---
title: "Gagauzia elections: Candidates can withdraw ten days before voting"
url: https://radiomoldova.md/p/88369/gagauzia-elections-candidates-can-withdraw-ten-days-before-voting
published: 2026-10-28T08:35:00Z
language: en
author: "Raisa Lozinschi-Hadei"
section: "Elections"
source: radiomoldova.md
---

# Gagauzia elections: Candidates can withdraw ten days before voting

> Electoral contestants registered for the elections scheduled for November 15, 2026, in the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia may withdraw from the race by November 5, 2026—exactly 10 days before the vote.

![](https://storage.radiomoldova.md/images/480493aa-923d-4e75-83dc-710f631b2042.jpg)

Electoral contestants registered for the elections scheduled for November 15, 2026, in the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia may withdraw from the race by November 5, 2026—exactly 10 days before the vote.

Requests to withdraw a candidacy must be submitted in writing to the relevant electoral authorities.

Candidates seeking a seat in the People's Assembly of Gagauzia must file such requests with the first-level constituency electoral councils.

For the position of Governor (Bashkan) of Gagauzia, candidates may submit withdrawal documents directly to the Central Electoral Council in Comrat.

Electoral bodies have three days from registering such requests to issue official decisions revoking a candidate's registration.

After the November 5 deadline, a candidate can no longer be removed from the electoral race simply by submitting a request.

In such cases, registration may only be revoked by the competent electoral authority based on a final court ruling.

This exceptional measure applies exclusively in the event of a candidate's death, the emergence of restrictions stipulated by the Electoral Code, or other serious violations of current legislation.

On November 15, 2026, residents of the region will head to the polls to elect both their representatives to the People's Assembly of Gagauzia and the region's new Governor (Bashkan).

***

Over 258,000 ballots will be printed for the two elections in Gagauzia scheduled for November 15. For the Bashkan (Governor) and the People's Assembly deputies elections, 129,390 ballots will be printed for each contest. These will be available in three languages: Romanian, Russian, and Gagauz.

The largest number of ballots will be printed in Russian—100,740 for each election. The commission will print 20,500 ballots in Gagauz and 8,150 in Romanian.

According to the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Moldova, based on data from the State Register of Voters, there were 129,179 eligible voters registered in the Autonomous Territorial Unit (ATU) of Gagauzia at the end of October.

On November 15, Gagauzia residents will elect 35 deputies to the People's Assembly and the region's Bashkan.

A total of 135 candidates have entered the race for the People's Assembly, 93 of whom are running as independents.

Additionally, eight individuals are running for Bashkan of Gagauzia. The Central Electoral Council in Comrat will list their names on the ballot in this order: Fiodor Gagauz, Alexandr Stoianglo, Cornel Dudnic, Ivan Kîlcic, Petru Vlah, Ivanna Koksal, Serghei Anastasov, and Oleg Garizan. Voters can cast their ballots at 67 polling stations.