Tashkent, Uzbekistan - October 28, 2024

Uzbekistan held its first mixed-system parliamentary election and local elections on Sunday, with the preliminary results of the elections for the 150-seat lower house of parliament expected late Monday.

Half of the 150 deputies who will take a seat in Uzbekistan's Legislative Chamber will be chosen through single-mandate constituencies with the other half based on political party lists in a proportional nationwide vote.

Five officially-registered political parties competed for these seats, with around 20 million voters registered to cast their ballots.

Parliamentary and local elections started at 8:00 on Sunday, with polls closing 12 hours later.

According to the Uzbek Central Election Commission, 71 percent of eligible voters cast their ballot by 17:00, which was well above the 33 percent needed for the vote to be valid.

The election serves as an important indicator of Uzbekistan's political trajectory over the next several years, and may also have a bearing on its diplomatic affairs.

For the first time in the nation's history, this election was held based on a mixed electoral system.

Voters picked their preferred candidates through the E-Saylov, or E-election, system, marking the country's gradual shift toward modernizing its electoral process.

The election was monitored by 851 international and foreign observers.

The last parliamentary elections took place in December 2019.

Shotlist:
Tashkent, Uzbekistan - Oct 28, 2024:
1. Various of voters at polling station;
2. TV screens showing people at polling station;
3. Various of media workers at press center, voting information being released;
4. Various of Aloyev Bakhromjon Juraboyevich, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan, speaking;
5. SOUNDBITE (Uzbek, dubbed in English) Aloyev Bakhromjon Juraboyevich, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan (partially overlaid with shots 6-9/ending with shot 10):
"China is regarded as one of the biggest economic partners in the region and the world. There lies a strong political will within the leaders of the two countries to actively develop relations between Uzbekistan and China. We believe that the results of this election will make a positive contribution to the future development of the relations between Uzbekistan and China and all other international partners.";
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6. Aloyev Bakhromjon Juraboyevich being interviewed;
7. Electronic voting machine;
8. Man voting;
9. Aloyev Bakhromjon Juraboyevich talking to reporters;
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10. Various of entrance, sign of Uzbekistan Women's Committee;
11. Board showing candidate Information;
12. Various of traffic on road, banners of candidates;
13. Various of meeting in progress;
14. SOUNDBITE (English) Ewald Konig, publisher of Diplo.news/election observer (partially overlaid with shot 15/ending with shots 16-18):
"I've been several times to Uzbekistan, but it's the very first time to be an observer for the election. And I've got the impression that there are so many young people voting, because Uzbekistan is an extremely young country. They really have a target. They want to have better education. They want to have better aids and support for families and for starting companies, and also to learn languages and to be free to see other countries. I'm confident that they are really proceeding.";
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15. Electronic voting system;
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16. Various of people voting at polling station;
17. Monitor screens showing people at polling station;
18. Various of pedestrians;
19. Various of candidate posters on street, traffic;
20. Various of pedestrians, sculpture;
21. Various of mosque, pedestrians.

[Restriction - No access Chinese mainland]