Iceland's EU referendum sees high preliminary voter turnout in expected close race

Iceland's capital Reykjavík recorded a higher voter turnout in the high-stakes EU referendum by noon than at the same time during the country's parliamentary elections in 2024, preliminary figures showed on Saturday.In the hours after voters began casting their ballots in the referendum that will determine whether to reopen EU accession talks, 13.7% had voted by noon in the Reykjavík North constituency, compared to just over 10% in the 2024 election.In Reykjavík South, just over 14% had voted by noon, compared to just over 11% for the parliamentary election.More than 20% of voters cast early ballots in advance of election day, Iceland’s national broadcaster RÚV said.A close race is expected, with a final poll on Friday indicating 50.4% of voters plan to vote yes and 49.6% no.Backers of EU membership say it’s best for Iceland to get closer to its European neighbours to combat issues that don't respect borders, such…