Voter turnout in Bucharest remains very low in the early hours of December 7. Sociologist Remus Ștefureac warns that, under these conditions, the final turnout could drop below 30%.
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The Director of INSCOP Research analyzed the initial data in a post published on Facebook.
"If the current voting pace is maintained, which means about 60% of voters who voted in the previous elections on June 9, 2024, the final turnout will be below 30%. If the voting pace increases, then it is possible to approach the level of 2024, which was at the end 41%. Exceeding the turnout of 41% from then seems, not impossible, but improbable now," wrote Ștefureac.
In the last election in the Capital, the one in June 2024, after four hours of voting, there were 170,381 voters, representing 9.41%. By comparison, until 11:00 today, 113,806 Bucharest residents voted, which represents only 6.31% of the voters registered on the permanent electoral lists.
The age distribution shows a dominant participation of the senior electorate. 38.13% of those who have voted so far are over 65 years old, and 39.14% are in the 45-64 age category. Young people remain, as usual, the least present: only 2.74% of those who voted by 11:00 are between 18 and 24 years old.
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Exit polls announced at 9:00 PM
The first estimates regarding the vote of Bucharest residents in the elections for the Capital's Mayor will be announced at 9:00 PM, along with the publication of the exit polls accredited by the Municipal Electoral Bureau. Five polling firms are conducting measurements on election day.
CURS and Avangarde will present a joint exit poll. Three other companies will offer separate estimates: CIRA (The Center for International Research and Analyses), IIC Bio-Trade Consulting SRL, and ARA Public Opinion SRL.
The presentation of exit polls is prohibited until the closing of the vote.
1.8 million Bucharest residents are expected at the polls
Approximately 1.8 million Bucharest residents with the right to vote are called to the polls on Sunday to elect the General Mayor. The polling stations opened at 7:00 AM and will operate until 9:00 PM.
On the ballot, there are 17 candidates, even though two of them announced in recent days their withdrawal from the race and support for other competitors.