Poll highlights deep voter apathy ahead of Iran election

An Iranian polling organization found that only one out of three eligible Iranians were planning to vote in the upcoming presidential election, suggesting it will be marred by the lowest turnout ever in the history of the Islamic Republic.
Women supporters of Iranian presidential candidate Ebrahim Raisi hold up his posters during an election campaign rally in the city of Eslamshahr, about 25 kilometers south of the center of the capital, Tehran, on June 6, 2021. The 60-year-old ultra-conservative Raisi, widely seen as the favorite to win the June 18 presidential election, heads the judiciary and is a "hodjatoleslam," one rank below that of ayatollah in the Shiite clerical hierarchy.
Women supporters of Iranian presidential candidate Ebrahim Raisi hold up his posters during an election campaign rally in the city of Eslamshahr, about 25 kilometers south of the center of the capital, Tehran, on June 6, 2021. The 60-year-old ultra-conservative Raisi, widely seen as the favorite to win the June 18 presidential election, heads the judiciary and is a "hodjatoleslam," one rank below that of ayatollah in the Shiite clerical hierarchy. - AFP via Getty Images
Al Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East
Al-Monitor Staff

The results of the latest polling ahead of Iran's key presidential election indicate growing apathy among the Iranian public toward the polls.

The survey was conducted by Iran Students Polling Agency (ISPA), which is affiliated with the country's Ministry of Science, Research and Technology. Covering over 1,500 respondents, the polling estimated the final voter turnout to stand around 38%.

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