GEORGE TOWN, May 25 — Election Commission (EC) chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof said most of the 19.95 per cent voters who turned out at Bukit Gelugor this morning are the older generation.
He told a press conference that most of those who turn up are in stream one and two that are often allocated for elderly voters
“As at 11am, a total 16,418 voters have caste their votes or 19.95 per cent,” he said.
He said this number is considered low as on average it means only six per cent of voters are voting, which is far below the EC benchmark or 10 per cent per hour.
“Normally, the peak hours of polling is between 8am and noon and it will slowdown in the afternoon,” he said.
He added that during the general elections, sometimes the turnout per hour is between 13 and 15 per cent.
“Hopefully we can achieve more than a 75 per cent turnout today,” he said.
There a total 82,283 registered voters in the constituency.
There are a total 17 polling district centres open today with a total 139 polling stations in the constituency.
The Bukit Gelugor by-election pits DAP’s Ramkarpal Singh against Parti Cinta Malaysia’s Datuk Huan Cheng Guan and independent candidate Mohd Nabi Bux Mohd Sathar.
Another independent runner Abu Backer Sidek Mohammad Zan withdrew from the race last night. His name remains on ballot papers.
