Florence, 24 June 2024 – At 11pm last night 35% of Florentines (95,933 voters out of over 288 thousand eligible voters) went to the polls to choose the new mayor of Florence who will occupy what for ten years was Dario Nardella’s office, the Hall of Clement VII in Palazzo Vecchio. The appeals of the two candidates, Sara Funaro (centre-left) and Eike Schmidt (centre-right) have therefore partly had the desired effect. Because on the first day of the ballot, the number of voters at the polls exceeded those on Saturday 8 June (even though voting took place from 3pm to 11pm on that day). However, probably the majority of voters – at least this is the hope of the two aspiring first citizens – will go to the 360 sections distributed throughout the city today for the last dip, before the closing scheduled for 3pm.
And therefore, despite the rain and bad weather on Sunday, the ‘bridge’ effect of San Giovanni was felt.
There city it was already emptied on Thursday evening and so yesterday the few people who went to vote did so with complete calm and tranquility. At midday, in fact, only 12.12% of those registered on the lists had exercised their constitutional right. In the evening the percentages improved. The 28.68% recorded at 7pm is however lower than the 35.70% recorded at midday on the Sunday of the first round (but in that case, it should be remembered, MEPs were also elected) but growing compared to the previous four hours (i.e. at 7pm). But in the evening there was a sort of recovery, even if not as the two sides expected.
Therefore, over the twelve hour period, the turnout increased. But comparisons are difficult to make precisely because two weeks ago the vote took place on Saturday afternoon and all of Sunday while for the run-off, however, on the first twelve hours of Sunday. Making a comparison with the last two ballots, that of 2004 between Leonardo Domenici and Domenico Valentino, things went really badly. And even in that case the bridge to San Giovanni and the good weather had a hand in it. In fact, the percentage of voters stopped at only 18.4%.
It went better five years later and again in June, in the challenge between the then scrapper Matteo Renzi and the Northern League member Giovanni Galli. Thanks to Jupiter Pluvius, a very high percentage was reached, over 44%. A figure that is not even remotely close to yesterday’s.
To exercise your constitutional right you will need to show up at the polling station with a valid identification document and the essential ballot paper, which must be shown to scrutineers and presidents before entering the booths. Florentines who have lost or run out of spaces on the card will be able to request a duplicate by presenting themselves personally or by delegation (and without reservation) at the Electoral Office in via Guidoni, at the Parterre Registry Point (Cubo 1) or at that of Villa Vogel from 7 am this morning.
There form for the ballot it includes the name and surname of the candidates, written within the appropriate rectangle, under which the symbols of the connected lists are reproduced. Preference is expressed by drawing a mark on the rectangle within which the name of the chosen candidate is written. And it is also considered valid if the voter places the cross outside the space containing the candidate’s name, i.e. on the symbol of one or more connected lists. Separate voting is not foreseen for the runoff.
