The municipality with the highest abstention is Ribeira Grande, on the island of São Miguel in the Azores, where 64.5% of eligible voters chose not to vote.
Five of the 10 municipalities with the highest abstention rates are in the Azores
Monday, 19 January 2026RSS
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Context & Explainers
Abstention is when eligible voters choose not to vote; it is usually reported as the percentage of registered voters who do not cast a ballot. A falling abstention rate can change electoral outcomes and boost the perceived legitimacy of the result, so a predicted drop — including among younger voters — matters for how parties and candidates plan campaigning and turnout efforts.
