Over 815,000 voters cast their ballots early in Uzbek presidential election - CEC

TASHKENT. July 10 (Interfax) - Over 815,000 voters, including about 181,000 abroad, voted early from June 28 to July 5 in Uzbekistan's presidential election scheduled for July 9, Chairman of the Uzbek Central Elections Commission (CEC) Zainiddin Nizamkhodzhayev said on Sunday.

"In total, 815,313 voters cast their ballots early between June 28 and July 5, including 180,729 abroad," the CEC head said at a briefing on Sunday.

Nizamkhodzhayev also said that all polling stations in the country, as well as in Japan, China, India, Malaysia, Thailand and Russia's Far East regions, were opened on Sunday.

The CEC said 10,784 polling stations had been set up for the elections. For voting of Uzbek citizens abroad 56 permanent polling stations were set up in 39 countries, including seven in Russia. Almost 20 million voters in Uzbekistan were registered for the presidential election.

The election campaign began on May 10. All five of the country's political parties nominated their candidates. The Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan and the Milliy Tiklanish (National Revival) Democratic Party nominated incumbent President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The People's Democratic Party nominated its leader, Ulugbek Inoyatov. The Ecological Party nominated its chairman, Abdushukur Khamzayev, and the Adolat (Justice) Social Democratic Party nominated First Deputy Chairperson of the Uzbek Supreme Court Robakhon Makhmudova.