308,000 Portuguese Voters Cast Early Ballots in Presidential Run-off

The Portugal National Electoral Commission opened nationwide early-voting booths this Sunday for 308,501 registered citizens, a record that could lift overall participation in next week’s presidential run-off.

Why This Matters

• Record 90 k-voter jump versus the first round hints at stronger engagement on 8 February.

• One-day window only: early ballots had to be cast today, 1 February, between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m.

• Storm-driven venue changes affected 6 municipalities; check your municipality’s website before heading out on election day.

• Run-off pits António José Seguro (PS) against André Ventura (Chega), with polls favouring Seguro by double digits.

Early Voting Numbers Smash Previous Records

Applications for voto antecipado em mobilidade closed on 29 January and reached 308,501, roughly 3 % of the entire electorate and about 90,000 more than in the 18 January first round. Lisbon led the tally with 89,689 requests, followed by Porto (50,518), Setúbal, Braga and Aveiro. Even the outer islands saw brisk demand, with nearly 4,000 registrations in Madeira and 3,700 in the Azores.

Officials at the Portugal Directorate-General for Internal Administration attribute the surge to two drivers: a condensed tourist season that keeps many residents away from home districts, and the growing popularity of the streamlined online registration portal introduced in 2024.

How Voto Antecipado Works

Unlike absentee voting by mail, voto antecipado allows any registered voter to cast a paper ballot in a municipality of choice, provided they signed up during the five-day window. Ballots are sealed, coded and transported under police escort to the voter’s home district, where they will be mixed with election-day votes and counted on the evening of 8 February.

Voters today needed only a valid citizen card or passport. For those who missed registration, regular polling stations will open next Sunday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Local authorities advise checking the Junta de Freguesia website because some sites have moved after schools merged or fire-safety upgrades.

Poll Snapshot, Not Horse-Race

Multiple reputable institutes—Universidade Católica, ICS/ISCTE, Aximage, Pitagórica and Intercampus—all show António José Seguro holding 60-67 % support after reallocating undecided voters. André Ventura’s ceiling hovers around 33 %. Analysts caution that early voters are not sampled separately, so projections assume they share similar preferences to the broader electorate.

Still, campaign strategists believe a large early-vote tranche helps the frontrunner by locking in support before any late-breaking controversy. For Ventura, turnout in strongholds such as Setúbal and Leiria on election day will be vital.

Weather and Logistical Hiccups

The winter storm dubbed “Depression Kristin” forced last-minute venue swaps in Aljezur, Caminha, Esposende, Figueira da Foz, Loures and Odemira because of flooding alerts. Municipal civil-protection teams redirected voters using SMS blasts and social-media updates. The Electoral Commission confirmed all affected stations opened on time after relocation, and no ballots were lost or delayed.

Prisoners and hospitalised citizens voted between 2 and 3 February, while Portuguese abroad could cast ballots at embassies from 27 to 29 January.

What This Means for Residents

• Higher stakes for late deciders: With 3 % of votes already sealed, remaining electors will wield disproportionate influence on 8 February.

• Expect shorter lines in big cities next Sunday; a chunk of the Lisbon-Porto crowd has already voted. Rural areas may still see queues.

• Bring photo ID—a citizen card is quickest, but a passport is accepted. Driving licences are not valid.

• Check venue maps: six municipalities have permanent relocations. The Electoral Commission’s portal offers a searchable map.

• Public-transport discounts: CP and Metro are again offering €2 return fares for voters travelling to their home district—valid only with proof of polling-station address.

Looking Ahead

Ballot boxes from today’s early voting will remain under lock and seal at district courts, monitored by multi-party observers. Counting begins nationwide at 8 p.m. on 8 February. If the final margin is under 0.5 %, Portuguese law mandates a recount; anything wider triggers immediate certification by the Constitutional Court in time for the new president to be inaugurated on 9 March.

For now, the record-setting early turnout suggests that while Portuguese voters often complain about limited presidential power, they are increasingly willing to schedule democracy at their convenience. The rest of the electorate has six days left to decide whether to follow suit—or show up the old-fashioned way next Sunday.