Turnout up in Estonia's local elections compared with 2021 despite e-vote dip
E-voting and advance voting ended at 8 p.m. on Saturday evening, with nearly 4 percent more people casting their vote compared with the 2021 local government elections.
As of 8:15 p.m. on Saturday, 43.3 percent of eligible voters — 434,621 people — had cast their vote. At the previous election four years ago, turnout stood at 39.6 percent by Saturday evening.
Of the votes cast this year, 162,415 were on paper and 272,206 online. This is a reversal of the results four years ago during advance voting, when more e-votes (273,620) were cast and fewer on paper (149,823).
This year, voter turnout is higher, even though the number of polling stations has fallen from 448 to 356 compared with the previous local elections.
By region, the highest turnout as of Saturday evening was seen in Hiiumaa, with a 49.5 percent turnout, compared with 48.1 percent for Tallinn, and 45.5 percent for Tartu.
The final number of e-votes for 2025 will be announced on Sunday evening, after duplicate votes and e-votes from those who later voted in person at a polling station have been removed.
On election day (Sunday, October 19) voting takes place only in polling stations, all of which are open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. It is still possible to change your e-vote on Sunday by voting with a paper ballot at a polling station.
More information on how to vote is here.
Candidates on the campaign trail: Things went well
As for campaigning, several candidates continued to meet voters up until Saturday.
Some candidates and campaigners ERR spoke to on Saturday said things had gone well.
While campaigning is permitted on the Sunday, many politicians said they would stay at home on election day.
On Saturday, the parties were out in force in Tallinn's various districts, for a final drive, offering goodies such as sweets, pens etc. to passersby, regardless of whether they could vote in that district, or at all.
Center Party candidate Marika Tuus-Laul told "Aktuaalne kaamera" that her campaign tent in the Kristiine district of Tallinn was something of a free for all.
"Everything is being offered, but you can't even tell who's who or where they come from. Whether they can vote here or whether they can vote for someone in your district — is is all one big market," she said. Tuus-Laul's own personalized goody was a packet of spices, replete with recipe suggestions.
Eesti 200 was campaigning too. The party rejects claims that it may struggle to pass the 5-percent vote threshold, following a long period of low ratings.
"Eesti 200's rise is definitely ahead. We're doing our best, and I believe we'll get over the threshold. I don't believe the mantra that's being spread here," said candidate and MP Kadri Tali told "Aktuaalne kaamera."
Parempoolsed, contesting its first ever local elections, had a campaigning tent adjacent to Center's in Mustamäe, with party leader Lavly Perling in attendance.
"When you show that we're pursuing our own goals and have our own principles, but we can still interact normally with our competitors — that's what people care about," Perling said.
Meanwhile, candidates running in Tallinn's Nõmme neighborhood, seasoned politicians and newcomers alike, said that people in that area care most about local issues.
Allar Levandi, a first time candidate, running with Isamaa, said: "It's nice to be with people and listen to what the real problems and real issues are that they care about."
EKRE candidate Kadri Vilbasaid: "There have been a lot of young students coming by who are voting for the first time, and it's really clear that they've done their homework and ask very smart questions."
Polling stations opened at 9 a.m. Sunday and will close at 8 p.m. A paper vote overrides any e-vote a voter has cast, as it does in the advance period too.
The results are likely to come in late on Sunday.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte, Johanna Alvin, Anne Raiste, Helen Wright
Source: "Aktuaalne kaamera"
