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Barisan Nasional (BN) has taken an early lead in 32 of the 56 state seats contested in the 16th Johor state election as vote counting got underway following the close of polling.
All 1,076 polling centres across Johor officially closed at 6pm, marking the end of voting for more than 2.7 million registered voters.
BN, which formed the state government after winning 40 of the 56 seats in the 2022 state election, was ahead of its two main rivals — Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) — based on early unofficial results.
Among the closely watched seats is Bukit Kepong, where BN candidate Ahmad Syarie Yusof is leading against former Johor Menteri Besar and PN state chairman Datuk Dr Sahruddin Jamal, as well as PH candidate C. Subramani.
Sahruddin won the seat in the 2022 election with 9,873 votes and a 710-vote majority, defeating candidates from BN, MUDA and Parti Pejuang Tanah Air.
According to the Election Commission (EC), Johor has 2,727,926 registered voters, comprising 2,703,175 ordinary voters, 12,041 military personnel and their spouses, and 12,710 police personnel and their spouses.
Unlike the 2022 election, BN and PH — now partners in the federal unity government — contested against each other in all 56 state seats, while PN fielded candidates in only 33 constituencies.
Despite contesting fewer seats, PN, particularly PAS, had instructed its members and supporters to back BN candidates in constituencies where the coalition was not contesting.
Those seats include Buloh Kasap, Bekok, Yong Peng, Parit Yaani, Machap, Tanjung Surat, Larkin, Kempas, Benut, Pulai Sebatang, Pekan Nanas, Kukup, Mahkota, Tangkak, Bentayan, Penggaram, Mengkibol, Perling, Skudai, Bukit Batu, Senai, Johor Jaya and Puteri Wangsa.
Vote counting is ongoing, with the EC expected to announce the official results by 10pm.
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