Interest in Elections Highest Since 1985


By Reuben Staines
Staff Reporter
The voter turnout rate for Thursday’s general elections is expected to be significantly higher than that of four years ago due to intense public interest created by the impeachment of President Roh Moo-hyun.

The National Election Commission (NEC) said on Tuesday it expects more than 60 percent of eligible voters to cast ballots, up from 57.2 percent in 2000. It would be the first time voter turnout for general elections has increased since hitting 84.6 percent in 1985.

According to a NEC survey released on Tuesday, 77.2 percent of registered voters say they will ``definitely’’ go to the polls, up from the 46.1 percent recorded in a similar study conducted before the 2000 National Assembly elections.

The survey of 1,500 prospective voters taken on Thursday and Friday last week found that 88.7 percent of those eligible ``intend’’ to vote.

The NEC concluded that the voter turnout rate is likely to exceed 60 percent.

The election watchdog said interest in the coming general elections was heightened by the impeachment and later by Uri Party chairman Chung Dong-young’s controversial suggestion that elderly voters should stay home and rest on election day.

``Chung’s remarks created generational discord and this will have the effect of boosting the turnout rate,’’ the NEC said.

Kang Won-taek, professor of politics at Soongsil University, agreed, saying that the increase in turnout reflected the ``intensity of the issues.’’

``For young voters, who usually show a low rate of turnout, more will go to the polls this time because of the impeachment,’’ he said.

But Kang also predicted more elderly voters to turnout due to Chung’s disparaging remarks, probably boosting the conservative Grand National Party’s performance.

In 2000, voters in their 20s had the lowest voter turnout by age bracket, with just 36.8 percent exercising their democratic right. Those in their 50s had the highest turnout of 77.6 percent nationwide.

The NEC survey also found that 46.2 percent of voters consider the personal capability of candidates to be the most important factor in deciding who to give their ballot. This is down from more than 60 percent in 2000.

On the other hand, voters are putting greater emphasis on party affiliation, with 20 percent saying it is the biggest factor compared with 9.4 percent four years ago.

Asked what is the biggest problem with these elections, nearly 25 percent of those surveyed picked mudslinging by candidates, followed by unrealistic campaign pledges (21.5 percent) and regionalism (17.7 percent).

rjs@koreatimes.co.kr