The casual elections to fill seats ceded by PL candidates in the general election will take place today.
The vote counting is set to begin at 9am. A total of 38 nomination have been filed to fill 8 seats that were vacated by MPs who were elected on more than one district.
Technically, nine seats were vacated, but as two seats were ceded on the ninth district and only one PL candidate was not elected from there, it has already been announced that one of these seats will see Randolph Debattista co-opted to Parliament. The sole candidate contesting both ninth district seats is Rebecca Buttigieg.
In the casual elections, the votes of the candidates giving up their seats are distributed among the contesting candidates according to voter preference. All candidates will start from zero and only the votes of the candidate who ceded the seat will be counted.
While it is hard to predict which way such votes will go, what could give an indication of popularity in a district is to look at those who were the closest to being elected, but missed out.
A number of former MPs are contesting, including Glenn Bedingfield, Joe Mizzi, Oliver Scicluna, Anthony Agius Decelis, Jean Claude Micallef and Rosianne Cutajar
The casual elections for the PN seats that were ceded are expected to be held on Tuesday.
After the casual elections take place, the gender corrective mechanism will then need to kick in, that is unless the ADPD’s court case on this issue stalls that process.
Second district
Finance Minister Clyde Caruana ceded his second district seat.
This district is seeing many candidates contesting the casual election: Glenn Bedingfield, Edward Cassar Delia, James Grech, Mark Grech, Joseph Mizzi, Oliver Scicluna and Amanda Spiteri Grech.
Of the PL candidates contesting, James Grech came closest to being elected on this district in the general election through the inheritance of votes.
Third district
Minister for National Heritage Owen Bonnici ceded his seat on the third district
The PL candidates contesting the casual election on this district are: Raymond Abela, Alicia Maree Beth Sephora Bugeja Said, Edward Cassar Delia, Audrey Demicoli, James Grech, Jean Claude Micallef and Joseph Mizzi.
Alicia Maree Beth Sephora Bugeja Said came closest to being elected on this district in the general election through the inheritance of votes.
Fourth district
Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne is ceding his seat on this district.
The candidates contesting are Glenn Bedingfield, Herbert Conti, Katya De Giovanni, Oliver Scicluna, Amanda Spiteri Grech.
Oliver Scicluna, came closest to being elected on this district in the general election through the inheritance of votes.
Fifth district
Prime Minister Robert Abela is ceding his seat on the fifth district
The candidates contesting for this seat are Gianluca Cutajar, Omar Farrugia, Jean Claude Micallef and Joseph Mario Sammut.
Omar Farrugia came closest to being elected on this district in the general election through the inheritance of votes.
Sixth district
Foreign Affairs Minister Ian Borg ceded his seat on this district.
The candidates contesting the casual election for this seat are: Malcolm Paul Agius Galea, Sean Apap Meli, Fiona Borg, Joseph Cutajar, Rosianne Cutajar, Katya De Giovanni and Omar Farrugia.
Rosianne Cutajar came closest to being elected on this district in the general election through the inheritance of votes.
Seventh district
Economy Minister Silvio Schembri ceded his seat on this district.
The candidates contesting the casual election are Malcolm Paul Agius Galea, Alicia Maree Beth Sephora Bugeja Said, Naomi Cachia and Chris Grima.
Malcolm Paul Agius Galea came closest to being elected on this district in the general election through the inheritance of votes.
Ninth district
Social Policy Minister Michael Falzon and Education Minister Clifton Grima ceded their seats on this district.
Only PL candidate Rebecca Buttigieg was not elected for the PL and so she is contesting both seats. For the other seat, it has already been announced that Randolph Debattista will be co-opted.
Eleventh district
Environment Minister Miriam Dalli ceded her seat on this district.
PL candidates Anthony Agius Decelis amd Romilda Baldacchino Zarb Romilda are contesting the casual election on this district.
Anthony Agius Decelis came closest to being elected on this district in the general election through the inheritance of votes.