18 October 2015•Update: 18 October 2015
WASHINGTON
Turkish citizens living in the U.S. began casting their votes on Saturday to participate in Turkey's general election, which starts at home on Nov. 1.
On the first day of polls at the Turkish Embassy in Washington DC, the voting began at 10 a.m. local time, and will remain open between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. each day until Oct. 25.
One of the first to cast her ballot, Tugba Oncu told Anadolu Agency that she came early in the morning from Philadelphia -- nearly 150 miles, or 240 kilometers from the capital -- to vote.
"It's (Washington) a distant place to me but I had to come. I spent three and half hours on the way. I hope that the election will bring the best possible result," she said.
Justice and Development Party's Washington DC representative, Bilal Tepe urged all Turkish citizens living in the U.S. to vote.
"I hope that the voting process will be carried out in a peaceful way and that the result will be the best for our nation and people," he stated.
Republican People's Party's U.S. representative, Yurter Ozcan stressed that the election would proceed safely thanks to monitoring at polling stations undertaken by parties.
"All our people living here [U.S.], please vote no matter what political affiliations you have. Your votes are safe," he said.
91,000 Turkish citizens living in the U.S. are eligible to vote in the general election, at polling stations at the Turkish consulates of New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Boston and Miami besides the embassy in Washington DC.
Turkey is heading for an early parliamentary election after no party succeeded in creating a ruling coalition after the June 7 contest.
Voting at customs gates began on Oct. 8. Turkish nationals living abroad will cast their votes at embassies, consulates and border crossings.
