Maltese and Gozitan citizens are today being asked to vote to abolish or retain spring hunting.

The referendum specifically asks the question as to whether the derogation obtained from the European Union to allow hunting for a few days in spring should continue to be upheld, with those in favour of retaining spring hunting to vote yes while those who want the practice eliminated will be voting no.

6.2% of the electorate has already made up its mind, as 20,937 voters did not pick up their voting document.

Half of Malta is today also voting to elect local councils for the next four years.

Here, voter apathy is even higher, as 32,492 voting documents were not collected. St Paul’s Bay, one of the more controversial councils, has the highest amount of uncollected votes at 9,881, followed by St Julian’s with 4,994.

Polling stations across the country have opened and voters have the chance to cast their preference until this evening at 10pm.