Voter turnout declines in runoff

ANKARA

Türkiye’s presidential runoff election witnessed a decline in voter turnout compared to the first round, marking a significant moment in the country’s political history.

The initial round recorded a turnout rate of 86.98 percent, while the second round saw a slight drop to 83.87 percent after two weeks.

The decrease in participation was observed in all provinces, with the exception of the eastern province of Tunceli, while northwestern province Düzce boasted the highest participation rate at 89.8 percent, followed by Amasya, Kütahya, Tokat, and Çanakkale.

In major cities, Istanbul also experienced a decline in turnout, dropping from 90.8 percent in the first round to 87.1 percent in the runoff election. Similarly, the capital Ankara witnessed a decrease from 91.5 percent to 87.7 percent, while İzmir’s turnout dropped from 90.5 percent to 87 percent.

Meanwhile the eastern provinces of Ağrı, Bingöl, and Muş recorded the lowest turnout.

According to data compiled by the Supreme Election Council’s (YSK) general directorate of electoral roll, the number of voters has been steadily increasing over the years. In the recent elections, the number of registered voters reached 64.1 million, with female voters slightly outnumbering male voters.