Voter Turnout Drops Sharply in Vijayawada

Vijayawada city voters showed little interest in exercising their voting rights, resulting in a significant decline in turnout in the municipal elections. The city recorded just 55.35% polling this time, compared to 63.02% in the 2021 elections. This marks a sharp drop of 7.67 percentage points. Despite it being a Sunday, a considerable number of voters stayed away from polling stations. Unlike previous elections, voters did not face major difficulties related to polling booth locations or the allocation of different polling stations to members of the same family. However, voter enthusiasm remained low throughout the day, with polling stations witnessing thin crowds from morning until evening.

Meanwhile, municipal elections across the district were largely peaceful, bringing relief to election officials. Except for a few minor incidents, polling concluded smoothly in most areas. Turnout in the four municipalities ranged between 72% and 74%, although it was lower than in the previous elections held in some of these areas. Nandigama recorded 72.67% polling this time, compared to 77.34% in 2021. Similarly, Tiruvuru registered 73.81%, down from 76.19% in the previous elections. While the four municipalities recorded turnout above 72%, the decline in Nandigama and Tiruvuru was notable. The contrast between these figures and Vijayawada's 55.35% turnout highlights the particularly low voter participation in the city.