A high voter turnout will be if a reformist is to win. Ahmadinejad’s loyal supporters have proved that they will come out to vote for him. But experts argue that he has a ceiling of support of no more than 12 million. A turnout of above 30 million would prove disadvantageous for the incumbent. If a leading candidate gains less than 50% of the vote, a runoff election is held. No Iranian president has ever failed to get re-elected for a second term; but Ahmadinejad is the only candidate who has had (in June 2005) to face a runoff election to become president. The concerted effort of the reformists is to persuade apathetic urban voters who were left disappointed with Mohammad Khatami’s presidency to return to them. Mohammad Gouchani, a journalist and supporter of Karroubi’s campaign, writes that this is not an election “for the thinker of the century… but a man of action”.
