Polls to open across Cyprus for 2016 municipal elections on Sunday

Municipal election polls will be open on Sunday, December 18, between the hours of 7am and 6pm as registered voters across the island elect their new town mayors and council leaders.

WHO CAN VOTE

Registration to vote closed on October 3, so only those who have already registered are eligible to take part in Sunday’s vote.

All citizens of Cyprus and permanent residents from other EU countries are allowed to vote in the municipal elections.

A total of 561,373 registered voters are eligible to vote, the municipal elections website reports. 16,740 of these are from EU countries, with the majority of foreign permanent residents hailing from the UK and Greece.

Turkish Cypriot citizens of the Republic of Cyprus also have the right to vote for the municipal and community councils of their place of residence in the state-controlled areas. The total number of Turkish Cypriot voters is 634, the official website reports.

MAYORAL ELECTIONS

Elections for the mayors of all six districts on the island – Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca, Famagusta, Paphos, and Kyrenia – will be taking place alongside the elections for council leaders.

Famagusta is designated a partly occupied district while Kyrenia falls into territory which is designated completely occupied.

In Nicosia, voters will be able to choose between two candidates for mayor: incumbent Constantinos Yiorkadjis and new candidate Panayiotis Stavrinides. Both candidates are standing as independents and have no party affiliations.

Voters in Limassol will be deciding between three candidates: Nikos Nicolaides, Haris Aristeidou, and the incumbent candidate Andreas Christou. All three are also running as independent candidates.

In Larnaca six independent candidates are running in the mayoral election: Andreas Vyras, Louis Demetriou, Georgios Constantinou, Alexis Michaelides, Andreas Petrou, Petros Christodoulou.

Paphos’ voters will be voting for one of two candidates: Akis Chrysomilos, and incumbent candidate Phedon Phedonos. Both are running as independents.

Voters in Famagusta will decide between four candidates: Simeon Ioannou, Andreas Lordos, Georgios Stavri, and incumbent candidate Alexis Galanos. All are running as independent candidates.

Kyrenia’s voters will be selecting their mayor from three independent candidates: Rita Komodiki Elissaiou, Grigoris Neocleous, and Odysseas Patsalides.

WHERE TO VOTE AND HOW TO CAST YOUR BALLOT

A total of 39 municipalities will be holding elections, and a total of 1,500 polling stations will be open across the island. Polling stations are announced by the returning officer in each municipality, and registered voters can find out where they vote by typing their information into the Ministry of Interior website.

Voters can also call 77772212, to find out where their nearest polling station will be located.

“In order for each voter to be able to obtain a ballot paper they must present their voting book or their ID card and have their names entered on the electoral roll of the Municipality,” the municipal elections website states.

Three ballot papers are to be given out to each voter. One ballot paper will include the names of the candidates for Mayor; one will include the names of the candidates running for the Municipal Council; one will include the names of the candidates running for the School Board or the municipality.

“On receipt of his/her ballot paper the voter must withdraw to the special voting booth installed for this purpose at the polling station,” the official website explains. “Once inside the booth, he/she will unfold the ballot paper and secretly make with a black or blue ballpoint pen the sign “X” or “√” in the box situated under the name of the candidate Mayor and under the column of the party list of his choice, for the election of Members of the Municipal Council and for the election of Members of the School Board, according to his/her preference.”