18,430 Bulgarians apply to vote abroad in October presidential election

A total of 18,430 Bulgarian citizens in 66 countries had applied to vote abroad in Bulgaria’s presidential and vice presidential elections as of 11:00 a.m. on September 23, according to figures released by the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry.

Bulgaria is scheduled to hold its presidential and vice presidential elections on October 25, 2026, with the application process for citizens wishing to vote outside the country still underway.

Boryana Stoynova, director of the Information and Communication Systems Directorate at Bulgaria’s Foreign Ministry, provided the latest figures on overseas voting applications in comments to the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA).

Türkiye records highest number of applications

Türkiye has recorded the highest number of applications among countries where Bulgarian citizens are seeking to vote abroad.

More than 7,000 Bulgarian citizens in Türkiye had submitted applications as of September 23, according to the figures cited by Stoynova.

The United Kingdom followed with around 3,000 applications, while Germany recorded approximately 1,500. More than 1,300 applications had been submitted in the United States, and Spain recorded more than 700.

The figures represent applications received by the stated reporting time and do not constitute final overseas voter turnout.

Bulgarian citizens who wish to vote abroad can submit applications until September 29, 2026.

After the application period closes, Bulgaria’s Central Election Commission will determine the locations where polling stations will be opened abroad and continue preparations for the overseas voting process.

The final distribution of polling stations will therefore depend on the completed application process and subsequent decisions by the Central Election Commission.

Bulgarian citizens will elect the country’s president and vice president on Sunday, October 25, 2026.