Declining turnout in Imola and the rest of the surrounding area, despite Fontanelice being (at least at 7pm) the municipality with the most voters in the province of Bologna (64.88% of those eligible). At 11pm the figure had risen to 74.61% but there was no basis for comparison in the province given the delay in publishing the data. At the beginning of the long night of counting for the European elections, with the counting for the municipal elections starting today at 2pm, the first thing to record is the drop in voters who went to the polls.
The turnout numbers arrive late, after midnight. In Imola 56.2% went to the polls. In 2019, when people voted only on Sunday (26 May), 63.36% of those entitled to vote did so at the end of the day. This is a now consolidated negative trend in the city too: in 2004 (when, however, it was also necessary to choose the new mayor) 80.24% of voters voted, a percentage which dropped to 72.65% in 2009 and to 68.10% in 2014.
In Castel del Rio, the only municipality with Imola in which there is no vote in local elections, the turnout for these European elections was (at 11pm) 52.89%. In 2019 it was 61.16%. Higher numbers, despite the generalized decline, in the municipalities where (as in 2019) votes were also held to elect new mayors.
Starting from the two largest, namely Castel San Pietro, where at 11pm 65.36% of those entitled voted (70.78% final in 2019), and Medicina 63.69% (70.66% five years does). In Dozza we are at 65.63% (against the final 68.83% of 2019) in Mordano, at 7pm, 54.80 (74.71%). Castel Guelfo (final data) 65% compared to 72.15% in 2019.
As regards the Santerno Valley, Casalfiumanese is at 7pm at 62.88% (final 71.24% in 2019); Borgo Tossignano (final at 11pm) at 66.08% against 69.24% five years ago. Fontanelice at 7pm was at 64.88% (against the definitive 74.11% in 2019).
The outcome of the vote for the European elections is highly awaited in the city and in the other nine municipalities in the area. In recent weeks, all the main parties have in fact brought their candidates to Imola and the surrounding area for a seat in the Brussels Parliament.
Starting from the Democratic Party, which fielded Stefano Bonaccini, Giuditta Pini, Annalisa Corrado and Elisabetta Gualmini. And then Fratelli d’Italia, who instead chose to bet everything on Stefano Cavedagna from Bologna. Still within the ranks of the centre-right, the Northern League has decided to support the candidacy of Roberta Conti from Faenza. The M5s instead pushed the race of Cinzia Morsiani from Imola and Ugo Biggeri from Tuscany.
Today starting from 2pm the count for the municipal elections will take place. In the surrounding area, the mayors of eight out of ten municipalities need to be elected: Castel San Pietro, Medicina, Dozza, Mordano, Castel Guelfo, Casalfiumanese, Borgo Tossignano and Fontanelice.
