As temperatures continue to climb and turnout remains brisk, voters head to polling stations nationwide to cast their ballots ahead of the local elections next Wednesday. Early voting turnout reached 18.61 percent as of 2 p.m., surpassing the figure recorded at the same point in the 2022 local elections.Early voting, which runs until 6 p.m. Saturday, allows voters to cast ballots at any of the country's 3,571 polling stations regardless of their registered place of residence. On Election Day, however, voters must cast ballots at their designated polling stations. Armed with sunglasses and parasols, voters head to an early voting station at Jungnang-gu Office in Seoul on Saturday to cast their ballots ahead of next week's local elections. (Yonhap) A parent arrives with a child at an early voting station in Ulsan on Saturday. Parents accompanied by their children were a common sight at polling stations during the two-day early voting period. (Yonhap) Actor Lee Won-jong (right) casts his ballot alongside Democratic Party parliamentary by-election candidate Park Hyeong-ryong (middle) at an early voting station in Daegu's Dalseong County on Saturday. Celebrities were among those drawing attention at polling stations during the two-day early voting period. (Yonhap) Voting booths remained busy throughout the day as voters continued to turn out for early voting. (Yonhap) Monks from Jogyesa Temple, including Vice Abbot Tanbo, cast their ballots at an early voting station in Seoul's Jongno-gu on Saturday. (Yonhap) Voters wait in line at an early voting station in Daegu's Dalseong County on Saturday. (Yonhap) A voter information poster reminds voters that identification is required to vote. The cartoon figures are election mascots used by South Korea's National Election Commission (NEC) in voter education campaigns. (Yonhap) Voters cast their ballots at an early voting station in Gwangju on Saturday. (Yonhap) Voters cast their ballots at an early voting station in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province. (Yonhap) A child joins his father in a voting booth at an early voting station at the Jeonbuk Provincial Government complex on Saturday. (Yonhap) Last-minute push for votesAway from the polling stations, candidates were busy making their final appeals to voters. From mountain trail entrances and traditional markets to parks and train stations, politicians crisscrossed the country in a last-minute push for support ahead of next Wednesday's vote. Democratic Party Seoul mayoral candidate Jung Won-oh speaks with merchants during a visit to Jayang Traditional Market in Seoul's Gwangjin-gu on Saturday. (Yonhap) Democratic Party election campaign chief Jung Chung-rae greets merchants at Wando General Market in South Jeolla Province on Saturday while campaigning alongside local candidates. (Yonhap) People Power Party election campaign chief Jang Dong-hyuk greets passersby in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, on Saturday. (Yonhap) People Power Party election campaign chief Jang Dong-hyuk campaigns for Gangwon gubernatorial candidate Kim Jin-tae and Chuncheon mayoral candidate Jung Kwang-yeol at an intersection in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, on Saturday. (Yonhap)