A total of 84,829 voters cast their votes through the postal ballot facilitation and mobile booth facility in the last three days.

Figures shared by Election Commission of Bhutan’s (ECB) head of election department, Sonam Tobgyal, stated that 46,358 female and 38,471 male cast their votes through the service.

Although the details of the voter turnout and the breakup was not available as of yesterday evening, the voter turnout for the postal ballot facilitation and the mobile booth was 82.9 percent, as the total number of people registered to avail the facility was 102,363.

This is an increase of more than 7.2 from the voter turnout who availed the facility in the primary round. Of the 102,531 registered postal voters for facilitation and mobile booths, 79,515 voters voted in the primaries.

In the primary elections, 44,053 female and 35,462 male voted through the facility.

All ballots cast are handed over to Bhutan Post to be delivered to the respective returning officers.

During the primary elections, the total number of postal ballot envelopes were counted and cross-checked against the electoral roll search system (ERSS) used in the booths to ensure that the number of registered voters verified against the ERSS and issued ballots match the number of postal ballot envelopes handed over to Bhutan Post at the end of each day.

“This is to ensure there are no mistakes or errors of any kind in the process,” the press release ECB issued during the primary elections stated.

Meanwhile, the mobile booth facility taken to the highlanders of Tsampa, Gomthang and Lamthrang in Bumthang saw a good voter turnout.

Of the 25 male and 35 female registered voters in Tsampa, all 25 male and 32 female voted. In Gomthang, which had eight male and nine female registered voters, the turnout was 100 percent. In Lamthrang, which had five male and 10 female registered voters, four male and nine female cast their ballots.

Bumthang’s election officer, Ugyen, said the nine polling officials, six security officials and six porters, who walked for days to take the service to the highlanders, returned to the station safely.

Tashi Dema

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