21.   Protest organizers had expected several thousand participants and blamed the lower turnout on police and the media.

22.   Some Khatami critics claim a lower turnout this year could suggest apathy or disenchantment with his reform efforts.

23.   They said a lower turnout would have indicated abstentions in protest of the government since voters traditionally do not switch party allegiances in this highly partisan former British colony.

24.   A lower turnout was expected to favour Zyuganov, whose voters are generally more disciplined.

25.   Although there were only early results from individual far eastern regions, the trend pointed towards a lower turnout than hoped for by the Yeltsin campaign.