VICTORIA, Seychelles — Voting began on Thursday, October 9, 2025, at special polling stations on Mahé, Praslin and the outer islands for the second round of the presidential election, with strong turnout and smooth operations reported by electoral officials.
At the English River secondary school on Mahé, voters were admitted from around 7.15am, with three voting rooms handling surnames A–F, G–M and N–Z. By 11.45am, 1,761 voters out of 3,900 registered at the station had already cast their ballots, according to electoral officer Jerina Ah-Tive. ‘In addition to some misunderstandings regarding first names and the mix up of last names, our operations proceeded quite smoothly,’ she noted, adding that the day ended successfully with 75 percent of the special list voting by closing time.
At the North East Point Home for the Elderly, 89 voters out of 131 from the home and the North East Point hospital exercised their right to vote between 7am and 12pm, with steady engagement reported by electoral officer Donald Zialor. Voting on the outer islands also proceeded, with voters on Astove, D’Arros, Poivre, Denis, Bird and Frégate casting their ballots.
Voters interviewed said the experience was quicker and more seamless than the first round of September 25. The three-day exercise concludes with the main polling day on Saturday, October 11, when the country’s 77,045 registered voters will be called to choose between LDS incumbent Wavel Ramkalawan and United Seychelles challenger Dr Patrick Herminie.
