In response to Lusa, the MAI specified that, on Sunday, the date on which the voter rolls closed, there were 9,303,840 voters registered for the municipal elections.

Of these, 9,262,722 are national voters, the MAI added.

Of the remaining voters, 18,319 are foreign voters from the European Union (EU) and 22,799 are foreign voters from outside the EU, both registered in Portugal, they added.

The official campaign for the municipal elections, which will take place on October 12th, began today and will run until October 10th, the Friday before Election Day, according to the calendar released by the Electoral Court (CNE).

Provisional data from the CNE estimates that 817 political forces and movements are running in these elections, of which 618 are candidates from groups of citizen voters, 181 from different party coalitions, and 18 political parties.

According to the provisional figures, in total, candidates presented 1,588 slates for municipal councils, 1,524 for municipal assemblies, and 9,750 for parish assemblies.

In the municipal elections, which will take place between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. on October 12th, voters will elect the governing bodies of 308 municipal councils, 308 municipal assemblies, and 3,221 parish assemblies.

Another 37 parishes will elect their executives in citizen plenary sessions, as they have fewer than 150 voters.

Following these municipal elections, 302 parishes that had been merged or eliminated by the 2013 administrative reform will be restored, in a process that will disintegrate 135 parish unions.

Portugal has 308 municipalities and, following the upcoming municipal elections, will have 3,258 parishes (Corvo is the only municipality without a Parish Council, with its responsibilities being assumed by the City Council).