Supreme Election Council: election software is closed to external interference

The Chairman of the Supreme Election Council, Bertan Özerdağ, stated that the information system used in the elections was entirely developed by engineers and court staff and is protected from external interference. The statement was made at a briefing for journalists and candidate representatives.

Özerdağ explained that data from polling stations is verified by various groups from the very beginning of the count, and the system records an error in case of discrepancies. According to him, the software operates in a way that eliminates the possibility of changing votes in favor of another candidate.

He reminded that the official announcement of results, according to law, will start at 19:00. After the completion of voting (08:00–18:00), polling commissions first pack unused ballots, then open the ballot box and conduct the count in the presence of representatives and observers. Completed YSK 32 forms (unofficial results) are sent to the information service by phone and via the WhatsApp app; the data is checked by a separate team and entered into the system.

After that, the YSK 36 form (official data) is completed, signed by commission members, and posted for public information. According to Özerdağ, the system operates in an offline mode, and there is no evidence of external interference.

The computer specialist assistant at the Supreme Court, Levent Özdur, added that the result transmission process includes double verification: unofficial YSK 32 data is entered first, then official YSK 36, and errors in completed forms do not enter the system.

Özerdağ also reminded of the observance of election restrictions and provided data on the number of voters in Northern Cyprus: Nicosia — 70,472; Famagusta — 54,015; Kyrenia — 49,665; Güzelyurt — 15,334; İskele — 21,659; Lefke — 7,168; total — 218,313.