🇵🇹 Portugal's politics and elections 2.0

[Mike88]

Azores regional elections: PSD leader, Rui Rio, campaigns in the islands.

PSD leader, Rui Rio, and PSD-Azores leader, José Manuel Bolieiro, talking to a voter in Faial island.

PSD leader, Rui Rio, entered in the Azores election campaign this week as he joined José Manuel Bolieiro in campaign events in Faial and Pico islands. Mr Rio said that a change of government would be quite positive for the islands and that's worth it. He also accused the PS of using its power in the public administration to pressure voters to vote PS, adding that the PSD consulate in the Azores (1976-1996) gave a much more positive and harmonious development of the islands. Later, in an interview to RTP-Azores, Rio said the PS losing its majority would be a "half victory" for the PSD.

PS-Azores leader, Vasco Cordeiro, already responded to Rio's attacks:

https://twitter.com/revistaSABADO/status/1314289558155145217

PS / Açores leader accuses Rui Rio of wanting to "pass the Azoreans for fools"

Vasco Cordeiro said Mr Rio accusations are ludicrous citting the example of Madeira, where the PSD governs nonstop for 44 years. Mr Cordeiro says Rui Rio may think that the Azoreans are fools when they are not. He also pointed some contradictions in the PSD-Azores in the past, adding that the PSD cannot be trusted.

[Mike88]

Local government: The government wants to pass a law to create up to new 600 parishes. President Marcelo and the PSD are against.

https://twitter.com/RTPNoticias/status/1314883374247366656

Marcelo rejects reform of the map of parishes before local elections - RTP Notícias

The government is planning a law to restore up to 600 parishes that were extinct in the 2012 local administration reform. Many local organizations are lobbying for the restitution of many parishes since 2013, claiming that the 2012 local reform created problems especially in rural parishes. The government says the new law would correct some aspects of the 2012 reform and would create new rules for creation, merge and extinction of parishes. But, President Marcelo has already announced that any changes of the local map during 2021 will be met with a veto, adding that there cannot be changes in the map during an election year. The PSD is also against the change.

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

What are parishes in Portugal? Subdivisions of municipalities?

[Mike88]

What are parishes in Portugal? Subdivisions of municipalities?

Exactly. 306 out of the 308 municipalities have a certain number of parishes that are the last level of administrative divisions. There are currently 3,092 parishes and before the 2012 reform, there were around 4,260. In local elections, voters cast ballots for mayor, municipal assemblies and parish assemblies. Parishes assemblies articulate with mayors many topics like urban planning, education services, water and sewer services, cultural and entertainment events, among others. In summary, parishes inform municipal councils of the needs they have as they are closer to problems than municipal councils, particularly in rural municipalities.

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

What are parishes in Portugal? Subdivisions of municipalities?

Exactly. 306 out of the 308 municipalities have a certain number of parishes that are the last level of administrative divisions. There are currently 3,092 parishes and before the 2012 reform, there were around 4,260. In local elections, voters cast ballots for mayor, municipal assemblies and parish assemblies. Parishes assemblies articulate with mayors many topics like urban planning, education services, water and sewer services, cultural and entertainment events, among others. In summary, parishes inform municipal councils of the needs they have as they are closer to problems than municipal councils, particularly in rural municipalities.

Interesting. We don't generally have similar things in Italy. What's up with the 2 remaining municipalities? Tiny islands? Or maybe Lisbon and Porto have a different tier system?

[Mike88]

What are parishes in Portugal? Subdivisions of municipalities?

Exactly. 306 out of the 308 municipalities have a certain number of parishes that are the last level of administrative divisions. There are currently 3,092 parishes and before the 2012 reform, there were around 4,260. In local elections, voters cast ballots for mayor, municipal assemblies and parish assemblies. Parishes assemblies articulate with mayors many topics like urban planning, education services, water and sewer services, cultural and entertainment events, among others. In summary, parishes inform municipal councils of the needs they have as they are closer to problems than municipal councils, particularly in rural municipalities.

Interesting. We don't generally have similar things in Italy. What's up with the 2 remaining municipalities? Tiny islands? Or maybe Lisbon and Porto have a different tier system?

