Lisbon’s Early Voting Sees 61% Turnout Ahead of Presidential Run-Off

Lisbon City Hall has confirmed a 61% turnout for early voting in the presidential run-off, a result that underscores Lisbon’s growing appetite for flexible ballot options while testing municipal logistics ahead of the decisive poll.

Why This Matters

• 20,000 ballots already cast – easing pressure on election-day queues.

• Early voting window has closed; those who missed it must vote in person on 8 February.

• Registration for future early voting is expected to reopen in late 2025 for the municipal contest, so residents should watch for new deadlines.

• Lisbon’s budget for polling logistics may rise if demand for advance voting keeps climbing.

How Early Voting Played Out in Lisbon

The presidency’s second round allowed any registered voter to pick up a ballot a week in advance, provided they signed up online. 34,639 Lisboetas did so—an increase of roughly 7,000 names compared with the first round. Although the share of those who finally showed up dropped from 77% to 61%, the absolute number of early ballots held steady at about 20 k.

To move people through quickly, the Lisbon City Council opened twenty lanes inside the Cidade Universitária sports pavilion, deployed 250 municipal employees, and stationed firefighters for crowd control. The local police reported “zero incidents,” calling the flow “smoother than any recent general election.”

Behind the 61% Figure

Mayor Carlos Moedas attributed the lower percentage to a “surge in curiosity” that prompted many first-time registrants who later “changed weekend plans.” He stressed that the headline figure should not be read as voter fatigue: “The city processed the same volume of ballots in a single day without delays.”

Election officers added two practical tweaks that helped: printed QR codes for faster check-ins and a dedicated lane for people with reduced mobility. According to city hall, average wait time never exceeded 12 minutes.

What This Means for Residents

Residents still have a straightforward path to the urns:

Polling stations open at 08:00 on 8 February; bring your Cartão de Cidadão or other valid ID.

If you registered for early voting but skipped it, you can vote on the regular day—no extra paperwork needed.

Planning travel? For the municipal elections in October 2025, the same online platform will reopen roughly three weeks before the official date. Mark it on your calendar if you expect to be away.

For commuters, students, or health-sector staff working shifts, the trend toward advance ballots translates into shorter lines and potentially earlier publication of preliminary results.

Looking Ahead: Infrastructure Under Strain

With early-ballot participation jumping nearly 25 % in five years, Lisbon’s election office is weighing a move to an expanded digital check-in system and additional suburban sites. Budget drafts presented to city councillors earmark €1.2 M for new scanners, signage, and volunteer training.

If approved, those upgrades will be in place by the 2025 municipal vote, giving residents more locations—possibly including large metro stations—to cast ballots ahead of time. Until then, the 61 % milestone is viewed internally as proof that Lisbon can scale up without compromising security or accuracy.