First Day Early Voting Rate 19.58%, Highest Ever

On the first day of early voting for the 21st presidential election on the 29th, the voting rate recorded 19.58%, breaking the highest record ever. The Central Election Management Committee announced that from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on this day, 8,691,711 people, or 19.58% of the total 44,391,871 eligible voters, completed voting, which is 2.01%p higher than the first day early voting rate of the 20th presidential election.

With the early voting rate breaking the highest record from the first day, the possibility of surpassing the record of 36.93% for the highest early voting rate in the 20th presidential election is increasing. This presidential election's early voting will continue until 6 p.m. on the 30th. By region, Jeonnam showed the highest early voting rate at 34.96%, while Daegu recorded the lowest early voting rate nationwide at 13.42%.

In general, early voting tends to have a high participation rate among the younger generation of 2030s and middle-aged 4050s who prefer to vote early. Their support rate is relatively inclined towards progressive parties, resulting in a 5-10%p higher early voting rate compared to the main voting day for these age groups. On the other hand, in the 60s and older, where support for conservative groups is solid, there is a tendency to focus on voting on the main voting day rather than early voting.

Main presidential candidates encouraged their supporters to participate in voting as they engaged in early voting on this day. Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, exercised his voting rights with four young people at the Sinchon-dong Community Center in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, while Kim Moon-soo, the People Power Party presidential candidate, visited the Gyeyang 1-dong Community Center in Gyeyang-gu, Incheon with his daughter Kim Dong-joo to participate in early voting.

hjkim01@fnnews.com Kim Hak-jae Reporter