Election fever has already hit overseas Korean nationals who are busily preparing to vote in the May 9 presidential election.

To gain the right to cast a ballot during the designated period from April 25-30, overseas voters should sign up by midnight Thursday, based on their residing country’s local time.

According to the National Election Commission on Thursday, the number of Korean registrants in foreign countries topped 228,000 as of Monday.

The figure has already surpassed the registered overseas electorate of 222,389 during the 2012 presidential election. Some political watchers have raised the possibility that the number this time will far surpass the previous one to hover around 280,000, highlighting the three-day calculation from Tuesday to Thursday.

Aside from the number of registrants, also of interest is voter turnout. During the election to select the 18th president, about 28 percent (or 64,154 people) of overseas registered voters abstained.

Applicants can register online via the NEC homepage, through mail or by visiting a diplomatic office such as a consulate near their residence.

Democratic Party of Korea chief Choo Mi-ae has promoted active participation of overseas nationals, saying that “there are predictions that voter turnout of the May 9 election will set an all-time high.”

By Kim Yon-se (kys@heraldcorp.com)