Just 59 per cent of eligible voters cast their vote yesterday as half of the country’s councils went to polls in local elections expected to be won by the Labour Party.

Labour strongholds saw higher turnouts

The figure contrasts sharply with the 73 per cent who had voted the last time elections were held in the 34 localities.

The rain and strong winds caused a slow start to the voting process though there was a more steady flow in the afternoon. Voters were urged to go to the polling booths through phone calls made by party representatives.

Compared with turnouts registered in traditionally Nationalist localities, Labour strongholds saw higher turnouts, indicating that opposition will today have a stronger grip on the councils.

The lowest turnouts were in PN strongholds like Sliema, St Paul’s Bay, Swieqi and St Julian’s, while Labour councils like Vittoriosa, Marsa, Senglea had high turnouts.

The highest turnouts were registered in Safi, Dingli, Żurrieq, Siġġiewi and Floriana.

A total of 33,375 (17 per cent) of the 192,257 voters failed to collect their votes. Half of the uncollected votes belonged to foreign EU nationals.

Although local council elections have always been the least popular in a country conspicuous by its voter participation, there has rarely been a round of local council elections where less than 65 per cent of the electorate cast their vote.

The lowest turnouts were registered in the rounds between 1996 and 1998, with a combined turnout of 63 per cent.

The Labour Party campaigned fiercely in recent weeks, with leader Joseph Muscat claiming to be the underdog of the contest. The PN offered a more subdued campaign.

Mosta and St Paul’s Bay were the key battleground localities the two hope to overturn.

The result in Sliema, which was included in this round of elections after it was dissolved early by the government following two years of infighting, will also be followed closely as Alternattiva Demokratika chairman Michael Briguglio is expected to gain ground.

In all, elections were held in 27 localities in Malta and eight in Gozo. The councils will serve for a four-year term after a reform last year which extended councils’ term by a year.

Counting started last night and an official result is expected by 4p.m. though the political parties should have an idea of the result by early this morning.