Final Voter Turnout for Gangseo-gu Mayor By-election 48.7% ... Lower than 56.4% in 2021 (Comprehensive)

Early Voting Turnout Lower Compared to Advance Voting Rate

The final voter turnout for the by-election for the Mayor of Gangseo District in Seoul was tentatively tallied at 48.7%. This is a lower figure compared to the 2021 Seoul mayoral by-election and last year's local elections.

On the 11th, the day of the by-election for the Mayor of Gangseo-gu, Seoul, voters are casting their ballots at the 9th polling station in Banghwa 1-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

The National Election Commission announced that out of 500,603 eligible voters in the Gangseo District mayoral election, 243,665 cast their votes.

Earlier, the early voting turnout for the Gangseo District mayoral election was 22.64%, setting a record for the highest early voting rate in any past by-election or re-election. However, despite the high early voting rate, the turnout on the actual election day was low, resulting in a final turnout below 50%.

Previously, the voter turnout in Gangseo District during the 2021 Seoul mayoral by-election was 56.4%, and in last year's local elections, the turnout in this area was 51.7%.

Although this Gangseo District mayoral election is a by-election to elect one local government head, it attracted political attention as it offers insight into metropolitan area public sentiment just six months before next year’s general elections. While the turnout was lower than in the Seoul mayoral by-election and local elections, it slightly exceeded the figures initially expected by the political circles.

Political circles had predicted the turnout for this Gangseo District mayoral by-election to be around 45%.

With the final turnout coming in higher than expected, attention is now focused on the vote count results.

Depending on the election outcome, political repercussions are expected to be inevitable.

If candidate Kim Tae-woo loses, the People Power Party may face accountability issues for causing the by-election and nominating a candidate despite that, as well as for allowing Kim Tae-woo to participate in the primary and ultimately selecting him as the final candidate.

Conversely, if candidate Jin Gyo-hoon loses, the Democratic Party is also likely to face a major shock. Although the Democratic Party lost in the last local elections in Gangseo District, all three incumbent members of the National Assembly from this area belong to the Democratic Party, making it a stronghold region.

The winner is expected to be announced around 11 p.m.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.