The official final turnout for today's EP election is 74.81% - a decrease of 4% from 2009.
This was the lowest turnout ever in an EP election in Malta.
Voter turnout had already decreased by 4% in the 2009 election.
All electoral districts, save for Gozo, recorded a decline in voter turnout, averaging around 3.8% (see table below)
Section 01
75.18%
Section 02
75.92%
Section 03
75.02%
Section 04
79.40%
Section 05
77.21%
Section 06
78.31%
Section 07
76.52%
Section 08
75.93%
Section 09
70.80%
Section 10
67.02%
Section 11
74.20%
Section 12
64.14%
Section 13
76.92%
Polling booths closed at 10pm.
322,518 individuals were eligible to participate in today's election to choose Malta's six MEPs for the upcoming five-year term. Originally there were 334,374 eligible persons but 21,856 people did not collect their voting documents - an increase of 5,994 compared to the 2009 elections.
Ballot boxes were transported by bus to the Naxxar counting hall where the sorting process is taking place, starting from the ballot boxes used in last Saturday's early voting.
The actual vote counting process will start on Sunday at noon and the first indications by the political parties are expected to be announced late in the afternoon.
A total number of 32 candidates from seven parties are running for elections – PL, PN, AD, Alleanza Bidla, Alleanza Liberali, Imperium Europa and Tal-Ajkla. The elected MEPS will then form part of European political parties within the EU.
Voting was smooth in most localities, as people trickled in and no queues were reported anywhere.
Earlier
The Electoral Commission at 4.30pm published the voter turnout at 2pm, somewhat later than what it usually does.
It gave a percentage of voter turnjout in the 13 sections (districts, although Malta is voting as one disctrict this time round). It did not give an overall figure, but the national average is somewhere around 34%.
The final overall turnout is expected to be announced after 11pm.
Section 01
39.63%
Section 02
35.30%
Section 03
33.33%
Section 04
38.19%
Section 05
32.45%
Section 06
35.43%
Section 07
31.98%
Section 08
33.44%
Section 09
32.27%
Section 10
35.80%
Section 11
32.88%
Section 12
28.58%
Section 13
32.10%
The first official count is expected between 1-2am Monday; however political parties will have a clear indication who won the majority on Sunday afternoon, soon after sorting starts at noon.
The Electoral Commission has reminded that the use of mobile phones, cameras and photographic equipment is prohibited.
6,000 individuals were eligible to vote early, given that for some reason or other they are unable to vote today. These include assistant electoral commissions who voted yesterday, and residents of old people’s homes who had the chance to vote on Saturday 17th, alongside those who will be abroad today.
2009 Election
The turnout for the last EP election which took place on 6 June 2009 stood at 78.8% - with a total of 254,084 individuals turning up to vote, 3.6% less than the first EP elections back in 2004. This turnout marked the lowest voting turnout on record since 1955.
The highest turnout was registered in District 4, compromising Gudja, Hal Ghaxaq, Marsa , Paola, St.Lucia and part of Fgura, with a total turnout of 82.72%. Local council elections of 23 localities also took place on the day.