Elections

Number of Polling Stations Down Year-on-Year; Common Polling Stations in Commercial Facilities Reach Record High

Yomiuri Shimbun file photo
A common polling station is seen in a commercial facility in Hirakawa, Aomori Prefecture, in 2016.

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:00 JST, October 23, 2024

The Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry on Tuesday said that 45,429 (preliminary figures) polling stations will be set up nationwide for the House of Representatives election to be held on Oct. 27 — 1,026 fewer than in the previous election in 2021.

The figure includes a record 217 common polling stations, which are placed in commercial and public facilities and other convenient locations.

Depopulation has driven a decrease in the number of polling stations set up by each district on the day of the election, especially in rural areas. Compared to the record-high 53,434 polling stations in the 2000 lower house election, the number has decreased by about 8,000 in the upcoming election. Forty-five prefectures will have fewer polling stations than last election.

The number of early polling stations stands at 6,409, an increase of 455 from the previous election and the largest number ever.