Voting

The three-point referendum on the voting system of Bulgaria cannot be binding as nearly all vote protocols have been counted, official data reveals after a day of ambiguous messages.

Turnout is expected to fall short of just over 3.5 million votes - the figure from the previous parliamentary election.

The final count of votes in Bulgaria's three-point referendum may make its result binding in a surprise move, data from the election authorities shows.

If confirmed, the calculation will not match exit poll projections it does not meet the threshold.

The referendum on the political system may fall short of the turnout needed to make the results mandatory, pollster Alpha Research says.

A newly introduced "protest vote" option has fared better than some of the candidates in the presidential election in Bulgaria, official figures show.

With nearly half of the vote counted, more than 5.80% have cast a ballot ticking "I Do Not Support Anyone", added after voting was made compulsory earlier this year.

Bulgarian talkshow host Slavi Trifonov has said it "will depend on circumstances" whether or not he will set up a party after a referendum held along with the presidential elections.

Following the three-question referendum on the voting system, Trifonov has told the media his referendum proves the status quo can be changed.

Bulgarian voters have backed the introduction of a first-past-the-post system, compulsory voting, and a drastic slash in state subsidies handed to political parties, exit poll data shows.

A referendum on three issues is being held on Sunday alongside the presidential election.

Polling stations across Bulgaria will not close at 20:00 but at 21:00 as voting for president still goes on, authorities say.

People are still lining up to cast ballots, under a newly adopted regime of compulsory voting.

The election day will thus continue after first exit polls are announced, giving last-minute voters crucial importance in case of a narrow lead.

People have been lining up to vote in many polling stations abroad, Bulgaria's electoral authorities report as the country is choosing its next President.

In addition, a claim of ballot shortage has been filed with the election watchdog, Focus News Agency has quoted the Central Election Commission (CEC)'s spokesperson Tsvetozar Tomov as saying.

Nearly a third of Bulgarian voters had cast a ballot in Sunday's presidential elections as of 13:00 local time (EET), authorities say.

Activity was 26.2% as of that hour, much above the rate registered in 2011 when it was 17.64%, according to Central Election Commission (CEC) data.

At 10:00 the turnout was slightly above 10.3%.

Bulgarian voters have been left split down the middle by a three-point referendum proposed by a popular TV show held along with the presidential election on Sunday.