Colombo—The voter turnout for Sri Lanka’s presidential election on Saturday is estimated to be around 75 percent, according to an official announcement. Saman Sri Ratnayaka, the Director General of Elections, reported that this figure is lower than the 83 percent turnout seen in the previous presidential election in November 2019.
Polling took place from 7 am to 4 pm local time across more than 13,400 polling stations in 22 electoral districts. Over 17 million registered voters were expected to participate, with a record 38 candidates contesting. The election proceeded without any incidents of violence or security breaches reported throughout the 22 districts, marking a significant event for the nation following its severe economic crisis in 2022. Officials stated that anyone who entered a polling station by the 4 pm deadline was allowed to cast their vote. Counting of postal votes, primarily from government employees, military, and police personnel, began immediately after the polls closed, with normal counting scheduled to start at 6 pm, as confirmed by Colombo City Deputy Election Commissioner MKSKK Bandaramapa.
The election saw the involvement of nearly 8,000 local and foreign observers, including 116 international representatives from organizations like the EU and Commonwealth, along with seven from South Asian countries. The People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections, a prominent local organization, deployed 4,000 local observers. This election serves as a crucial test for incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who has claimed responsibility for steering the country toward economic recovery.
