumbent President Serzh Sarkisian, according to all polls, seems set to cruise to a second term.

Surveys show him winning about 70 percent of the vote.

Follow this blog and share pictures, videos or anything else you see on Twitter @RFERL or with the hashtags #armvote13 and/or #iditord.

For a primer on the poll, watch our Google Hangout with RFE/RL's Armenian Service here: