Istanbul declares invalid votes cast across 39 districts

Istanbul's provincial electoral office has ordered invalid votes cast in Sunday's mayoral elections across a further 15 of the city's 39 districts to be recounted, broadcaster CNN Turk said on Thursday. The High Election Board (YSK) ordered recounts in just 18 districts on Wednesday, after objections from President Tayyip Erdogan's AK Party (AKP), which results showed suffered a narrow defeat in the city to the main opposition CHP.

On Thursday, CNN Turk had initially reported, citing the Istanbul provincial electoral office, that invalid votes would be recounted in all 39 of the city's districts. It later said recounts would take place in 15 additional districts.