Record advance voting sends queue into car park

Nearly 1,900 people voted in advance in Iceland on Friday, with a queue extending into the car park at the district commissioner’s offices in Hlíðarsmári, Kópavogur, mbl.is reported.

A total of 59,364 people have voted outside polling stations nationwide, including 39,258 in the capital region. With 272,690 people registered to vote, nearly 22 percent of eligible voters have already cast a ballot.

Sigríður Kristinsdóttir, the district commissioner for the capital region, said the turnout was an absolute record for advance voting.

She said all voting desks were occupied, with 18 voting booths operating at Hlíðarsmári and the queue reaching the car park. Another 13 booths were available at Kringlan.

Seventy-five employees of the district commissioner’s office are working on advance voting. The polling location at Hlíðarsmári closes at 9pm on Friday, while the location at Kringlan closes at 6.30pm.

People who have voted in advance may also vote at a polling station on election day on Saturday. Their earlier ballot will then be invalidated.