Here’s what you need to know and what the challenges are. In the Brescia area there are 301 aspiring mayors in the 144 Municipalities called to the polls on 8 and 9 June 2024 to vote in the local elections. The electoral round concerns almost a million Brescians, given that they are voting for the European elections, while 560 thousand will also be able to vote for the mayor. SThere are five municipalities up for vote that have more than 15 thousand inhabitants:Montichiari, Lumezzane, Ghedi, Concesio and Chiari. Only the latter could go to the runoff, considering that there are five candidates. If no one gets 50% plus one of the votes in the first round, there will be a run-off which will take place on 23 and 24 June.
When you vote
The polls will be open from 3pm to 11pm on Saturday 8 June and from 7am to 11pm on Sunday 9 June. It is worth remembering that we will also vote in the European elections. For local elections, people vote with a single ballot on which there are the names of the mayoral candidates and, under each of them, the symbol or symbols of the lists that support them.
How to vote in municipalities with more than 15 thousand inhabitants
In municipalities with more than 15 thousand inhabitants, there are three ways to express your preference. The citizen can draw a mark on the symbol of the list (thus giving his vote to the candidate he supports). Or he can make a mark on a symbol and at the same time another mark on the name of a candidate even if not connected to that list (the so-called disjoint vote). Or he can mark only the name of the candidate and in this way not vote for the related lists. Each citizen called to vote can also express one or two preference votes for municipal councilors by writing the surname of no more than two candidates included in the voted list. If there are two preferences, they must be a man and a woman, otherwise the second will be cancelled. The candidate who obtains the absolute majority of valid votes (50% plus one) is elected mayor in the first round.
How to vote in municipalities with less than 15 thousand inhabitants
While in municipalities with less than 15 thousand inhabitants, the vote is expressed with a sign on the symbol of the list or by placing it on the name of the mayor. The votes cast for the candidate are attributed to the list that supports him. In municipalities with less than 5 thousand inhabitants, one preference can be expressed for one councilor candidate, while in those with between 5 thousand and 15 thousand residents two preferences can be expressed (one for a man, one for a woman). The candidate who obtains the highest number of votes is elected mayor.
