Malta yesterday went to the polls in a general election, which saw the turnout drop when compared to previous elections. According to figures released late last night by the Electoral Commission, the approximate turnout was 85.5%.

This means that 303,575 out of the 355,075 eligible votes cast their ballot.

The turnout in the last election, 2017, was 92.1%. 93% of eligible voters cast their ballot in 2013, and 93.3% voted in 2013.

It is the lowest turnout since Independence.

1966: 89.7% – PN

1971: 92.9% – Labour

1976: 94.9% – Labour

1981: 94.6% – Labour

1987: 96.1% – PN

1992: 96.1% – PN

1996: 96.3% – Labour

1998: 95.4% – PN

2003: 95.7% – PN

2008: 93.3% – PN

2013: 93% – Labour

2017: 92.1% – Labour

The highest turnout, 88%, was registered on the 7^th district. The 12^th district had the lowest turnout, at 78%.

Approximate percentage of votes cast over the 4 voting days 2022
District	Registered Voters	Total	%
1	25,862	22,124	85.55%
2	26,940	23,475	87.14%
3	27,566	24,216	87.85%
4	26,688	23,184	86.87%
5	27,056	23,590	87.19%
6	27,321	23,865	87.35%
7	27,923	24,577	88.02%
8	26,360	22,747	86.29%
9	26,007	21,936	84.35%
10	26,777	21,848	81.59%
11	27,401	23,233	84.79%
12	28,249	22,142	78.38%
13	30,925	26,638	86.14%
Total	355,075	303,575	85.50%

 

Earlier in the day, the Electoral Commission had announced that the 2pm turnout was 40%, but this was later revised to 44% after a complaint raised by the Nationalist Party.

The initial figures had not included the early voters, who raised the overall total of voters at 2pm to 44.75%.

In 2017, the percentage of votes cast by 2pm was 52%.

In 2013, the turnout at 2pm was 49%.

In another statement just after 6.30pm, the commission gave a break down by district.

First District	43.85%
Second District	38.26%
Third District	38.87%
Fourth District	42.81%
Fifth District	40.23%
Sixth District	39.32%
Seventh District	39.05%
Eighth District	42.55%
Ninth District	42.47%
Tenth District	41.47%
Eleventh District	39.28%
Twelfth District	37.72%
Thirteenth District	40.50%

The lowest turnout was in the 12th district, at 37.72%, followed by the second and third districts, at 38.26% and 38.87% respectively.

The highest turnout was on the first district, at 43.85%, followed by the fourth district on 42.81% and the eighth district on 42.55%

The number of uncollected votes this time round was also higher than previous elections, with the Electoral Commission saying on Friday that over 14,000 votes remained uncollected. This was double the number of uncollected votes in the 2017 election.

Maltese and Gozitans were yesterday asked to vote to elect a government for the next five-year legislature.

Political campaigns ended on Thursday and, after what is known as a day of reflection, more than 350,000 voters were eligible to vote in yesterday’s election.

It was the highest ever number ever to take part in an election of a government.

Some of them had already voted during early polling days, including people who are in hospital or those who were to be abroad on voting day.

It was also the first time that 16- and 17-year-olds will be voting in a general election.

Sixty-five MPs are to be elected, although proportional representation and gender-balance mechanisms may increase the number.

The election is being contested by 304 candidates, 69 with Labour Party, 70 with Nationalist Party, 10 with ADPD, 14 with ABBA, two with VOLT, eight with Popular Party and four independent.

Voting tool place between 7am and 10 pm Saturday across 116 voting centres. Empty ballot boxes were sealed in the presence of officials from the political parties before voting started. When the voting closed at 10pm, the boxes were sealed and transferred to the counting hall at Naxar.

The counting of votes starts this morning. An unofficial result is expected minutes after the process starts, with an official result expected later during the day.

The counting of votes will be done electronically, the first time it is happening in a general election. The first time this process was used was during the MEP election of 2019.

Labour Party leader Robert Abela, accompanied by his wife Lydia, voted at around 9:30am at the Marsascala primary school.

PN leader Bernard Grech, accompanied by his wife Anne Marie, voted at around 10am at the Mosta secondary school.

Abela contested the 2^nd and 5^th districts while Grech contested the 5^th and 11^th districts.

President George Vella and his wife Miriam Vella voted in Zejtun.