Bad weather hits voting day [SLIDESHOW]

Photos: Ray Attard/MediaToday and DOI

Local council elections have been held in 35 localities. Local elections are normally characterised by low turnouts, however this year's elections have been affected by bad weather which seemingly kept voters away from the polling stations.

Yesterday, the MetOffice and the Civil Protection Department issued warnings of strong winds which had to reach gale force 8 to 9 during the night and Saturday morning.

Elections are being held in 27 localities in Malta and eight in Gozo and polling stations opened at 7am. They will remain open till 7pm this evening.

The Opposition leader Joseph Muscat voted at around 8:30am in Burmarrad. Alternattiva Demokratika chairperson and Sliema candidate, Michael Briguglio cast his vote this morning in Sliema. 

The total number of eligible voters is 192,257, however 33,375 votes remained uncollected.

Once voting is over, the ballot boxes in Malta will be taken to the counting hall at the former Trade Fair grounds in Naxxar  and the Gozo ballot boxes will be taken to the Sports Complex in Victoria.

Counting will start when all the ballot boxes are received. Results for the smaller localities will be out within a few hours however the counting process for bigger localities such as Mosta and St Paul’s Bay is not expected to be over before Sunday afternoon.

Local elections are being held in Birgu, Isla, Qormi, Zebbug, Siggiewi, Attard, Balzan, Birzebbuga, Dingli, Floriana, Gzira, Ghajnsielem, Gharghur, Hamrun, Iklin, Kercem, Kirkop, Luqa, Marsa, Marsaxlokk, Mosta, Munxar, Nadur, Paola, Qala, Safi, St Julians, San Lawrenz, St Paul’s Bay, Sta Lucia, Sliema, Swieqi, Xaghra, Zebbug (Gozo) and Zurrieq. 

In total, 419 candidates are vying for 239 seats available. Labour has fielded 200 candidates, closely whilst the Nationalist Party fielded 198 and Alternattiva Demokratika has 10 candidates.  The number of independent candidates stands at 11. 

17 out of the 35 outgoung councils had a Labour majority, while another 17 had a PN majority.The addition of the Sliema council means that Labour will start with a 50% majority against the PN's 47%. Had Sliema not been included, the PL would have started with a 53% majority against the PN's 46%.