The 2 municipalies with just 1 parish are Corvo island in the Azores and São João da Madeira in Aveiro district, although São João da Madeira elects a parish assembly and Corvo doesn't as it only has 350, or so, inhabitants. Some parishes in Azores also don't elect a parish assembly adding also a parish in Vila de Rei, Castelo Branco. Parishes with very small populations insted of electing a parish assembly, have a town hall of voters where they discuss topics. Porto and Lisbon have each several parishes, Porto has 7 parishes and Lisbon has 24.

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

What are parishes in Portugal? Subdivisions of municipalities?

Exactly. 306 out of the 308 municipalities have a certain number of parishes that are the last level of administrative divisions. There are currently 3,092 parishes and before the 2012 reform, there were around 4,260. In local elections, voters cast ballots for mayor, municipal assemblies and parish assemblies. Parishes assemblies articulate with mayors many topics like urban planning, education services, water and sewer services, cultural and entertainment events, among others. In summary, parishes inform municipal councils of the needs they have as they are closer to problems than municipal councils, particularly in rural municipalities.

Interesting. We don't generally have similar things in Italy. What's up with the 2 remaining municipalities? Tiny islands? Or maybe Lisbon and Porto have a different tier system?

The 2 municipalies with just 1 parish are Corvo island in the Azores and São João da Madeira in Aveiro district, although São João da Madeira elects a parish assembly and Corvo doesn't as it only has 350, or so, inhabitants. Some parishes in Azores also don't elect a parish assembly adding also a parish in Vila de Rei, Castelo Branco. Parishes with very small populations insted of electing a parish assembly, have a town hall of voters where they discuss topics. Porto and Lisbon have each several parishes, Porto has 7 parishes and Lisbon has 24.

I see. Corvo is so fascinating. Those 350 monarchists!
I have actually never seen a town hall of voters. They must be interesting.

[Mike88]

What are parishes in Portugal? Subdivisions of municipalities?

Exactly. 306 out of the 308 municipalities have a certain number of parishes that are the last level of administrative divisions. There are currently 3,092 parishes and before the 2012 reform, there were around 4,260. In local elections, voters cast ballots for mayor, municipal assemblies and parish assemblies. Parishes assemblies articulate with mayors many topics like urban planning, education services, water and sewer services, cultural and entertainment events, among others. In summary, parishes inform municipal councils of the needs they have as they are closer to problems than municipal councils, particularly in rural municipalities.

Interesting. We don't generally have similar things in Italy. What's up with the 2 remaining municipalities? Tiny islands? Or maybe Lisbon and Porto have a different tier system?

The 2 municipalies with just 1 parish are Corvo island in the Azores and São João da Madeira in Aveiro district, although São João da Madeira elects a parish assembly and Corvo doesn't as it only has 350, or so, inhabitants. Some parishes in Azores also don't elect a parish assembly adding also a parish in Vila de Rei, Castelo Branco. Parishes with very small populations insted of electing a parish assembly, have a town hall of voters where they discuss topics. Porto and Lisbon have each several parishes, Porto has 7 parishes and Lisbon has 24.

I see. Corvo is so fascinating. Those 350 monarchists!
I have actually never seen a town hall of voters. They must be interesting.

It's more like 86 or 90 monarchists. And I don't think it's because Corvo is monarchist, the PPM MP in the Azores parliament is very popular and helps a lot the island in the regional parliament and his influence is strong there. The PS normally leads the vote in Corvo, but 4 years ago, in the 2016 regionals, it was basically a 3-way race between PS, PPM and PSD: 37% PS, 32% PPM, 26% PSD. We'll see what happens this year, but the PPM candidate will probably be reelected.

A town hall of voters is basically a forum where everybody living in the parish meets in a room, discuss topics and then vote by secret ballot for a new parish president. A report, from Jornal do Fundão, shows the scenes in a parish town hall in São João do Peso, Vila de Rei.

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

It's more like 86 or 90 monarchists. And I don't think it's because Corvo is monarchist, the PPM MP in the Azores parliament is very popular and helps a lot the island in the regional parliament and his influence is strong there. The PS normally leads the vote in Corvo, but 4 years ago, in the 2016 regionals, it was basically a 3-way race between PS, PPM and PSD: 37% PS, 32% PPM, 26% PSD. We'll see what happens this year, but the PPM candidate will probably be reelected.

