The early vote, for local elections, will now cover the whole country and is aimed at not only mobile workers, but also hospitalised people, students and prisoners.

To acquire the early vote, people who are registered to vote must request it at votoantecipado.pt or send a letter to the Secretaria-Geral do Ministério da Administração Interna, to vote earlier than the scheduled date.

Hospitalised people

People who, for health reasons, are hospitalised and cannot leave the hospital may ask to vote early. Until 20 days before the election day, that is, 22 September, hospitalised people may ask to vote before the official date. The voting will then occur in the hospital. Besides the requirement form, it is also necessary to provide an identification document and a document signed by a doctor confirming the hospitalisation.

People in jail

Prisoners, who still have political rights, may also ask for early voting, and just like the hospitalised people, must request it until September 22. The voting will then happen in the prison facilities. It is necessary to send, with the form, an identification document and a document, signed by the prison director, proving that the person, although arrested, still has the right to vote.

Students

Students who are studying away from their area of residence may also ask to vote early. The request must be made by 22 September, proving that the student will not be able to attend the elections in their area of official residence. Besides the requirement form, students need an identification document and a document signed by the school facility, proving that the student is enrolled away from the residency area.

In these three cases, after the requirement, until 25 September, people will receive what is required to participate in the elections. In the three cases, the current mayor will be in the hospital, prison, or a school facility to aid the voting and keep the voting ballots. The ballots will then be sent to the parish where the citizen resides by 8 October.

Mobile workers

People who, for work reasons, are away during the election day may also ask to vote early; however, the process is a little bit different.

From 14 days before the elections, that is, 28 September, the requirement for voting sooner may be requested. The voting will then happen between 2 and 7 October, and the workers may go directly to the City Council of their residential area. There, the citizen must present an identification document, and proof that they will be away from the residence area on the election day, signed by the company where the person works. In the City Council, the mayor will then approve or disapprove the request, and the voting may then happen normally.

Author

Currently, the Deputy Editor at The Portugal News, Bruno G. Santos, is really interested in national politics. With a degree in Journalism and Communication, he also loves to write about different topics like Portuguese culture, society and other current affairs. Press card: 8463. 

Bruno G. Santos