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In the state elections in Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate, significantly fewer people than normal cast their votes in polling stations due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Instead, the unusually large number of postal votes should be decisive.
That makes the first forecasts and projections on Sunday evening more difficult.
In Rhineland-Palatinate, the turnout by noon was around 52 percent.
"Because of the high number of postal voters, it has been very quiet in the polling stations so far," said the regional returning officer.
“Random samples in selected municipalities showed that by noon the proportion of voters was 7.5 percent.
Another 44.5 percent had already voted by postal vote. ”In the 2016 state elections, the total turnout was 70.4 percent.
There was a similar picture in Baden-Württemberg.
According to the broadcaster SWR, there was a decrease of 15.9 percentage points in the polling stations until 2 p.m. (CET) compared to 2016. At the same time it was 35.5 percent.
State returning officer Cornelia Nesch explained this with the corona-related increase in postal voters.
In representative electoral districts, 36 percent of all eligible voters applied for postal votes.
In the last state election in 2016, the turnout in Baden-Württemberg was around 70 percent.
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The local polling stations are open until 6 p.m. in both countries.
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