It’s voting day. Even though it is Saturday, from today Sicilians will be called to the polls for two days (today and tomorrow) in order to elect the 8 members of the European Parliament, who belong to the Italian constituency 5 or the island constituency that includes Sicily and Sardinia. But in 37 municipalities on the island there will be two ballots that will be delivered to voters given that they also vote to elect mayors and renew municipal councils. Voters interested in the administrative round are 483,901. Voting operations will take place on Saturday 8 June 2024, from 3pm to 11pm, and Sunday 9 June 2024, from 7am to 11pm.
Anomalous elections
These are anomalous elections because we vote on Saturday and Sunday and not Sunday and Monday as we are used to.
Voting stations will open today, Saturday 8 June, at 3pm and close at 11pm. Voting will also take place all day tomorrow, Sunday 9 June, with the polls opening at 7am and closing at 11pm.
The scrutiny
The counting of ballots for the European elections will begin immediately after closing. the law provides that this ballot takes place simultaneously in all EU countries. In some countries voting began as early as Thursday 6 June. those who have finished voting have sealed the ballot boxes and will open them at 11pm on Sunday 9 June.
As regards the administrative elections, there are 37 municipalities up for vote. There is only one provincial capital, Caltanissetta. the largest municipalities where the proportional system will vote are Gela, in the Nisseno area, Aci Castello in the Catania area, Pachino in the Syracuse area, Castelvetrano and Mazara del Vallo, in the Trapani area, Bagheria and Monreale in the province of Palermo. all the others will vote with the majority. The counting for the administrative elections will begin at 2pm on Monday 10 June. The possible run-off round for the local elections will be held, however, on Sunday 23 June from 7am to 11pm and on Monday 24 June from 7am to 3pm.
Municipalities interested in voting
For the province of Palermo, the municipalities of: Bagheria, Bompietro, Borgetto, Cinisi, Corleone, Monreale, Palazzo Adriano, Roccamena, San Mauro Castelverde are interested in the renewal of the mayor and city council.
For the province of Agrigento: Alessandria della Rocca, Caltabellotta, Campobello di Licata, Naro, Racalmuto, Sant’Elisabetta. For the Nisseno area: Caltanissetta, Gela and Sommatino. For the province of Catania: Aci Castello, Motta Sant’Anastasia, Ragalna, Zafferana Etnea.
For Messina: Brolo, Condrò, Falcone, Forza D’Agrò, Leni, Longi, Mandanici, Oliveri, Rometta, Spadafora.
For the province of Syracuse the only municipality of Pachino. For the province of Trapani the municipalities of: Castelvetrano, Mazara del Vallo, Salaparuta and Salemi. No municipalities voting in the provinces of Enna and Ragusa.
How to vote, what is needed
The voter must go to the polls bringing with them their voter card and a valid identity document. One or two preferences can be expressed for the candidates for the city council; in the event that two preferences are expressed, these must concern candidates of different genders (a man and a woman). If both preferences belong to the same gender, the second will be cancelled.
The vote expressed for a list extends to the mayoral candidate connected to it, but not vice versa. You can express your preference for a mayoral candidate and a list connected to him, and also express your choice of candidates for the city council; or you can express your preference for a mayoral candidate and for a list not connected to him, with related preferences for the candidates for the city council.
