Polling stations across the country officially closed at 5:00 pm, marking the end of a nearly nine-hour voting period.
Voting for the Local Council elections, Women’s Development Committee (WDC) elections, and a referendum opinion poll commenced at 8:00 am Although a small number of polling stations experienced minor delays, the majority opened on schedule across the country.
According to the Election Commission of Maldives (ECM), a total of 185,709 eligible voters—representing 62.98 percent of the 294,876 registered electorate—participated in the election.
Of those who voted, 92,567 were women and 93,142 were men, indicating a nearly equal gender turnout. Despite efforts to boost participation, 109,167 eligible voters—37.02 percent of the total—did not cast their ballots.
To ensure accessibility, 588 polling stations were established nationwide, and the ECM extended voting hours until the last person in line was able to vote.
Official vote counting will commence 30 minutes after the closure of the ballot boxes, allowing for a secure and orderly transition from polling to tallying.
The preliminary results are expected to be announced in the coming hours, with election officials emphasising transparency and integrity throughout the process.