2014 Yalova mayoral election explained

Election Name:2014 Yalova mayoral election
Country:Turkey
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2009 Turkish local elections
Previous Year:2009
Next Election:2019 Turkish local elections
Next Year:2019
Election Date:1 June 2014
Candidate1:Vefa Salman
Colour1:d50000
Party1:Republican People's Party
Popular Vote1:29,227
Percentage1:48.00%
Candidate2:Yakup Koçal
Colour2:fdc400
Party2:Justice and Development Party (Turkey)
Popular Vote2:28,999
Percentage2:47.63%
Map Size:300px
Mayor
Before Election:Yakup Koçal
Before Party:Justice and Development Party (Turkey)
After Election:Vefa Salman
After Party:Republican People's Party

Mayoral elections were held in the Turkish Province of Yalova on 30 March 2014, as part of the nationwide local elections occurring on the same day. A total of 14 municipal mayors were elected in Yalova Province, with one mayor from Central Yalova, five mayors from neighbouring districts and 8 mayors from rural Turkish: [[belde]]s (small towns).

Background

30 March election

The elections in central Yalova, the largest district and namesake of Yalova Province, were contested by Yakup Koçal, who had been elected as a Democrat in the 2009 local elections but switched to the Justice and Development Party (AKP) in 2013. His main challenger was Vefa Salman, the candidate of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP). On the initial election held on 30 March 2014, initial results gave Salman a narrow victory, though subsequent recounts requested by the AKP put Koçal ahead by a single vote. A large recount, requested by the CHP's only MP for Yalova, Muharrem İnce, again resulted in Salman claiming victory. Subsequent investigations by the Supreme Electoral Council of Turkey cancelled the election altogether due to allegations of misconduct from both sides and the inability to establish the victor after numerous recounts.

1 June election

Fresh elections were scheduled for 1 June 2014, along with other repeat elections in different provinces from 30 March that had been cancelled on similar grounds. The vote and count proceeded with relatively little controversy, with Salman emerging as the narrow winner with a majority of 228 votes (0.4%). Koçal subsequently conceded defeat.

Despite the CHP's victory in central Yalova, the AKP took 9 of the 14 municipalities up for election in the Province, with the CHP taking the remaining five.