Is It Possible to Vote Only for the Party Symbol in the 2024 European Elections?

Understanding the Voting Rules for the 2024 European Elections

The upcoming 2024 European elections, scheduled for the weekend of June 8-9, have specific voting rules that are important to understand in order not to invalidate one’s vote.

Voting Modalities

One common question among voters pertains to the voting modalities, specifically whether it is necessary to select individual candidates in addition to choosing a preferred party symbol.

So, is it possible to vote solely for a party symbol without selecting candidates?

If an elector decides to only vote for the party symbol without choosing individual candidates, the vote is still completely valid, with the preference automatically going to the top candidate on the territorial list where the vote is cast.

When casting the vote, the voter should mark an “X” next to the chosen party symbol.
While it’s permissible to express up to three preferences for candidates within the same list beside the symbol, including their names or just surnames to avoid homonyms, it’s also acceptable not to specify any candidate and only vote for the selected party list.
In this case, the top candidate of the territorial area will receive the preference automatically, ensuring the vote remains valid even if only the symbol is marked.

Selecting Candidates and Preferences

If an elector chooses to indicate preferences for specific candidates, it is crucial to adhere to the rule of alternation and ensure a balanced selection between genders.

This means that out of the three possible preferences, one must be assigned to a female candidate and one to a male candidate, while the third preference can be allocated to either gender.
It is imperative not to exclusively select candidates belonging to the same gender.

Lastly, it is essential to remember that split voting is not permitted.
This means an elector cannot express a preference for a party and then indicate the name of a candidate from a different party, as this would invalidate the ballot.