http://www2.polskieradio.pl/eo/dokument.aspx?iid=143931

Leaders turn out to vote

21.11.2010
PM Tusk, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, Grzegorz Napieralski and Waldemar Pawlak cast their votes. Photos - PAP
All the party leaders voted today in Poland’s first round of local elections.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk (Civic Platform) voted in his home town of Sopot, Law and Justice leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski cast his vote in Warsaw and Grzegorz Napieralski (SLD) voted in Szczecin.

All the leaders expressed how important it was to take part in the local elections.

"We do not know what the outcome of the elections will be. At the moment I can only express the hope that it will be a good turnout," said Jaroslaw Kaczynski after he voted in northern Warsaw.

“It‘s always worth voting,” said Donald Tusk, who was accompanied to the polling station by his wife Małgorzata and daughter Katarzyna.

Leader of the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) Grzegorz Napieralski said that Poles are voting for people “who determine our everyday lives, how safe out streets are, or who will fill in that hole in the road.”

"It is very important to encourage as many relatives, friends and family to take part in the vote, ” said Waldemar Pawlak, leader of the Polish Peasant’s Party (PSL), as he cast his vote in Plock.

AT 15.00 CET, turnout was 27.55 percent.

The highest turnout was recorded in the Podkarpacie province in the south where 32.18 percent voted after polling stations opened at 8 am.

In the cities, the largest turnout was recorded in Rzeszow, at 29.68 percent.

In Warsaw 26.68 percent voted, in Olsztyn 26.12 percent and Bialystok 25.40 percent.

Lowest turnout was in Wroclaw (18.14 percent) in Lodz  (19.51 percent) and in Opole, at 19.52 percent.

Ballot boxes will be closed at 22.00 CET tonight. Results will be known on Tuesday or Wednesday, though exit polls will be released on the stroke of 10 pm.

Voters are being asked to choose candidates for local councils, provincial assemblies, local mayors and presidents of cities.

The National Electoral Commission says that there have been incidences of people breaking election law, whereby election posters were put up on Saturday, in violation of the so-called election silence’ rules. Election campaign material was also destroyed, mostly by drunks, says Stefan Jaworski.

Breaking election silence laws can be punishable by up to a 5,000 zloty (1,250 euros) fine.

The second round of ballots for mayors and presidents of cities will be on 5 December. (pg)