Growing concerns are bubbling up in Cyprus as the June 9 double election looms closer, with worries about potential voter confusion, an uptick in blank or invalid ballots, and soaring abstention rates.
Cyprus braces itself for the double election slated for June 9, accompanied by escalating concerns regarding a surge in blank or invalid ballots and a notable rise in voter abstention.
These apprehensions stem from a recent local government overhaul mandating voters to cast anywhere between six to ten ballots, a complexity that has irked both voters and election stakeholders.
The looming specter of voter perplexity—especially among those scrambling for information at the eleventh hour—has prompted concerted efforts by state and party apparatuses to educate the electorate. As election day looms, endeavors to address voter queries persist.
Political factions and Cyprus’ Ministry of Interior fret that voters might opt solely for familiar candidates, leaving swathes of their ballots blank—a trend ominously dubbed “white ballots.”
The specter of invalidated ballots due to voter bewilderment looms large, exacerbated by the prospect of long queues at polling stations, particularly amidst anticipated scorching temperatures on election day.
In occupied municipalities and communities, a parallel concern arises, as refugees face the arduous task of navigating multiple polling stations due to their displacement. For instance, a refugee from Omorfita (occupied Nicosia) now residing in Latsia must contend with participating in ten separate elections—six at a Latsia polling station for various local and European contests and an additional four at a secondary polling station for Nicosia’s new municipal elections.
