"After processing ballots from all polling stations, the votes were distributed as follows: Yevgenia Gutsul — 27,376 votes, or 52.36%, Grigory Uzun — 24,913 votes, or 47.64%," Kovalenko told reporters.
The summing up of the preliminary results of the vote is expected on Monday morning.
Gutsul tied with her Socialist Party rival, Grigory Uzun, in the first round of the election held in April, with each candidate winning around 26%. Incumbent Governor of Moldova's pro-Russian southern autonomy Irina Vlah is not eligible for reelection since she has already served two consecutive terms as Gagauzia's head (Bashkan of Gagauzia).
Gagauzia, where most people speak Russian as well as the Turkish-linked Gagauz language, declared independence from the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1990 but was integrated into Moldova in 1994. The Gagauz people are Orthodox Christians of Turkic origin.