Johor State Election Begins As 2.7 Million Voters Choose Representatives Across 56 Seats

KUALA LUMPUR, JULY 2026 – Johor has become the focus of national attention today as more than 2.7 million eligible voters cast their ballots in the 16th Johor State Election to choose their state representatives. Voting officially began at 8am, with 1,076 polling centres and 4,889 voting streams opened across the state.

The election will determine the mandate for all 56 seats in the Johor State Legislative Assembly after the 14-day campaign period ended at midnight. Polling centres will close in stages from 11am to 6pm, depending on location, before the vote-counting process begins.

Among the earliest polling centres scheduled to close are Pulau Besar at 11am, followed by Pulau Aur and Pulau Pemanggil at noon. The Election Commission has deployed 43,036 personnel statewide to ensure the voting process runs smoothly and in an orderly manner.

A total of 24,677 postal ballots have also been issued and must be returned before 6pm today. The commission is targeting a voter turnout of around 70%, while full results are expected to be known as early as 10pm.

The turnout figure will be closely watched, especially after the previous Johor State Election in 2022 recorded a turnout of 54.92%. Employers have also been reminded to give workers reasonable time to fulfil their voting responsibility today.

Earlier this week, 20,607 early voters, consisting of police and military personnel as well as their spouses, completed the early voting process. Their participation formed part of the wider electoral process before polling day for the general electorate.

Weather conditions may also play a role in voter turnout. Rain was forecast in Johor Bahru, Batu Pahat, Kulai, Muar, Pontian and Tangkak in the morning, while better weather was expected in the afternoon and evening. Kluang, Kota Tinggi and Segamat were expected to experience thunderstorms in the afternoon, while Mersing was forecast to face similar conditions from evening until night.

This election features 172 candidates. Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional are each contesting 56 seats, followed by Perikatan Nasional with 33 candidates, Parti Bersama Malaysia with 15 candidates, MUDA with four candidates, while Parti Orang Asli Malaysia and Parti Sosialis Malaysia are fielding one candidate each. Six independent candidates are also contesting.

Before the state assembly was dissolved on June 1, Barisan Nasional held 40 seats, followed by Pakatan Harapan with 12 seats, Perikatan Nasional with three seats and MUDA with one seat. The final outcome tonight will determine whether Johor maintains its existing political direction or sees a shift in voter support across key constituencies.