A town hall of voters is basically a forum where everybody living in the parish meets in a room, discuss topics and then vote by secret ballot on issues and for a new parish president. A report, from Jornal do Fundão, shows the scenes in a parish town hall in São João do Peso, Vila de Rei.

Well yes I know what a town hall is, and I have seen images of ones in Massachusetts I think, although I had no idea they existed in Portugal. Just I have never seen one in the flesh because they are not used here.

So the PPM representative has no actual ideology besides assuring the pork barrel for Corvo? Which would not be at all surprising to be honest.
[also, funny name; that word means raven in Italian too]

[Mike88]

It's more like 86 or 90 monarchists. And I don't think it's because Corvo is monarchist, the PPM MP in the Azores parliament is very popular and helps a lot the island in the regional parliament and his influence is strong there. The PS normally leads the vote in Corvo, but 4 years ago, in the 2016 regionals, it was basically a 3-way race between PS, PPM and PSD: 37% PS, 32% PPM, 26% PSD. We'll see what happens this year, but the PPM candidate will probably be reelected.

A town hall of voters is basically a forum where everybody living in the parish meets in a room, discuss topics and then vote by secret ballot on issues and for a new parish president. A report, from Jornal do Fundão, shows the scenes in a parish town hall in São João do Peso, Vila de Rei.

Well yes I know what a town hall is, and I have seen images of ones in Massachusetts I think, although I had no idea they existed in Portugal. Just I have never seen one in the flesh because they are not used here.

So the PPM representative has no actual ideology besides assuring the pork barrel for Corvo? Which would not be at all surprising to be honest.
[also, funny name; that word means raven in Italian too]

Basically yes. Because he's a very well known person in the island, he was teacher and head of the school there, people vote for him because he "delivers".

This is him:
https://twitter.com/Jornalacores9/status/1313774888931516416

PPM wants parliamentary group and promises to work "to exhaustion"

[Mike88]

Azores regional elections: PS presents their election manifesto.

https://twitter.com/Jornalacores9/status/1314965096603549697

PS wants to “deepen and reform the autonomy”

The PS presented, today, their election manifesto for the October 25 regional elections. The Socialists, who are running for their 6th consecutive term, want to continue to reform the autonomy of the Azores region. They propose some policies that would make the region more "independent" from Lisbon, plus presented some social policies. The main policies are the following:

- Extinction of the office of the Representative of the Republic;
- Implementation of electronic voting in Azorean elections;
- Change of the electoral system to introduce preferential vote in open lists;
- Reinforce the Azores autonomy by giving more powers like to decree state of emergency and others;
- Creation of a second instance Court in the Azores region;
- Creation of an Azores EP election constituency;
- More investment in education;
- Promote Azorean products and services;
- More investment and hirings for the regional health service and creation of a "digital hospital";
- Strengthen the transition to a more digital and green economy;
- Continue the modernization of the public administration;
- Turn agriculture less bureaucratic and more qualified;

[Mike88]

Eurosondagem poll for Sol newspaper:

Vote share %:

38.8% PS (+0.3)
29.0% PSD (+0.8 )
  8.1% BE (-0.2)
  5.5% CDU (-0.3)
  4.8% CHEGA (+0.3)
  3.3% CDS (+0.8 )  
  2.0% PAN (-1.3)
  1.3% IL (+0.3)
  7.2% Others/Invalid (-0.7)

Other topics:

Q1: Do you think Parliament will approve the 2021 budget?

55% Yes
33% No
12% Undecided

Q2: Who do you think will win the November elections in the USA?

48% Joe Biden
36% Donald Trump
16% Undecided

Poll conducted between 5 and 8 October 2020. Polled 1,010 voters. MoE of 3.08%.

