3 million voters' ballots have passed to AKP through desk transfers since March 31

In the period since the March 31, 2024 local elections, the AKP has won 108 municipal mayoralties through transfers and assembly votes that voters did not grant at the ballot box. According to data compiled by Sözcü, in this process 3 million 24 thousand 486 voters' ballots came to be represented by an administration outside the party they preferred at the ballot.

Mayoralty positions changed hands in only five provinces — Izmir, Afyonkarahisar, Aydın, Nevşehir, and Şanlıurfa — and in 15 major districts including Beykoz, Ataşehir, Şile, Keçiören, Tuzla, Şehitkamil, and Çiğli. While the number of metropolitan municipalities increased from 12 to 15, AKP's total number of municipalities rose from 537 to 645.

In terms of population representation, the picture changed dramatically: while AKP represented 25 percent population in 24 provinces, this rate increased to 31 percent in 28 provinces. CHP, meanwhile, represented 61 percent population in 35 provinces, but with mayors from its ranks joining the YENI Party, its representation rate declined to 30 percent in 7 provinces.

The largest transition occurred from Fatih Erbakan's Yeniden Refah Partisi: 43 of 62 municipalities came under the AKP umbrella. From the CHP, 36 mayors including those from Izmir, Afyonkarahisar, and Aydın joined the AKP.

Turkey lacks a clear legal framework regulating post-election municipal transfers; similar transitions following the 2014 local elections also sparked debate, but did not result in any legal regulation.