As many as 17.4 percent of all eligible voters cast their ballots between December 14 and 17, the first four days of the five-day early voting period preceding December 19, the main polling day in Belarus' presidential election, according to the central election commission.
As Mikalay Lazavik, secretary of the central election commission, told BelaPAN, voter turnout in the first four days was 25.9 percent in the Vitsyebsk region, 20.5 percent in the Hrodna region, 19.9 percent in the Mahilyow region, 15.5 percent in the Homyel region, 15.2 percent in the Minsk region, 14.4 percent in the Brest region, and 13.6 percent in the city of Minsk.
Mr. Lazavik said that 21 percent of the registered voters had already cast their ballots at polling stations abroad.
According to the central election commission, 20 percent of all eligible voters voted in the first four days of the previous, 2006 presidential election.
