Total average voter turnout for the eight prefectures of Kyushu and Okinawa in Sunday’s lower house election clocked in at 50.92%, a 7.19% drop from the last lower house election in 2012 and the lowest figure on record since single-seat electoral districts were adopted in 1996. In each of the eight prefectures, the respective final tallies for voter turnout were the lowest on record in the postwar era. The inability of the opposing parties to field enough candidates in time for the snap election and the perceived lack of policy issues other than the referendum on the Abenomics economic stimulus package have been pointed out as possible causes for the poor showing. Source: Nishinippon Shimbun 12/14
