Chennai, April 7: A total of 72.78 percent of the total 6.29 crore electorate have cast their ballots in the single-phase Tamil Nadu Assembly polls yesterday. Polling was held to elect 234 members for the 16th Assembly.

Releasing the final poll percentage details today, Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo said this was third the highest turnout recorded in the last two decades. Compared to elections in the last two decades, the turnout
this year was the third-highest.

In 2016, the turnout was 74.81 percent and in 2011 it was 78.01 percent — the highest ever in Tamil Nadu’s electoral history. In 2006, when the DMK formed a minority government with outside support from its allies, the polling percentage was 70.82 percent, while 2001 saw the lowest turnout ever at 59.07 percent. Of the total 37 districts, Karur recorded the highest of 83.92 percent, and Chennai the lowest at 59.06 percent.

All four districts reported a turnout of 80 percent and above, while the turnout was between 70 to 80 percent in 25 districts. (uni)