Seoul: South Koreans hit the polls Wednesday to elect mayors, governors, local council members, and regional education chiefs in crucial local elections that could set the path for the Lee Jae Myung administration in its second year in office. Voting kicked off at 6:00 a.m. and will continue until 6:00 p.m. at 14,288 polling stations nationwide, according to the National Election Commission (NEC).

According to Yonhap News Agency, more than 44.6 million people are eligible to vote, including 10.4 million who already cast ballots during two days of early voting last week. Voter turnout stood at 7.4 percent, or 3.32 million, as of 9 a.m., up 1.4 percentage points from the previous local elections in 2022, the NEC said. Seoul's turnout was recorded at 6.9 percent.

Turnout for the two-day advance voting last week came to an all-time high of 23.51 percent, raising expectations that overall turnout could surpass 60 percent. The early voting turnout will be counted in the overall turnout tally starting at 1 p.m.

The elections are widely seen as the first nationwide test for the Lee administration following its inauguration in June 2025 after former President Yoon Suk Yeol was removed from office over his botched martial law bid.