The figure was lower than the 75 percent expected by the Election Commission (EC) earlier in the day, and well below the 84.3 percent at the general election in 2013.

The returning officer, Mior Muhammad Jamil Mior Zakaria, said the lower turnout might have been because many outside voters did not come back to cast their ballots as it was the (fasting) month of Ramadan.

Mior Muhammad Jamil said the percentage comprised ordinary voters as well as early voters, who cast their ballots on June 14.

He said there were 32,949 registered voters comprising 32,632 ordinary voters, 312 (early voters) and five absentee voters who were abroad.

The ballot papers of absentee voters received would be counted at the official vote tallying centre at the Perak Jubilee Hall, he said.

The Kuala Kangsar by-election is a four-way contest between Mastura Mohd Yazid of Barisan Nasional, Dr Najihatussalehah Ahmad (PAS), Prof Dr Ahmad Termizi Ramli (Parti Amanah Negara) and Izat Bukhary Ismail Bukhary (independent).

It was held simultaneously with a by-election for Sungai Besar, Selangor.

The MPs for both seats died in a helicopter crash in Sarawak last month.

– BERNAMA