The municipal elections have been scheduled by the government for October 12, taking place between 08:00 and 19:00 on the mainland and Madeira, an hour earlier in the Azores.
Political parties, coalitions, and Citizen Voter Groups have until 18:00 on August 18 to file their candidacies for the municipal elections before the competent civil jurisdiction judge at the municipal headquarters where they are running.
At the end of this day, submitted candidate lists will be posted at the courthouse entrance, and the following day, August 19, the judge will draw the order of lists on the ballot, with results sent to the election monitoring entity and the mayor.
A five-day period follows for the judge to review the legal compliance of the lists, allowing parties or citizen groups to challenge any irregularities or candidate eligibility.
Procedures for correction begin thereafter, and by September 1, rectified lists that have been accepted will be posted at the courthouse entrance; appeals against the judge’s decision may still proceed to the Constitutional Court.
Candidate lists can withdraw from the electoral race until 48 hours before the elections (October 9).
The suspension of voter registration updates occurs from August 13 until the election day, while between September 3 and 8, voter lists will be displayed at parish councils for potential claims by voters or parties.
From September 27 to election day, voter registration books cannot be altered.
The election campaign will be conducted from September 30 to October 10.
Voters unable to vote on election day due to professional reasons, such as military personnel, police, state officials traveling abroad, maritime and aviation workers, long-distance railway and road workers, and national team representatives at sports competitions, may vote in advance.
These voters can approach the mayor’s office in their registration locality between October 2 and 7 to declare their intention to vote early.
Hospitalized patients, students registered in institutions in different districts or islands than where they vote, and inmates without political rights deprivation can request early voting from the mayor’s office by September 22 via electronic or postal means.
Vote collection at hospitals, prisons, or educational institutions occurs from September 29 to October 2.
On October 12, after voting, the local results will be posted immediately at the polling station with results communicated to the appropriate parish council or designated entity.
The general tally begins post-polling closure, with official election results published in the official gazette within 30 days following receipt of all general tally minutes.
In the 2025 municipal elections, voters will elect boards and municipal assemblies for 308 municipalities.
There will also be elections for 3,259 parish assemblies, 167 more than in the previous local elections due to the reinstatement of 302 parishes merged in 2012 by the separation of 135 parish unions.
