Lecce administrative elections 2024: date, candidates and polls

Lecce 2024 administrative elections: the engines are warming up in view of the municipal elections which, barring surprises, should be merged as regards the first round of the European elections as already happened five years ago for a sort of election day.
After the success in the 2019 local elections in Lecce, the current mayor Carlo Salvemini will still be in the field but, before a new investiture by the centre-left, he will have to go through the coalition primaries where Pierpaolo Patti will challenge him.
The situation is also in turmoil in the centre-right, with the hottest name being that of the former parliamentarian Ugo Lisi, although the great activism of Paolo Pagliaro – who has several centrist lists from his list – and Adriana Poli Bortone must be noted.
While waiting for the polls, here is a guide to the Lecce 2024 administrative elections with the probable date of the vote, the possible mayoral candidates and the dictates of the electoral law with which the citizens will elect their next mayor.
read also Local elections 2024, where do you vote? Date and Municipalities to vote Lecce 2024 administrative elections: the date In 2019 the administrative elections in Lecce were held on 26 May.
On the same day the polls opened throughout Italy for the European elections and in Piedmont also for the regional elections.
Even if an official communication from the government has not yet arrived, everything would suggest a merger in 2024 too: in this case the first round of the local elections in Ferrara would be held on Sunday 9 June.
As per the regulations, the possible run-off would be held two weeks later but it remains to be seen whether the government will maintain the double voting day – polls also open on Mondays until 3pm – as done recently.
The electoral law The electoral law of administrative elections in Italy is majority-based as regards the election of the mayor, while the distribution of councilors takes place in a proportional manner.
Since Lecce is a municipality with more than 15,000 inhabitants, if no candidate in the first round obtains an absolute majority then a run-off will be held between the two most voted.
If there is a perfect head-to-head tie, the oldest candidate will be elected mayor.
To guarantee the formation of a solid majority and consequently substantial governability, the lists linked to the winning mayoral candidate will be allocated 60% of the seats; the remaining seats on the Council will then be assigned to the other lists in a proportional manner through the "D'Hondt method".
At the division of seats, a total of 32 councilors excluding the mayor will be elected.
All lists and groups of lists of candidates that have exceeded the threshold of 3% of valid votes will be admitted.
As regards the voting methods, in municipalities with more than 15,000 inhabitants, split voting is permitted, with the voter being able to express up to two preferences while maintaining gender equality (one man and one woman).
read also Local elections, mayoral election ballot: how it works and how to vote The candidates After the lame duck of 2017, Carlo Salvemini also managed to prevail in the local elections in Lecce in 2019 with a victory already in the first round.
Five years later the mayor intends to try again.
For a new investiture, however, the mayor will have to go through the coalition primaries which will be held on November 26, with the regulation that was signed by Lecce Città Pubblico, Green Europe, Italian Left, Democratic Party, Italia Viva, Con, Coscienza Civica, For Puglia, Movimento Sveglia, Civismo Popolare, Party Socialista Italiano, Puglia plus and Article 3.
The city councilor Pierpaolo Patti will challenge Carlo Salvemini in the primaries.
There is no particular ostracism towards Salvemini on the part of the 5 Star Movement, but the Five Star Movement has rejected the primary instrument with an agreement that can still be reached between now and June.
The center-right is full of aspiring candidates.
As in the 2019 elections, Adriana Poli Bortone could be in the field with her IoSud movement, but the coalition would like to avoid the divisions of five years ago.
However, the regional councilor Paolo Pagliaro would already be projected towards the vote and would already have several centrist lists ready, while the parties would seem to lean more towards the former parliamentarian Ugo Lisi.
Given the caliber of the possible candidates, a great deal of mediation work will be needed to avoid a new split.