the August 15 Independence referendum.

Parliamentary Registrar Mrs. Marlene Christopher said 727 ballots were cast between 10 a.m. and 9 p.m.

"In my experience, there were far more people voting today than in previous advance polls, even for general elections,'' Mrs. Christopher told The Royal Gazette .

At least 788 people had gone through the process to be eligible to vote in the advance poll, by showing they would be off the Island or incapacitated for health reasons on referendum day on August 15.

Those who were processed but did not vote in yesterday's advance poll could still vote in the second advance poll on August 8, Mrs. Christopher said.

There will also be fresh opportunities to be processed for that poll, on August 1 and August 7.

Those who will be off the Island on August 15 must show their travel documents.

The results of yesterday's voting are not known, and the ballots will not even be counted until referendum day, when they will be pooled with all other ballots cast and counted en masse.

There was a line-up at Wesley Methodist Church Hall on Church Street when the advance poll opened yesterday, and Mrs. Christopher estimated 200 people voted in the first hour.

Voting was steady the rest of the day, with the last two advance voters arriving at 8.58 p.m.