Voters reject apathy with higher turnout than 2022

The election turnout was projected at 87.5%, two percentage points higher than 2022, in defiance of expectations after the turnout collapsed four years ago.

The outcome is also a sign that the political parties did manage to mobilise voters over a five-week election campaign. The 2022 turnout had been the lowest since independence and also registered the highest percentage of spoilt ballots—almost 3%, or 8,800 invalid votes.

Unofficial projections obtained from the two main political parties show that 312,091 voters cast their ballot in this election from 356,832 eligible voters. However, almost 15,300 voters had already abstained when they did not pick up their voting document by midnight Thursday. The number of uncollected voting documents was equivalent to 4.3% of eligible voters, a marginal increase over the 2022 general election.

The higher turnout was already visible by 2pm when figures provided by the Electoral Commission showed a three-point increase over the same period four years ago.

The projections show that the highest turnout was in the 7 District where 90% of voters cast their ballot. This district includes the localities of Rabat, Siġġiewi, Żebbuġ, Dingli and Mtarfa and in the 2022 election had returned a PL majority.

The lowest participation was in the 12 District, with a projected turnout of 81%. This district is made up of St Paul’s Bay, Malta’s largest locality, Mellieħa and Mġarr. This district has traditionally registered the lowest turnouts in every type of election and returned a Nationalist Party majority four years ago.

The second highest participation rates were registered in the 2, 4, 5, 6 and 13 districts with a projected turnout of 89%. All these districts delivered a Labour Party majority in the 2022 election. Of particular interest is the 13 District, Gozo, which was contested by PN leader Alex Borg.

Robert Abela and Alex Borg voted early on Saturday as both urged voters to go out and vote. Abela, accompanied by his wife Lydia Abela, voted at the Żejtun secondary school, while Borg voted at the Munxar primary school in Gozo. Borg was accompanied by European Parliament President Roberta Metsola.

Meanwhile, Momentum Chairperson Arnold Cassola voted in Pembroke and ADPD Chairperson Sandra Gauci voted in Qawra.

In a message after the polls closed at 10pm, President Myriam Spiteri Debono congratulated voters for participating in the election and applauded the political parties for conducting a “serene, calm and mature” election campaign.

READ ALSO | A blow by blow account of how voting day progressed