Incheon posts record-high 58.2% turnout in local elections but ranks 15th nationwide

Incheon recorded its highest-ever voter turnout in the 9th nationwide simultaneous local elections on Wednesday, though the city still ranked 15th among the country's 17 cities and provinces.

According to the National Election Commission, provisional tallies after polls closed at 6 p.m. showed Incheon's turnout at 58.2%, the highest the city has posted in any local election. Among Incheon's districts, Ongjin-gun led with 70.0%, while Michuhol-gu recorded the lowest at 54.8%.

Incheon has consistently ranked near the bottom in voter participation across local elections, general elections and presidential elections. In local elections, the city's turnout stood at 53.7% in 2014, 55.3% in 2018 and 48.9% in 2022.

In last year's presidential election, Incheon ranked 13th nationwide. It placed 12th in the 2024 general election and 14th in the 2022 local elections.

The city recorded the lowest turnout in the country in the 2006 local elections, the 2007 presidential election, the 2012 general election and the 2018 local elections.

In this round of local elections, only two regions posted lower turnout than Incheon — Jeju at 56.4% and Gwangju at 54.3%.

Analysts attribute the persistently low participation to the city's large share of transplant residents, who tend to feel less rooted in the community and are less likely to vote.