On Sunday at 7 a.m., voting commenced in Poland’s local elections, where nearly 47,000 councilors and 2,500 mayors will be elected. The voting will continue until 9 p.m., marking the beginning of a period of electoral silence.
With a total of 29,037,073 eligible voters across the country, participation in these local elections is expected to be significant. To cast their votes, citizens must present a valid identification document, allowing officials to verify their eligibility and grant them access to the polling station.
Upon arrival at the polling station, voters will receive four or three ballot papers. Each ballot allows for only one mark ‘X’ next to a single candidate’s name. Any vote where the ‘X’ is not placed or if the voter selects more than one candidate will be deemed invalid.
The electoral silence, which prohibits the publication of opinion polls and campaigning for specific candidates or lists, extends even to online platforms. Breaking this silence carries penalties of up to 1 million PLN. Once the voting concludes, the electoral silence will come to an end, and attention will turn to the announcement of preliminary results and preparations for the second round of elections for mayors and city presidents scheduled for April 21st. Throughout this process, updates on partial election results will be available on the National Electoral Commission’s website, ensuring transparency and accountability in the electoral process.