The Rede Expressos announced on Monday the launch of a campaign offering a 25% discount aimed at “facilitating voting in the municipal elections”.
“Rede Expressos is joining the civic spirit of the municipal elections and launching a nationwide campaign to support citizens wishing to travel to their local voting areas on October 12,” a statement revealed.
To encourage electoral participation, Rede Expressos is offering a 25% online discount on all journeys within the national territory.
The promotion is valid for trips on October 12, requiring the use of the promotional code VOTO25 when purchasing tickets at www.rede-expressos.pt or via the Rede Expressos app, as stated in the release.
The company also highlighted its previous campaign supporting electoral mobility during the legislative elections and reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring mobility is not an obstacle to voter participation.
“Voting is the most powerful way for each citizen to say: I matter, and my opinion counts. We want to stand by all Portuguese in this decisive moment, ensuring they can reach their hometowns and polling stations to participate in change,” emphasized Nelson Silva, general director of Rede Expressos, in the statement.
Municipal elections will take place on October 12.
Provisional data from the CNE estimates that 817 political forces and movements are running in these municipal elections, including 618 citizen’s groups, 181 party coalition candidates, and 18 political parties.
According to the provisional figures, candidates have submitted 1,588 lists for municipal councils, 1,524 for municipal assemblies, and 9,750 for parish assemblies.
Chega has submitted candidates for 307 out of 308 municipal councils (99.6%), CDU (PCP/PEV) for 299 (97.0%), PS (alone or in coalition) for 298 (96.7%), and PSD (alone or in coalition) for 293 (95.1%).
The Electoral Administration of the General Secretariat of the Ministry of Internal Administration reports that as of June 15, 9,285,175 voters were registered in the electoral rolls.
By September 25, the CNE received 701 complaints or requests for opinion related to the municipal elections (661 complaints and 40 requests for opinion), with decisions made on 163 of these cases.
Among the 163 resolutions, the CNE decided to forward 17 cases to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, along with 37 other cases related to regulatory offenses.
During the municipal elections, which run from 08:00 to 20:00 on October 12, voters will elect the managing bodies of 308 municipal councils, 308 municipal assemblies, and 3,221 parish assemblies.
An additional 37 parishes will choose their executive in citizen assemblies due to having fewer than 150 voters.
The upcoming municipal elections will also see the reinstatement of 302 parishes that were amalgamated or dissolved by the 2013 administrative reform, a process that will separate 135 parish unions.
Portugal has 308 municipalities, and following the next municipal elections, there will be 3,258 parishes (Corvo being the only municipality without a Parish Council, with its functions being assumed by the Municipal Chamber).
In addition to more than 600 citizen movements, candidacies have been submitted for the elections, either solo or in coalition, by PS, PSD, CDS-PP, Chega, IL, Livre, BE, PAN, Juntos pelo Povo (JPP), Portuguese Labour Party (PTP), Volt Portugal, Democratic National Alternative (ADN), New Right, Social Liberal Party (PLS), Nós, Cidadãos!, Reagir Incluir Reciclar (RIR), Popular Monarchist Party (PPM) and Earth Party (MPT), among others including CDU.
