Election Turnout

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The turnout rate for this presidential election came to 77.2 percent, the highest among the last three presidential elections. Here's a look at some of the factors behind the high turnout rate.

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The leading factor behind the high voter turnout rate was early voting, which was held for the first time in the history of presidential elections. Turnout for early voting, which was held for two days on May 4th and 5th, came in at 26.1 percent. More than 11 million people, or one-fourth of all eligible voters, participated in early voting. That's the most since early voting was introduced in 2013. More election days and extended closing hours on the main election day also led to a surge in the turnout rate. Another factor lies in the early election stemming from the impeachment of the previous president, Park Geun-hye.

[Soundbite] Prof. Noh Dong-il(Kyunghee Univ.) : "The former president's impeachment and arrest made the public realize what it means to choose the wrong leader."

Observers also point to multiple candidates during this election who finished the race without unifying as a reason behind the high turnout rate. The fierce competition among the candidates and the determination of less popular candidates to finish the race raised voter interest in the election, presenting them with a wider choice and eventually resulting in the highest turnout rate in 15 years.