Chief Returning Officer Elikkos Elia has urged citizens to participate in an active and responsible manner in Sunday’s parliamentary elections, exercising their right to vote for choosing their representatives in the House of Representatives for the next five years.
Speaking Friday at a press conference, Elia said that a total of 569,182 people have the right to vote, an increase by 11,081 people compared to the 2021 parliamentary elections.
As regards Turkish Cypriots, there are 859 who are registered on the permanent electoral list. Furthermore, 595 people are registered on the special electoral list of the enclaved.
A total of 1,217 polling stations will operate in Cyprus, while there will be 13 polling stations in Athens, Thessaloniki, London and Brussels.
First results are expected from the small polling stations between 6:30 p.m. and 7 p.m., while until 9:30 p.m. the percentage and the number of seats that each combination will receive will be clarified. After 1:30 on Monday morning the names of the MPs elected will be known while official results will be announced a bit later.
The ceremony for the declaration of the new MPs will take place on Monday at noon at the Nicosia Municipal Theater.
Elia said that citizens who have the right to vote at the Parliamentary Elections, are all citizens of the Republic aged 18 and over who have had their usual residence in Cyprus for the last six months, including Turkish Cypriot holders of an identity card of the Republic of Cyprus, with an address in the government controlled areas.
Moreover, 414 people are currently registered on the special electoral list of prisoners.
The Chief Returning Officer noted that in Sunday’s elections there are 752 candidates for the 56 seats in the House of Representatives saying that this is the largest number of candidates ever in a parliamentary election.
It is recalled that in the 2021 Parliamentary Elections there were 651 candidacies and in 2016, 493.
In order to be able to vote, citizens must show either their ID card of the Republic of Cyprus, their voter’s booklet while for the first time a digital identity card will also be accepted, through the “Digital Citizen” application.
A total of 617,600 ballots have been printed on security paper by the Government Printing Office, of a different color for each electoral district.
Concluding, Elia said that approximately 9,000 people will work during the elections.
The electoral process is being monitored by a mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
More information on the elections, how to vote and where to vote can be found at wtv.elections.moi.gov.cy, elections.gov.cy.