Turnout appears lower compared with first round 

Compared with the first round, polling stations seem to be attracting fewer voters by midday, according to Middle East Eye correspondent in Istanbul Yusuf Selman Inanc. 

An election official told MEE that only 80 people voted by noon at the polling station where he is working, compared with almost 200 out of 350 voters who cast their ballot by this stage on 14 May. 

In Istanbul's Maltepe district, a stronghold of the Republican People's Party (CHP), there were no queues outside polling stations, indicating frustration among opposition voters.

'Of course, we came again to vote for Kilicdaroglu, even though victory seems increasingly difficult'

- Ali, Istanbul resident

"Of course, we came again to vote for Kilicdaroglu, even though victory seems increasingly difficult," Ali, a 22-year-old university student, told MEE.

"At the very least, we want to show Erdogan that almost half of the country does not support his autocratic rule."

On the other hand, Betul Yilmaz, an Erdogan supporter, seemed happy at the prospect of another election win for the president.  

"We need Erdogan to fight against terrorism, improve our country, and increase the production of local goods," she told MEE. 

Ahmet, a Kurdish restaurant owner, said he was reluctantly voting for Kilicdaroglu again. 

"As a Kurd, I don't approve of his alliance with [ultra-nationalist] Umit Ozdag. However, we want to see an end to Erdogan's rule."

Ozdag, leader of the far-right Victory Party, is known for his anti-refugee stances and does not enjoy a good reputation among Kurdish voters. 

His alliance with Kilicdaroglu, announced earlier this week, has caused discontent in the Kurdish population, suggesting that turnout in Kurdish-dominated cities could be lower than in the earlier round, which would be a blow for Kilicdaroglu.