PHNOM PENH — Cambodian voters on Sunday morning cast their ballots at 22,967 polling stations across the country to elect 125 parliamentarians to the sixth National Assembly. Polling stations closed at 3pm.

Voter turnout for Cambodia’s general election today was 80.49 per cent, the National Election Commission (NEC) said.

In the previous general election in 2013 turnout was 69.61 per cent, or 6.73 million voters.

"The total number of people who voted was 6.74 million or about 80.49 per cent. This is the success of the election," Sik Bun Hok, chairman of the NEC, said in a televised news conference.

"This time is higher," he added. "Cambodia should be proud.”

According to the NEC, about 8.3 million voters registered to join the election. Twenty political parties are competing for 125 seats in the parliament. 

Cambodian Prime Minister and President of the CPP Hun Sen and his wife Bunrany Hun Sen cast their votes at a polling station at the Teacher Training College in Ta Khmau town, Kandal province. Meanwhile, most of leaders of other parties voted in Phnom Penh.

About 80,000 police and soldiers have been deployed to ensure safety and security at polling stations, the Ministry of Home Affairs said. Nearly 100,000 observers of the 20 participating political parties and 112 domestic social and civil organisations, as well as 500 international observers from 42 countries will monitor the election, according to NEC.

Besides, about 900 reporters, including close to 100 international reporters, came to Cambodia to cover the event.

NEC plans to announce preliminary results on August 11 and official results on August 15 in case of no complaints from political parties. However, parties could announce their initial outcomes within the day based on their observers.

Cambodia holds a general election every five years. In the 2013 election, the CPP won 68 of the legislature’s current 123 seats and the CRNP won the remaining 55 seats. — Agencies