Unprecedented Election Preparations Underway
With the June 9 elections fast approaching, officials are gearing up for what is anticipated to be a highly complex electoral process. The elections will encompass both local and European Parliament positions, with an estimated 20,000 candidates competing for 3,500 public offices. This event marks the first of its kind and is set to introduce a new system of local administration.
Menelaos Vasiliou, the chief returning officer, acknowledges the enormity of the task at hand. “It’s uncharted territory, we’re all learning along the way,” he admits. To manage the expected challenges, approximately 10,000 workers will be required to operate polling stations throughout Cyprus. Authorities are reaching out to civil servants and unemployed individuals to fill these roles, with the incentive of attractive remuneration for their services on election day.
The complexity of the voting process has necessitated a reduction in the number of voters assigned to each polling station, resulting in an increased need for more stations and equipment. Voters will be confronted with up to six ballots in urban areas and as few as three in rural communities or ‘occupied’ municipalities. These ballots will be color-coded to aid in differentiation.
Overseas polling stations are also being set up in key cities across Europe to accommodate Cypriot and European citizens residing abroad. The interior ministry’s permanent secretary, Elikkos Elia, has confirmed that over 25,000 individuals have applied to vote for the first time, including applications from Turkish Cypriots and non-Cypriot EU nationals.
Candidates for the various public offices will submit their candidacies between April 24 and April 29. Officials have conducted simulations to ensure the voting process runs smoothly, including tests to confirm that ballot boxes can accommodate the potential influx of multiple ballots per voter.
Counting and sorting of ballots will prioritize MEP candidates, with results expected to be announced shortly after polls close. Continuous updates will be provided on the official elections website in English, Greek, and Turkish. The formal declaration of winners for both MEP and local government elections will follow in Nicosia and respective districts.
To assist voters in navigating the complex electoral landscape, authorities plan to launch two apps: ‘What I Vote For’ and ‘Where I Vote’, which will provide information on public offices being voted for and polling station locations respectively.
Despite concerns over voter turnout due to the intricate nature of this year’s elections, officials remain hopeful that June 9 will serve as “a celebration of democracy.” However, political commentator Christoforos Christoforou cautions that the complexity could lead to errors and potentially lower voter engagement.
The budget for this extensive electoral undertaking is set at €6.65 million, a reflection of the scale and significance of these elections in shaping the future of local governance.
