Only 16,515 expatriates will vote by mail

Almost a month after the launch of the online platform for postal voting and about 30 days before the registration deadline, the interest in participating in the European elections “remotely” shows some faint signs of… recovery. Since February 19 – when the digital application was activated – until today, registrations have reached 40,000. Specifically, at the time these lines were written, a total of 39,739 Greeks inside and outside the borders registered on the platform. Of the total registrations, 58.4% were made by Greeks within the territory, while 16,515 by Greeks abroad.

As the officials of the Ministry of the Interior emphasize in the “NEWS”, in the last few days the interest from voters outside Greece is more lively, considering that as we get closer to the end date of the procedure, registrations outside the borders will continue to increase. Greeks from 100 countries have already asked to vote on June 9 by postal vote.

The lion’s share of non-Greece registrations has Europe, with 14,306, an expected fact as it is a European election, followed by North and Central America, Asia, Oceania, Africa and finally South America, with only 68 registrations. In the first five countries, from where the registrations were made, is the United Kingdom – despite Brexit, which would seemingly prevent even the Greeks living there from participating in the electoral process –, Germany, Belgium, the USA and the Netherlands, while there have also been registrations from countries such as Barbados, Ghana and Uruguay. According to officials of the Ministry of the Interior, with the previous electoral system these people would not have been able to vote because at least 40 interested parties would have to gather in each country in order to set up a polling station.

It is recalled that in the national elections of 2023, in which Greeks abroad voted for the first time, 100 polling stations were set up in 35 countries. This resulted in a percentage of expatriates not voting at their place of residence but at polling stations set up in the nearest kilometer areas, which may also be outside their country of residence. It is characteristic that in Latin America it was not possible to “set up” a polling station.

In terms of the demographics of those wishing to vote by mail in June’s election, the majority (44%) are aged 41-60, with 30-somethings following, while more men appear to be opting for this process.

In the meantime, the information campaign continues. With a 30-second video, the Ministry of the Interior informs that for the first time Greeks can vote by mail, “quickly and simply from wherever we live”, urging voters to enter the electronic platform and register by April 29 . Greeks who live abroad and who in the European elections vote exclusively by mail, using Greek websites and media, will see the promotional message. At the same time, the Minister of the Interior Niki Kerameos is completing these days the information campaign for the postal vote in North America, with Boston and New York as the last stops.