MELAKA – A total of 9,396 voters, or 94.75 per cent, had cast their ballots in the early voting for the 16th Melaka State Election as at 4pm today.
According to the Election Commission's (EC) real-time voter turnout dashboard, 9,917 security personnel and their spouses were eligible to vote today.
The figure comprised 7,472 military personnel and their spouses, as well as 2,445 police personnel and their spouses, who were eligible to vote at 31 polling centres.
Checks by Bernama at Terendak Camp in Sungai Udang and the Melaka police contingent headquarters in Ayer Keroh found that the voting process proceeded smoothly under clear weather conditions.
EC chairman Datuk Seri Ramlan Harun had earlier said that several polling centres with a small number of voters had closed at noon.
He said several other polling centres had closed in stages from 2pm, while the remaining centres would close at 5pm.
The EC is targeting a 95 per cent turnout for early voting.
A total of 79 candidates representing various political parties and coalitions, as well as independents, are contesting in the state election.
Polling day is this Saturday. –BERNAMA