[Mike88]

Speaker Ferro Rodrigues accepts CHEGA's Constitutional review proposals:

https://twitter.com/RTPNoticias/status/1314666947607322624

Speaker of Parliament admitted draft constitutional review of Chega

Ferro Rodrigues, Speaker of Parliament, accepted the Constitutional review draft made by CHEGA after the Parliamentary Constitutional Committee ruled that although some proposals are clearly unconstitutional, the draft cannot be barred from being discussed in Parliament. Some of the proposal are very controversial like the physical castration for pedophiles and that the offices of PM and President should only be held by individuals with Portuguese origins. The party also proposes forced labour for prisoners and the removal of the term "Republic" as a form of government in the Constitution. All parties from left to right are against the draft.

[CumbrianLefty]

So its just CHEGA posturing, basically?

[Mike88]

So its just CHEGA posturing, basically?

Yep. Besides CHEGA, I believe no party will propose any changes in the Constitution this time around. And this is just, like you said, political posturing. They also proposed, in early September, a law to write in the Constitution a limit to the number of cabinet ministers and a referendum to reduce the number of MPs in Parliament. All were declared unconstitutional, and the MP reduction is even written in the Constitution, as it stipulates that Parliament can have a total number of MPs between 180 and 230.

[crals]

It's more like 86 or 90 monarchists. And I don't think it's because Corvo is monarchist, the PPM MP in the Azores parliament is very popular and helps a lot the island in the regional parliament and his influence is strong there. The PS normally leads the vote in Corvo, but 4 years ago, in the 2016 regionals, it was basically a 3-way race between PS, PPM and PSD: 37% PS, 32% PPM, 26% PSD. We'll see what happens this year, but the PPM candidate will probably be reelected.

A town hall of voters is basically a forum where everybody living in the parish meets in a room, discuss topics and then vote by secret ballot on issues and for a new parish president. A report, from Jornal do Fundão, shows the scenes in a parish town hall in São João do Peso, Vila de Rei.

Well yes I know what a town hall is, and I have seen images of ones in Massachusetts I think, although I had no idea they existed in Portugal. Just I have never seen one in the flesh because they are not used here.

So the PPM representative has no actual ideology besides assuring the pork barrel for Corvo? Which would not be at all surprising to be honest.
[also, funny name; that word means raven in Italian too]

This applies to pretty much every relevant party in the Azores aside from the far-left. The Azorean PS, PSD and CDS are basically identical.

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

Ferro Rodrigues, Speaker of Parliament, accepted the Constitutional review draft made by CHEGA after the Parliamentary Constitutional Committee ruled that although some proposals are clearly unconstitutional, the draft cannot be barred from being discussed in Parliament. Some of the proposal are very controversial like the physical castration for pedophiles and that the offices of PM and President should only be held by individuals with Portuguese origins. The party also proposes forced labour for prisoners and the removal of the term "Republic" as a form of government in the Constitution. All parties from left to right are against the draft.

I know this is posturing but CHEGA is just insane lmao.

So the PPM representative has no actual ideology besides assuring the pork barrel for Corvo? Which would not be at all surprising to be honest.
[also, funny name; that word means raven in Italian too]

This applies to pretty much every relevant party in the Azores aside from the far-left. The Azorean PS, PSD and CDS are basically identical.

Well I have now seen Mike88's below post about the PS Azorean platform and indeed like 80% of that has nothing to do with being centre-left or socialist or whatever. I can't imagine the PSD platform is comparably different.

[Mike88]

So the PPM representative has no actual ideology besides assuring the pork barrel for Corvo? Which would not be at all surprising to be honest.
[also, funny name; that word means raven in Italian too]

This applies to pretty much every relevant party in the Azores aside from the far-left. The Azorean PS, PSD and CDS are basically identical.

Well I have now seen Mike88's below post about the PS Azorean platform and indeed like 80% of that has nothing to do with being centre-left or socialist or whatever. I can't imagine the PSD platform is comparably different.

The PSD manifesto has at least 2 main policies that are basically the same as the PS:

Main policies:

- Decentralize and de-governmentalize the region;
- Creation of a regional mobility market to ease transportation of people and goods;
- Creation of a special tariff for residents flying within the archipelago;
- Reduction of VAT and Corporate taxes;
- Remove political top jobs from the Health department to reinforce the independency of the department;
- Modernize and support media companies, especially RTP-Azores;
- Creation of an European Parliament constituency from Azores;
- Turn SATA airlines solvent and maintain the public hold of the company;
- Invest in digital transformation of regional services, from health to overall services;

Overall, the main, if only, difference between PS and PSD in Azores may be regarding taxes, mainly corporate ones. The rest, social welfare support, government businesses and so, there's not a lot of differences at all.

