Voters who went to Pinheiro e Rosa Secondary School this morning, in Faro, praised the good organization with which early voting for the legislative elections on the 10th took place.
Everyone the Lusa agency spoke to outside this educational establishment also highlighted that the possibility of voting in advance makes their personal or professional life easier.
According to a source from the Chamber of Faro, in this Algarve municipality there are 2.844 voters who registered to vote in advance on mobility out of a total of 208.007 across the country.
"I am from Faro, but I will be in Lisbon for professional reasons on March 10th", Tiago Cadete, 40, explained to Lusa, highlighting that it is important to be able to vote in advance, fulfilling a right and a duty that he has as a citizen.
Tiago Cadete stated that the vote is well organized and that he is used to voting in advance, because he has a professional life that takes him from «one side to the other», having even voted in Portuguese consulates abroad.
The voter confessed that he only has some “anguish” because in the last week of the electoral campaign there may be new statements or developments that could lead him to vote, “eventually”, for another party.
“I always think: I hope nothing happens that I regret” having voted for a certain political force, he said.
Two friends, Joana and Bernardo, aged 26 and 27 respectively, are already living and working in Faro, but they have not yet changed their address to vote, which led them to exercise their right today.
Both highlighted the good organization and speed of the entire process, helped by the small number of voters.
Another friend of Chaves, Nádia, 26 years old, has already changed her address to vote in the Algarve capital, but decided to do so today because her birthday is in a week, on the 10th of March, exactly on the day of the elections for the Assembly of the Republic.
“I don’t want to have to vote on my birthday. I have other things to do,” she said.
Custódia Teixeira, 84 years old, with some difficulty walking, went to vote in advance for the first time today accompanied by her daughter, who will only exercise her right in a week.
«Today it is easier. In a week there will be a lot of people and they could get in trouble,” Custódia Teixeira told Lusa.
Members of the Martins family also voted today, because in a week they will be traveling.
A council worker Faro, Carla Apolo, who supports the vote, explained that, normally, all voters who requested to benefit from early mobility voting will exercise their right, but if they do not do so they will still be able to vote on the 10th, in the place where are registered.
«Whoever doesn't vote today can do so on the 10th», insisted Carla Apolo, who also took the opportunity to vote «calmly», as she will be working in a week.
The total number of voters who asked to vote today, 208.007, is lower than that of the 2022 legislative elections (315.785 registered), but much higher than those registered in the 2019 legislative elections (56.291).
The so-called mobility vote allows voters to vote a week in advance in a municipality of their choice. If they don't do it, they can do it on election day, that is, on the 10th.
More than 10,8 million Portuguese people are called to vote in the choice of 230 deputies to the Assembly of the Republic.
18 political forces are competing in these elections – 15 parties and three coalitions.
Among those registered is the President of the Republic, who decided to vote in advance because he felt enlightened regarding the candidates' proposals and considered it to be a stimulus against abstention.
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