Presidential elections are scheduled for January 18, 2026, and with just over a month to go, voters should be aware of key information. For instance, who can register for early voting?
Who can vote early?
Hospitalized patients and prisoners
Citizens can now register for early voting in the Presidential elections. However, at this stage, it does not cover all voters.
Initially, from December 8 to 29, only hospitalized patients and prisoners not deprived of political rights can do so. How does it work?
According to the Secretariat-General of the Ministry of Internal Administration (SGMAI), voters who are hospitalized or imprisoned on election day can, with corresponding proof of their situation, request early voting on the official platform or by post to the electoral administration of SGMAI between December 8 and 29.
After registration, the voter will be informed of the date and time. Voting will occur in the presence of the mayor or their representative, who will visit the hospital or prison facility.
On-the-move voters
Voters who wish to vote while on the move, i.e., outside their registration area, should register from January 4 to 8. What does this mean?
The early voting while on the move allows all registered voters to exercise their right at a pre-established polling station within their chosen municipality on the seventh day prior to the elections (Sunday, January 11).
Like legislative or European elections, there will be one voting station in each municipality on the mainland and in the autonomous regions (Madeira and Azores).
Those wishing to vote early on-the-move must express this intention on the website www.votoantecipado.pt or via postal service to the SGMAI electoral administration.
Information required includes:
- Full name;
- Date of birth;
- Civil identification number;
- Address;
- Chosen early voting polling station for mobility;
- Email address and/or phone contact;
On voting day, the voter must present themselves at their chosen polling station and identify themselves using their civil identification document, indicating their registered electoral parish.
Voters abroad
Early voting is also available to those abroad who are there for public or private work, official representation of a national team organized by a sports federation with public utility status, as students, researchers, lecturers, or research scholars, or anyone accompanying these voters.
Voting will take place from January 6 to 8 in diplomatic representations, consulates, or external delegations of Portuguese public institutions as determined by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
On voting day, the voter must carry a citizen card or other identification, such as a driver’s license or passport.
Notably, if a second round is necessary, it will occur three weeks after January 18, on February 8.
Who are the candidates in the presidential elections?
Portuguese voters will return to the polls in just over a month to choose the next President of the Republic, who will succeed Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa after his ten-year term.
Candidates for the presidency include António Filipe (supported by PCP), António José Seguro (supported by PS), André Ventura (supported by Chega), Catarina Martins (supported by BE), Henrique Gouveia e Melo, João Cotrim Figueiredo (supported by Iniciativa Liberal), Jorge Pinto (supported by Livre), Luís Marques Mendes (supported by PSD), and Manuel João Vieira.
More than 40 other citizens are registered on the Candidacy Portal, a website by the Ministry of Internal Administration where they can collect signatures. These include André Pestana, Manuela Magno, Joana Amaral Dias, Vitorino Silva, and Raul Perestrelo.
The presidential elections on January 18 feature over a dozen candidates, with eight participating in debates. Notícias ao Minuto recalls who they are and what they’ve said in the race to Belém.
Natacha Nunes Costa | 09:09 – 03/11/2025