[Mike88]

2021 budget draft presented: BE doesn't approve the draft, PCP doesn't react and PS is willing to negotiate.

https://twitter.com/P_Politica/status/1315586904553914369

OE 2021: Catarina Martins says that “there are no conditions to make the budget viable”

The government approved, yesterday, their final draft of the 2021 budget. The budget has a series of social policies aimed, clearly, to attract the support of BE and PCP. However, the reaction by both parties wasn't positive: BE leader, Catarina Martins, said that if the budget isn't changed, the party will vote against; PCP didn't react but their main labour union, CGTP, is protesting against the budget. The PS, and the government, are willing to compromise and negotiate but warn that rejecting a budget in this period doesn't make sense and it would be irresponsible. According to the media, BE wants the government to forbid firing in companies with profits, hire more doctors to the NHS, a bigger and broader social support network and no more money to the Novo Banco.

Overall, the 2021 budget draft has the following main policies:

- Increase of 10 euros in SS pensions after August 2021;
- New social support for workers without access to unemployment benefits;
- Increase of 66 euros in the unemployment subsidy;
- VAT credit for taxpayers who use businesses most hit by the pandemic;
- End of Golden Visas in Lisbon and Porto;
- Tax deductions for gyms and after school sports;
- End of the petrol tax exemption in Azores and Madeira regions;
- Hiring of more than 4,200 new staff for the NHS;
- Creation of a special subsidy for NHS workers that deal with Covid patients;
- No increase of wages in the Public sector;
- Pain subsidy for local workers in hard labour like garbage collectors workers;
- Increase of the national minimum wage;
- Forbid firings in companies that have fiscal benefits;
- GDP growth of 5.4% in 2021;

[Mike88]

CCDR elections: More than 10,000 local officials are electing the 5 new presidents for the CCDR's.

https://twitter.com/RTPNoticias/status/1316057359383289860

More than 10,000 local officials elect, today, the five presidents of the CCDR's - RTP Notícias

The presidencies of CCDR's, Regional Coordination and Development Commissions, are being elected, today, by electoral college by more than 10,500 local officials across the country. The CCDR are the 5 regions of the country (Norte, Centro, Lisbon, Alentejo and Algarve) which all have a president, until now nominated by the government, that manages EU funds and advances policies and measures to develop the regions. It's the closest thing to "administrative regions" Portugal has, but it's a very unknown office and the relevance of it is very, very small. You can say it's more like a "job for the boys". Due to a recent change, the presidents will no longer be nominated by the government but elected by local officials.

However, the process began very badly. The 5 candidates were negotiated between PS and PSD based on the electoral strength of both parties in each region. Therefore, the PSD would choose the candidates for the Norte and Centro, while the PS would choose the candidates for Lisbon, Alentejo e Algarve. The 5 names proposed were agreed by Costa and Rio personally. But, many local officials say the process in very opaque and that local governments weren't even asked about the candidates. In 4 regions there's only one candidate, but in Alentejo, the PS candidate will face the incumbent chairman, nominated in the past by the PSD, who is now running as an independent. Many local officials announced they would not vote or vote blank/invalid. BE, PCP, CDS, CHEGA, IL and Livre also say the elections is a joke and it's only a PS-PSD union of interest.

[Mike88]

CCDR elections: More than 10,000 local officials are electing the 5 new presidents for the CCDR's.

All of the names chosen by Costa and Rio were elected:

https://twitter.com/observadorpt/status/1316116693475831810

CCDR distributed as Rio and Costa agreed to. Only independent candidate loses to the socialist candidate.

In Alentejo, the only "real race", the incumbent president, a PSD member who ran as an independent, lost by 87 votes, out of 1,158 votes, to the candidate chosen by the PS:

43.9% António Ceia da Silva (PS)
36.4% Roberto Pereira Grilo (Ind)
19.4% Blank ballots
  0.3% Invalid ballots

It's still unclear the number of Invalid ballots across the country or even the turnout of elected officials who cast a ballot.

