NEC Says Voter Turnout Rate is Almost 78%

The voter turnout rate of today’s Commune/Sangkat Council Election is 77.91 percent or some 7.17 million among the 9.20 million eligible voters.

The figures were released by H.E. Prach Chan, Chairman of the National Election Committee (NEC) at a dissemination meeting with stakeholders held at the NEC’s headquarters in Phnom Penh this afternoon. 

The turnout rate is low compared to the previous elections, but high compared to that of other countries in the world, he explained. 

According to NEC, Kep is the province with the highest turnout rate of 87.25 percent, followed by Kampong Speu, Kandal and Svay Rieng provinces with 86.52, 85.46, and 85.09 percent, respectively, NEC pointed out, adding that Banteay Meanchey province has the lowest rate of 67.49 percent.

For the capital of Phnom Penh, some 72.16 percent of eligible voters went to the polls, the same source added.

The 5th-mandate Commune/Sangkat Council Election took place on June 5, from 7:00 am to 3:00 pm in 23,602 polling stations throughout the country under the observation of 88,050 political agents, and 74,885 local observers and 110 international observers from various organisations.

Besides, there were 775 local journalists and 39 foreign journalists registered to cover this local election. 

A total of 17 political parties – Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), Candlelight Party (CP), FUNCINPEC Party, Khmer National United Party (KNUP), Cambodia National Love Party (CNLP), Cambodian Nationality Party (CNP), Cambodian Youth Party (CYP), Cambodia Reform Party (CRP), Khmer Will Party (KWP), Kampucheaniyum Party (KP), Grassroots Democratic Party (GDP), Ekpheap Cheat Khmer Party (ECKP), Beehive Social Democratic Party (BSDP), Cambodia Indigenous People’s Democracy Party (CIPDP), Khmer National United Party (KNUP), Reaksmey Khemara Party, and Khmer Economic Development Party (KEDP) –competed for the 1,652 communes/Sangkat throughout Cambodia. 

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press