COMRAT, /Moldova/, April 30. /TASS/. The voter turnout to the election of the head of Moldova’s Gagauzia autonomous region has exceeded the threshold, necessary to deem the election valid, standing at 57.8%, according to the preliminary data of the regional central electoral commission.

"A total of 57,019 voters cast their ballots in Gagauzia, making the turnout 57.8%," the commission website reads.

Elections are considered valid, if more than 50% of 92,516 eligible voters cast their ballots.

A total of eight candidates run for the office of baskan (regional head). The first on the list is former mayor of the city of Comrat, Moldovan ex-lawmaker Nicolai Dudoglo; he is followed by ex-deputy of the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia Grigory Uzun, endorsed by the Socialist Party of Moldova; the list also includes former head of Gagauzia Mihail Formuzal, People’s Assembly deputy Viktor Petrov, current Ambassador of Moldova to Turkey Dmitrii Croitor, People’s Assembly ex-deputy Sergey Chernev, opposition candidate Yevgenia Gutsul, and People’s Assembly deputy Sergey Chimpoesh.

According to the poll, carried out by phone by Moldova’s Intellect Group, Uzun and Petrov enter the second round of elections, with 24% and 22% support, correspondingly. The poll, carried out on the elections day, covered 984 respondents, with a 4.5 error margin.

The Central Electoral Commission plans to announce the first preliminary outcome on Monday.