PN leadership election: Turnout highest in ninth and tenth districts

Turnout higher in Grech-leaning localities but lowest in cluster that includes hometown Birzebbugia

Bernard Grech meeting PN paid-up members
Bernard Grech meeting PN paid-up members

Voting figures released by the Nationalist Party suggest a stronger turnout in ninth and tenth district localities where Bernard Grech registered a higher approval rating than Delia in a survey among PN members carried out by MaltaToday in August.

Turnout in these localities has already surpassed 70% compared to a national figure of 67.4%.

Voting ends on Saturday at 4pm.

But turnout was lowest in the fifth district which includes Grech’s hometown Birzebbugia, and where he had registered his highest approval rating in the survey. 

On the other hand, turnout in first and second district localities where Delia scored his highest approval rating in the survey has so far been lower than 70% but higher than the national 67%.

The highest turnout in the PN leadership contest has so far been registered in the Swieqi polling station where members hailing from St Julian’s, Swieqi and Pembroke are voting.

74% of PN members hailing from these localities have already voted. A similar turnout (73.8%) was registered in Ta’ Xbiex where members from Gzira and Ta’ Xbiex are voting.

Turnouts of over 70% have also been registered in Balzan where members from Lija and Attard are also voting and Sliema.

Sliema alone accounts for 1,288 eligible voters or 6% of all PN members. 3,845 eligible voters (18% if all members) hail from the ninth and tenth district localities.

On the other hand the lowest turnout has been registered in the Zurrieq polling station where members hailing from Birzebbugia, Kirkop, Qrendi, Safi, Mqabba and Zurrieq are voting.

Turnout was below 65% in polling stations in Siggiewi, Luqa, and Rabat.

This suggests that enthusiasm for the PN’s internal election is lowest in localities where the PN was in retreat in last year’s local elections, and where it lost its majority in Siggiewi.

A MaltaToday survey in August had shown Bernard Grech enjoying his highest approval rating in the tenth district, which includes St Julians’s and Sliema, the ninth district that includes Swieqi and the fifth district, which includes Birzebbugia.  Delia was weakest in the tenth district, which has so far has attracted a high turnout. 

The survey had shown Delia enjoying his highest approval rating in the first and second districts. Turnout in the AZAD polling station where members from Valletta and Floriana are voting has so far reached 67.9% while that in Isla where members hailing from Cottonera and Zabbar are voting has registered a turnout of 68.6%.