Johann Hahlen
Präsident des Statistischen Bundesamtes

Press release - September 18, 2005

---

Voter participation at the 16th elections to the German Bundestag in 2005 until 2 p.m. (CEST)

WIESBADEN/BERLIN - As reported by the Federal Returning Officer, 41.9 percent of the persons entitled to vote have exercised their voting right until 2 p.m. (CEST) at today’s Bundestag election. The votes cast by postal voters have not been included yet.

The Federal Returning Officer has ascertained voter participation in co-operation with the Land returning officers on a representative basis for the entire Federal Republic of Germany.

In the 2002 Bundestag elections, voter participation until 2 p.m. was 42.8 percent; total voter participation was 79.1 percent.

The Federal Returning Officer asks all persons entitled to vote who have not voted yet to exercise their right to vote. The polling stations will be open until 6 p.m.

For further information please contact:
Dirk Sedmihradsky,
tel: (0611) 75-23 53,
e-mail: bundeswahlleiter@destatis.de

---