“So far, so good,” said Ministry of Internal Affairs acting Secretary Wallace Peter by mid-afternoon with the polls still open until 7 p.m. His ministry is overseeing the election throughout this nation of 52,000. “It seems like we’re on track as planned.”
Lines were long at most polling stations beginning from the 7 a.m. opening in Majuro, the capital. Polling stations on dozens of remote outer islands are also collecting ballots.
“The turnout was big in the morning,” said Majuro parliament candidate Daisy Alik-Momotaro. “It was very different from the previous election.”
Lines had reduced in size by mid-day in some polling stations, but several lines remained long with average waiting times over one hour, according to voters. Officials expected voting numbers to pick up as employees get off work at 5pm.
Peter said election officials were making a survey of several polling stations to decide whether to shift extra staff from slow stations to speed up the voting process.
Voters were aided by clear skies following many rainy days the past week.
Alik-Momotaro also said she was pleased to see voters not waiting for candidate-provided transportation to get themselves to the polling stations.
“When I went (to the polling station) there were so many people already there,” she said. “They came on their own instead of waiting for transportation to pick them up. Most elections, people wait for transportation (by candidates) and then vote for the person who picked them up. This year, people are taking their own initiative. It’s good.”
Tabulation was scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. Monday, with the first preliminary results not expected to be announced until Tuesday.
