The data from the first day of elections in Calabria: 11.50% voted for the European elections; municipal elections, turnout above average: in Vibo 24.84%, in Corigliano Rossano 22.17%
ON the first day of polls open in Calabria for the 2024 round, voter turnout in the region for the European elections stood at around 11.5 percent. A figure lower than the national average (14.6 percent) and also that of the southern constituency (12.5). But it is also one of the lowest figures in the country: only Trentino Alto Adige, Valle d’Aosta, Sicily and Sardinia do worse.
Comparisons with the previous round are impossible: in 2019, as in 2014, voting took place in just one day. We have to go back to 2009 for elections spread over two days, but they started, as per tradition for the country, on Sunday, with polls open all day. The 2024 session, however, saw the unusual combination of Saturday afternoon and Sunday.
In Calabria, the province with the highest turnout for the European elections was that of Cosenza (14 percent). The others remain distant: Vibo is close to 11, the other provinces are around 10.
However, it was a completely different story for the municipal elections: here the turnout was 21.88%, higher than the national average (20.7).
The small municipalities in the region are among the most active: several have already exceeded 30 percent turnout. Among the larger municipalities, there was a turnout of almost 25 percent in Vibo Valentia, 22 percent in Corigliano Rossano, 23 percent in Montalto and 21 percent in Gioia Tauro.
We return to vote today 9 June 2024 from 7am to 11pm.
THE SEATS – Voting operations in the 2,406 Calabrian polling stations began regularly, despite a feverish eve for some Municipalities grappling with the need to replace polling station presidents who withdrew at the last minute. A trend now, rather than isolated cases: more and more presidents are giving up because the game isn’t worth the risk. A fee of 138 euros is too little (in the case of municipalities where they only vote for the European elections) compared to two days of voting and a night (if all goes well) of counting. And even in cases where the compensation rises to 209, because there are also administrative elections, it is the burden of trouble and responsibility that falls on the seats – and is much higher than the compensation – that discourages them.
The administration of Reggio, for example, had its work cut out for it to ensure the regular opening of the polling stations, having to deal with the no-shows and resignations of some presidents, who arrived a few hours before the opening time. The administration itself, however, denies those who spoke of “chaos” as “all operations began without any delay or particular problem that was not resolved immediately”.
The Reggio administration «proceeded with these appointments in strict compliance with the legal deadlines. However – we read in the note – it had to deal with some cancellations, some of which arrived in the hours before the polls opened, as well as no-shows of the designated subjects at the pre-established times.
Deplorable conduct on the part of those who undertake the commitment to provide a service of particular importance such as that of presiding over polling stations. Nonetheless, the offices of the Municipality of Reggio Calabria, working hard and in constant synergy, managed to make up for the sudden defections recorded in the best possible way, ensuring the orderly and punctual start of voting operations”. The body also makes it known that they are ready to act “in all appropriate judicial bodies to protect their image, should further alarmist and unfounded news be repeated, which generates fear among citizens that voting operations may be tainted by any irregularity or improvisation”.
