More than 62,000 voters had cast their ballots by midday as polling continued across the Maldives in today’s Local Council Elections, Women’s Development Committee (WDC) elections, and national referendum, according to the Elections Commission (EC).
The EC reported that 62,083 people had voted by 12:00 p.m., representing 21.05 percent of the total eligible electorate of 294,876 voters.
Midday Turnout Snapshot
Of those who voted so far:
- 33,245 were men
- 28,838 were women
This places male participation at a slightly higher level, accounting for just over 53 percent of ballots cast by midday.
Meanwhile, 232,793 voters — approximately 78.95 percent of the electorate — had yet to vote at the halfway point of the day.
Afternoon Surge Expected
With polling stations open until 4:00 p.m., officials expect a significant increase in turnout during the afternoon hours, in line with patterns observed in previous elections.
Observers note that a turnout of around 20 percent by midday is typical for multi-ballot election days, though attention is now focused on whether participation will accelerate in the final hours.
Triple Elections Underway
Today’s voting involves three separate ballots:
- Local Council Elections
- Women’s Development Committee (WDC) Elections
- A national referendum on whether future Presidential and Parliamentary elections should be held on the same day
The Elections Commission said it continues to monitor voting across all polling stations nationwide as the process progresses.
Authorities have urged eligible voters to make use of the remaining hours to cast their ballots.
