Advance voting in the Finnish presidential second round run-off has set a new record turnout for a national election, with nearly 46 percent of voters casting their ballots early.
By the time polling stations closed at 8pm on Tuesday evening after seven days of advance voting, some 1.96 million people had voted.
This turnout even outstrips the first round, which itself set a new record at 44.7 percent.
Voter Samuel Sylf told Yle that choosing between Alexander Stubb and Pekka Haavisto as Finland's next president was not an easy decision, and he was still considering his preference as he went to cast his vote.
"Yes, security issues are crucial, and then whether the candidate has managed to put his or her values across," Sylf said.
Viivi Kovanen meanwhile said she also found it difficult to choose between the two candidates, noting that both are well suited to the role.
"I consider the candidate's values and their approachability to be the most important things," Kovanen said.
Helsinki Univeristy world politics professor Teivo Teivainen told the All Points North podcast that the tight race was encouraging people to vote. Listen to the episode via this embedded player, on Yle Areena, via Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
MT poll confirms Stubb's 8-point lead
As the countdown to election day continues, farmers' union newspaper Maaseudun Tulevaisuus published a poll on Wednesday morning which showed Alexander Stubb holding an eight-point lead over Pekka Haavisto.
The survey found that Haavisto had more backing among young women voters, while Stubb was most popular among older men.
MT's poll produced the same result as a similar survey published by Helsingin Sanomat on Monday, which also found 54 percent support for Stubb and 46 percent for Haavisto.
More than 1,000 people responded to the MT survey, with a margin of error of around three percent in either direction.
The latest on the Finnish presidential election — including candidate profiles, a very simple guide and Yle's election compass — is available here.
Users with an Yle ID can leave comments on our news stories. You can create your Yle ID via this link. Our guidelines on commenting and moderation are explained here.
