The Latest: Turkish ruling party seeks rerun in Istanbul

ANKARA, Turkey – The Latest on the Turkish local elections (all times local):

1:40 p.m.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling party says it will seek a re-run of last week's mayoral election in Istanbul, citing alleged irregularities.

Ali Ihsan Yavuz, a ruling party deputy chairman, announced the decision on Tuesday after Turkey's top electoral authority rejected a request for a full recount of votes in the March 31 elections.

Yavuz maintained there were "significant events and situations" that affected the outcome of the vote and said the party would use a right for an "extraordinary appeal."

Erdogan's Justice and Development Party, or AKP, suffered a major setback in the elections. Opposition candidates won in Turkey's capital, Ankara, and squeezed out the ruling party in Istanbul.

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9:35 a.m.

Turkey's top electoral authority has rejected a request by the ruling party of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for a full recount of votes in the Istanbul mayoral race.

Recep Ozel, a member of the Supreme Electoral Board, said early Tuesday that the electoral authority has, however, allowed a recount of 51 ballot boxes in the city. The board was still to rule on a demand for a re-run of the vote in one Istanbul district.

Erdogan's party suffered a major setback in the country's March 31 local elections. Opposition candidates won in Turkey's capital, Ankara, and squeezed out Erdogan's party in Istanbul.

The ruling party has demanded a recount, maintaining that the elections were marred by irregularities. The opposition denounced the claim as a ploy to secure a re-run.