Second-round voting held in 20 parishes

The second round of the presidential election is taking place today in 20 parishes and voting sections after an earlier postponement, affecting about 36,000–40,000 registered voters across eight municipalities. Reports from CNN Portugal, Público and Expresso say the National Elections Commission (Comissão Nacional de Eleições or CNE) confirmed ballot boxes opened without incident and that local voting is limited to the specified parishes. Voters in the listed parishes should verify their polling station and times before going to vote.

Update: Polls opened; interruption reported in Leiria

Público, ECO and Correio da Manhã report the CNE confirmed ballot boxes opened on time in the 20 postponed parishes; ECO cites CNE spokesperson André Wemans. Público says at least one voting suspension occurred in Bidoeira de Cima (Leiria), where about 2,000 electors vote. No widespread disruptions were reported elsewhere.

Update: CNE records 30,000+ registered voters in postponed parishes

RTP and other outlets say the CNE lists just over 30,000 registered electors in the 20 parishes and sections holding the delayed second round. Observador and Público report voting in Bidoeira de Cima was briefly suspended and later resumed, while officials reported no other major incidents during opening.

Update: Reports vary: 30k–36k registered voters

Expresso and some local outlets put the number of registered electors closer to 36,000 across the postponed parishes, while RTP, the CNE and other outlets report just over 30,000. Reporters say the gap likely reflects different counting times and methods; sources consistently report that ballot boxes opened on schedule and that the only notable interruption was the brief suspension in Bidoeira de Cima, which later resumed.

Context & Explainers

The National Elections Commission (Comissão Nacional de Eleições) is an independent body that oversees the legality and fairness of elections in Portugal, including voter registration, campaign rules and publication of official results. It also monitors campaign finance and can issue opinions or sanctions, so its decisions affect how polling places and voting are organised locally.

A parish (freguesia) is the smallest local administrative unit in Portugal, below municipalities, with an elected parish assembly and an executive parish council (junta de freguesia). Parishes handle local services such as street maintenance, some registry tasks and community projects, and their boundaries determine local polling places and who votes where.

The CNE is the National Election Commission (Comissão Nacional de Eleições), Portugal’s independent body that organises and oversees elections, publishes official turnout and results, and handles electoral complaints. Residents and voters should consult the CNE for authoritative results, turnout figures and guidance on voting rules during election periods.

An freguesia (civil parish) is Portugal’s lowest local administrative unit, run by a small elected council (junta de freguesia) that handles basic services and local notices. There are roughly 3,092 freguesias after the 2013 reform, and during severe weather warnings are often issued at the freguesia level, so check your local junta for instructions.