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

1. Are the Azores and Madera part of any CCDR?

2. Well I agree with the minor parties that these CCDR elections sound like jokes to be honest.

3. The budget... argh BE and PCP are making me sweat nervously.

[Mike88]

1. Are the Azores and Madera part of any CCDR?

2. Well I agree with the minor parties that these CCDR elections sound like jokes to be honest.

3. The budget... argh BE and PCP are making me sweat nervously.

Azores and Madeira have real regional governments, with some rules of their own, autonomy and real a regional structure. Only the regions in mainland Portugal are part of CCDR. The question of regionalization on Portugal is very old, and it was rejected in 1998 in a referendum by a 64% to 36%, although the then map proposed was considered a joke. Recent polling says that voters are more open to regions nowadays, but it's still a tricky terrain for parties and politicians. These elections are seen as a bit of a joke as even many local officials say it doesn't represent no one. Plus, like I said above, the office itself is a huge unknown. None of the names are widely known by the electorate and, citting former dictator Salazar, "In politics, what seems, it is", and all of this seems like power sharing between the PS and PSD.

About the budget, all is pure theatre, frankly. No one wants a crisis and there cannot be one as the President cannot dissolve Parliament and polls show that every party, with the exception of CHEGA, would lose ground in a possible snap election. The budget will pass, most likely, either with the abstention of both BE and CDU, or the abstention of at least one of them. But, no one is looking good on this whole situation.

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

1. Are the Azores and Madera part of any CCDR?

2. Well I agree with the minor parties that these CCDR elections sound like jokes to be honest.

3. The budget... argh BE and PCP are making me sweat nervously.

Azores and Madeira have real regional governments, with some rules of their own, autonomy and real a regional structure. Only the regions in mainland Portugal are part of CCDR. The question of regionalization on Portugal is very old, and it was rejected in 1998 in a referendum by a 64% to 36%, although the then map proposed was considered a joke. Recent polling says that voters are more open to regions nowadays, but it's still a tricky terrain for parties and politicians. These elections are seen as a bit of a joke as even many local officials say it doesn't represent no one. Plus, like I said above, the office itself is a huge unknown. None of the names are widely known by the electorate and, citting former dictator Salazar, "In politics, what seems, it is", and all of this seems like power sharing between the PS and PSD.

About the budget, all is pure theatre, frankly. No one wants a crisis and there cannot be one as the President cannot dissolve Parliament and polls show that every party, with the exception of CHEGA, would lose ground in a possible snap election. The budget will pass, most likely, either with the abstention of both BE and CDU, or the abstention of at least one of them. But, no one is looking good on this whole situation.

I have checked and according to Wikipedia the CCDR - which correspond to the NUTS 2* subdivisions - have borders that don't follow district borders, which seems quite a problem for future real implementation.

Better if the budget is all theatre, but it is still a play that makes me sweat. We'll see what happens.

*I can't state just how perfect the name of the EU statistical subdivisions is. NUTS. It really is a gift of God.

[Mike88]

I have checked and according to Wikipedia the CCDR - which correspond to the NUTS 2* subdivisions - have borders that don't follow district borders, which seems quite a problem for future real implementation.

Better if the budget is all theatre, but it is still a play that makes me sweat. We'll see what happens.

*I can't state just how perfect the name of the EU statistical subdivisions is. NUTS. It really is a gift of God.

It's not about borders , it's mostly about the cost. Portugal is a very uneven country between the main urban and rural areas, but also between Lisbon and the rest of the country. National Governments are regularly accused of not knowing the problems the rest of the country faces and demand more power for local authorities. Indeed, governments have been giving more and more power to local governments regarding schools, taxes and so on, but the money that the State gives to local governments continues stagnant and, in some cases, even a bit lower. So, how can a country that barely finances local and national government, can finance 5 new regional structures? That's the issue.

Anyway, the overall results of the CCDR elections are the following:

73.0% Valid votes for candidates (6,142)
23.1% Blank ballots (1,948)
  3.9% Invalid ballots (328)

78.8% Turnout (8,418)