Can foreigners vote in local elections? Yes —as long as you register to do so. In Lisbon, many foreign residents still miss out on voting—only 3,852 out of over 160,000 foreigners living in the city were registered as of June 15 this year (many live in Campo de Ourique, Arroios, and Santo António). This is often due to a lack of awareness about this right. The next opportunity is October 12, during the 2025 local elections.
But be aware: if you’re a foreigner and want to vote, you only have a few days left to register. How? Here’s what the National Election Commission and the Ministry of Internal Administration says:
Can all foreigners vote?
As long as they register to vote and are at least 18 years old (on election day), they are eligible if they are:
- Citizens of EU countries, provided that Portuguese citizens enjoy the same rights in their country of origin;
- Citizens of Portuguese-speaking countries (like Brazil and Cape Verde) with legal residence in Portugal for more than 2 years, and where Portuguese nationals are granted equal rights in return;
- Other foreign nationals with legal residence in Portugal for more than 3 years, and who are from: Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Iceland, Norway, New Zealand, Peru, the United Kingdom (residency must have started before Brexit), Uruguay, and Venezuela.
Do I have to register? How?
Yes. Voter registration closes 60 days before the election, meaning you have until August 12 to register. Mark the date.
To register, go to the parish council (Junta de Freguesia) of your registered address.
- If you are a citizen of an EU country or a UK national who resided in Portugal before Brexit, bring your identification and residence permit (Certificate of Registration for EU Citizens; or Permanent Residence Certificate).
If your address is not listed on these documents, you can provide proof of residence using a different document (e.g., rental contract, utility bill). - If you are a citizen of Cape Verde, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Iceland, Norway, New Zealand, Peru, UK, Uruguay, or Venezuela, you only need your residence permit (temporary or permanent).
- Brazilian citizens with residency in Portugal who have equal political rights status and have obtained a citizen card are automatically registered to vote.
If not, you must present your residence permit (temporary or permanent) to register.
What if my residence permit has expired?
Residence permits that expired after February 22, 2020, are still valid for registration and voting until October 15, 2025 (under Article 2 of Decree-Law No. 85-B/2025, of June 30).
Where do I vote?
You can find out your polling place by checking this website (if you have a citizen card), or by contacting your local parish council.
On election day, October 12, voters must go to their designated polling station and show their ID at the voting table.
Employees working on election day are legally entitled to time off sufficient to cast their vote.
How does voting work?
At your polling station, the presiding officer or vice-president will give you the ballots.
In local elections, there are three separate ballots:
- Parish Assembly
- Municipal Assembly
- City Council
You may vote differently on each.
Each ballot is color-coded:
- Green: City Council (Câmara Municipal)
- Yellow: Municipal Assembly (Assembleia Municipal)
- White: Parish Assembly (Assembleia de Freguesia)
You must go into the voting booth, mark an “X” in the box next to the party or list you want to vote for. Each ballot shows the names, acronyms, and symbols of all political parties and coalitions in the order drawn by lot.
When is a vote considered invalid?
A ballot is null if:
a) More than one box is marked, or the choice is unclear
b) It shows a vote for a list that has withdrawn or was not admitted
c) It has been cut, drawn on, written on, or altered in any way
d) In early voting, if the ballot does not reach the voting table in the legally prescribed manner
e) A completely blank ballot is counted as a blank vote, not null
Voters with a visible disability or illness may be assisted while voting. If the voting table questions the need for assistance, a medical certificate may be required (health centers are open on election day for this purpose).
Portugal does not allow electronic voting, although some pilot tests have been carried out in polling stations.
How do local elections work?
These elections are held every four years, or in exceptional circumstances.
In local elections, you vote for three different bodies:
- City Council
- Municipal Assembly
- Parish Assembly
The Parish Executive (Junta de Freguesia) is not directly elected but chosen by secret vote during the first meeting of the Parish Assembly.
In Portugal, voting is not mandatory, unlike in countries like Belgium or Brazil.
The Parish Council (Junta de Freguesia):
Each Junta de Freguesia is led by a President and council members (Vogais), with two acting as Secretary and Treasurer. According to the law:
- Parishes with up to 5,000 voters: 2 council members
- Parishes with 5,001 to 19,999 voters: 4 council members
- Parishes with 20,000+ voters: 6 council members
The City Council (Câmara Municipal):
Portugal’s local election system encourages political diversity. The winning party does not automatically get all seats in the executive.
Council members (Vereadores) are elected proportionally, using the D’Hondt method. The top candidate on the most-voted list becomes the Mayor.
If the winning list doesn’t get a majority, coalitions may be needed to govern. For example:
- Rui Moreira in Porto allied with the Socialist Party (PS)
- Fernando Medina in Lisbon allied with the Left Bloc (BE)
The number of council members varies by city size. Lisbon has the most: 16 council members plus the mayor.
Municipal and Parish Assemblies:
These are the deliberative bodies. The executive bodies are the City Council and the Parish Council.
Assemblies monitor, approve budgets, and supervise the activities of the executive bodies.
Did you know…?
Foreign nationals (with some nationality and time-based restrictions) can run for office in local elections.
You can also: Participate in Municipal and Parish Assembly debates; Petition Parliament and City Councils; Vote and propose ideas in Participatory Budgets (PB) of both the Lisbon City Council and Parish Councils; Be members of political parties; Take part in Public Consultations for city proposals and projects.
Parish Councils vs City Council: who does what?
In Lisbon, there’s a special and extensive transfer of powers to parish councils—much more than in other municipalities. This change dates back to the 2012 administrative reform, which created 24 parishes with broader budgets, staff, and responsibilities.
Powers of Lisbon Parish Councils include:
- Managing and maintaining green spaces
- Installing and maintaining street signs
- Repairing sidewalks
- Street and public space cleaning
- Maintaining public urban furniture, excluding concession areas
- Maintaining and repairing traffic signage
- Issuing licenses for:
- Public space use and advertising
- Amusement machines
- Temporary event spaces
- Noisy activities, and collecting corresponding fees
- Licensing and registering dogs and cats
- Licensing:
- Lottery ticket vendors
- Parking assistants
- Occasional camps
- Amusement machines
- Outdoor public shows
- Ticket sales
- Auctions
- Managing local facilities: cultural, sports, schools, kindergartens, senior centers
- Building and maintaining public playgrounds, toilets, fountains
- Running community intervention projects in areas like social action, culture, education, and sports
- Participating in social programs in cooperation with charities
- Supporting local sports and cultural initiatives
- Managing local markets and fairs
- Contributing to housing policies by identifying needs and intervening in housing improvements
- Setting special criteria for resettlement processes
Parish Councils also enforce and issue fines and penalties related to their powers.
And the City Council? According to current law:
Some powers remain with Lisbon’s City Council when they involve major city infrastructure or missions of general public interest.
The City Council must submit a list of these responsibilities for approval by the Municipal Assembly.
The Lisbon City Council can also delegate additional powers to the parishes, based on agreements approved by the Assembly. These agreements must last at least two years, and the scope can vary depending on each parish’s needs.
O jornalismo que a Mensagem de Lisboa faz une comunidades,
conta histórias que ninguém conta e muda vidas.
Dantes pagava-se com publicidade,
mas isso agora é terreno das grandes plataformas.
Se gosta do que fazemos e acha que é importante,
se quer fazer parte desta comunidade cada vez maior,
apoie-nos com a sua contribuição:
Deixe um comentário