Early voting begins in Belarus for presidential polls

Early voting began in Belarus on Tuesday ahead of presidential elections on August 9, the Central Election Commission (CEC) said in a statement.

The early polls which will continue through August 8 were organized so that people who will be absent on the main election day can cast their ballots.

Besides the incumbent head of state Alexander Lukashenko, there are four presidential candidates in the running - Co-Chairman of the Tell the Truth movement Andrey Dmitriev, former member of the lower house of the Belarusian parliament Anna Kanopatskaya, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, and Chairman of the Belarusian Social Democratic Hramada party Sergey Cherechen.

Two applicants, ex-head of Belgazprombank Viktor Babariko who is under arrest and ex-head of Hi-Tech Park Valery Tsepkalo, were denied registration.