Turnout for today’s regional elections in Spain's Basque country had reached 57.52 per cent by 1500 GMT, the government said.
The turnout was 5.18 per cent more than at the same time in the last poll in October 1998, for which the Basque separatist group ETA had declared a ceasefire, said regional administrator Mr Inalki Alba.
First preliminary results for the poll, in which 1.8 million eligible voters can elect the Basque parliament's 75 deputies, should be announced at around 1930 GMT. Final results should be known by 2100 GMT, about three hours after polling stations close.
The election campaign was overshadowed by renewed attacks attacks blamed on the separatist group ETA which ended early yesterday with a car bomb in central Madrid. The explosion injured more than a dozen people, including a bank security guard who was seriously wounded.
Throughout the campaign, the Basque country of northern Spain was largely free of violence, but a ruling party senator in neighbouring Aragon was shot dead on May 6.
ETA has not claimed responsibility for the recent attacks - it normally waits weeks to do so - but the group have claimed 29 murders over the 16 months after they ended a unilateral ceasefire.
In the Basque city of San Sebastian today, 15 young protesters attempted to force their way into the room where Mr Jaime Mayor Oreja, candidate for the centre-right Popular Party (PP), was voting.
Protesters also disrupted PP leaders Mr Carlos Iturgaiz and Ms Maria San Gil and Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) Candidate Mr Nicolas Redondo Terreros when they went to vote in other polling stations, local media reported.
AFP &