Election type

Voting from Abroad: The International IDEA Handbook 2007 (pages 83-85)

“Portugal has held free elections since the fall of the dictatorship in 1974, and since that time the voting rights of Portuguese citizens living abroad have been substantially expanded. External voting rights were granted from the outset, but only for elections to the national parliament. Following Portugal’s entry into the European Community in 1986, external voting rights were granted for Portuguese citizens abroad to vote for the national lists for the European Parliament elections. […]

External voting procedure

Here as well there are differences between types of election. Decree-Law no. 95-C/76 of 30 January 1976 sets out the procedural aspects of external voting in legislative elections. In these elections, as well as in European Parliament elections, the external voting right is exercised by post. However, Organic Law no. 1/2005 changed voting procedures for European Parliament elections: voting is now done in person at the designated polling sites.

For elections to the national parliament and the European Parliament (from 1987 to 2004), the Ministry of Internal Administration in Portugal sends a ballot paper with two envelopes to all citizens registered in electoral registers abroad around two to three weeks before polling day. The voter fills in his or her ballot paper, folds it and inserts it in one of the envelopes which he or she then seals and places in the other envelope together with a photocopy of his or her elector’s card. All must be sent back to the designated reception point in Portugal and can be posted up until (and including) the day of the election. Ten days following the election, the external ballot papers are opened and counted. In legislative elections, the four parliamentary seats reserved for external voters are then allocated. In European Parliament elections, the external votes are added to the internal national totals (Decree-Law no. 95C/76).”