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Early voting underway: More than 10,000 voters casting their vote today
First votes are being cast in European Parliament and local council elections at the Naxxar counting hall, a week before election day proper
1 June 2024, 11:26am
Kurt Sansone
Kurt Sansone
1 min read
Voters at the Naxxar counting hall queuing to vote on the day reserved for early voting (Photo: Net News)
The first votes in the European Parliament and local council elections are being cast today in Malta and Gozo on the day reserved for early voting.
Voting is taking place at the Naxxar counting hall for voters registered in Malta, and at the Experimental Farm in Xewkija for those registered in Gozo.
The doors opened at 7am and polling will continue until 10pm.
Just over 10,000 voters filed a declaration to be able to vote a week before election day proper, which is on 8 June.
There are 10,108 voters eligible to vote in the EP election and 10,139 voters who are eligible to vote in local elections who registered with the Electoral Commission to vote early.
Early voting was made easier this year since anybody who wanted to vote early could do so without having any particular reason. The procedure was also simplified because voters could file their declaration online.
Before, early voting was only possible for those who would be abroad or in hospital on election day.
Voters need to take their voting document with them to be able to vote.
Elderly people resident in care homes are also entitled to vote today in the residence where they are staying.
Early voting will also take place on Thursday 6 June in hospitals.
Meanwhile, voters who have not yet collected their voting document can do so today from police stations and local council offices until 10pm and tomorrow Sunday 1 June until noon.
Afterwards, voting documents will have to be collected from the Naxxar counting hall.
Election day proper is Saturday 8 June, when polling stations across the islands will open at 7am and close at 10pm.
Malta elects six MEPs and voters will also be choosing hundreds of councillors to serve in the 68 local councils across Malta and Gozo.
This article is part of a content series called Ewropej. This is a multi-newsroom initiative part-funded by the European Parliament to bring the work of the EP closer to the citizens of Malta and keep them informed about matters that affect their daily lives. This article reflects only the author’s view. The action was co-financed by the European Union in the frame of the European Parliament's grant programme in the field of communication. The European Parliament was not involved in its preparation and is, in no case, responsible for or bound by the information or opinions expressed in the context of this action. In accordance with applicable law, the authors, interviewed people, publishers or programme broadcasters are solely responsible. The European Parliament can also not be held liable for direct or indirect damage that may result from the implementation of the action.
Kurt Sansone is Executive Editor of MaltaToday.
He was formerly deputy editor of MaltaTod...
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