A long queue of voters formed outside a polling station in Lukiškės Square in central Vilnius on Thursday – the last day of early voting in the general election due on Sunday, October 11.
Voters who arrived at around 07:00 had to wait for an hour to cast their ballot whereas those who would come in the evening might have to wait twice longer.
Kęstutis Girdzijauskas, a member of the Electoral Commission deployed to the polling station in Lukiškės Square, told BNS that queues outside the polling site formed before its opening and only dispersed after its closure.
The majority of those voting in the morning were residents of Vilnius, he said, adding that voters from Vilnius County and other cities usually increased in numbers towards the evening.
Read more: How Lithuania’s mixed election system works – explainer
Approximately 2,000 voters cast their ballots at the polling station in Lukiškės Square per day, Girdzijauskas said, emphasising that voter activity in this election was the highest within his recollection.
“Activity has been very high this year, most probably due to Covid-19 as people want to queue outside and not inside. We think that this is the reason. However, the general interest is also very strong,” he said.
This year, early voting in the general election has been extended to four days, instead of the usual two days, due to the coronavirus pandemic and will continue until Thursday night. Voting takes place from 07:00 until 20:00.
Approximately 1.5 percent of voters cast their ballots during the first two days of early voting.
The Seimas election will take place on October 11.
Read more: Who's who in Lithuania's 2020 parliamentary election – explainer
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