Three-quarters of registered voters have cast their vote in the spring hunting referendum, a turnout which exceeds the 71.8% recorded in the May 2011 divorce referendum.

The turnout ensures that the law allowing spring hunting will be repealed in the event of a "no" victory: according to the Referenda Act, abrogative referenda are only valid if at least fifty percent of those entitled to vote plus one cast their vote.

A clear indication that this threshold would easily be met came in the afternoon, when the Electoral Commission confirmed that an estimated 34% of eligible voters had cast their vote in the referendum by 2pm - the same proportion that had cast their vote in the divorce referendum by that time.

The lowest turnout 68%, was recorded in the first and third electoral districts, and turnout in the second and twelfth districts was only a percentage point higher.

On the other hand, the turnout reached 81% in the fifth and sixth districts, as well as in Gozo, while the eleventh district recorded a turnout of 80%.