By-elections in 6 towns... The date has been set

A significant development has occurred regarding the redetermination of local administrations across Turkey. The Supreme Election Council (YSK) has ruled that, following the retention of legal personality by the town of Kuşçu in Tokat's Yeşilyurt district, elections for mayor and municipal council membership will be held in 6 settlements on Sunday, June 7, 2026.

With a legal regulation enacted in 2011, the status of municipalities with a population falling below 2,000 was terminated, and these settlements were converted into villages.

However, the town of Kuşçu appealed to the judiciary against the revocation of its status. The Ankara 4th Administrative Court canceled the decision to reclassify the town as a village. The cancellation decision was upheld by the 8th Chamber of the Council of State, and after appeals were exhausted, the decision became final on April 3, 2026.

Following this development, the Mayor of Kuşçu applied to the YSK and requested that elections be held. Following the final court ruling, the YSK unanimously decided that the by-elections would take place on June 7.

ELECTIONS IN 6 TOWNS

The YSK had previously decided that local elections would be held on June 7 in the towns of Yolüstü and Çevrecik in Tokat's Reşadiye district, Bağtaşı in the Almus district, Tekke in Gümüşhane's central district, and Mustafapaşa in Nevşehir's Ürgüp district. With the inclusion of Kuşçu, a total of six towns will head to the polls to elect their new mayors and municipal council members.

LOCAL ELECTION CALENDAR HAS BEGUN

Commenting on the matter, CHP's YSK Representative Mehmet Hadimi Yakupoğlu stated, "We see that the YSK continues to carefully adhere to election laws, rules, and practices as of now." Yakupoğlu announced that the election calendar has begun to process and that voter lists have been posted for public review.

Yakupoğlu stated that the path to the ballot box has been opened following the conclusion of legal processes in certain settlements that transitioned from villages back to towns, and included the following remarks:

“Those living there never accepted this situation. They resisted, filed lawsuits, applied to Election Boards repeatedly, were rejected, and practiced civil disobedience by not electing a ‘Kuşu Neighborhood Headman’ during the local and general elections, and by not going to the polls.”

Yakupoğlu noted that the result of the legal struggle waged by the town of Kuşçu was reported to the Supreme Election Council (YSK) and that, ultimately, the YSK approved participation in the by-elections. He commented, “With the initiative of Mr. Ahmet Yener, at the Supreme Board meeting held yesterday afternoon, it was decided that Kuşçu will also participate in the June 7 by-elections. I wholeheartedly congratulate the Supreme Board, as I have witnessed the entire process—even if it was a photo finish—and because I was able to feel the existence of election law, at least to some extent, for this success of civil disobedience.”