Considerable turnout hailed by politicians
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LEADING politicians have hailed the considerable turnout at polling stations in today's independence referendum.
Ninety-seven per cent of the eligible Scottish electorate were registered to vote before today's vote, and polling stations have reported numbers far in excess of any recent election.
Douglas Alexander, Shadow Foreign Secretary at Westminster, said: “We can only welcome the fact that in our millions, Scots have been coming out to vote at historically high levels. This is huge.”
Culture minister Fiona Hyslop MSP, said: “The turnout is considerable – I think it is even above the estimates. I've seen that in my own constituency. This is beyond the politics of party, this is the politics of people.”
More than 190,000 people were registered to vote in the Highland Council area ahead of today's vote, while Moray had more than 75,000. Scotland-wide over 4.2 million people were registered, Electoral Registration Officers said.
UPDATE: Ninety-two per cent of registered postal ballots in Moray have been cast, it is understood. In the same county, a voter turnout of up to 86 per cent is rumoured.
