The second round of the presidential elections will have two ballots (if necessary)

One for those who vote in Portugal on February 8th. Another for emigrants and those who prefer early voting.

There are 11 candidates for president of the Republic, in the elections scheduled for next Sunday. But the number of candidates on the ballot is different: 14.

The information on this subject was given in December, by the candidacy of António José Seguro: Joana Amaral Dias, Ricardo Sousa and José Cardoso would appear in the bulletin.

These three candidacies, which in fact existed until a few weeks ago, were taken to the Constitutional Court due to irregularities. None of the three really advance.

But, when the day of early voting arrives, these three candidates are actually on the ballot. And they are not candidates.

However, the question arose: Will everyone be on the ballot again?

By , the National Elections Commission (CNE) believes that it won’t be necessary use the bulletins from the first round in the second round. Although I admit that this it can happen in a “punctual and exceptional” way.

And the ballot identical to the first round, if confirmed, will appear at the voting stations in foreigner and for those who vote advance.

“The possibility of using the 1st suffrage ballot papers in the 2nd suffrage is only considered if, by some chance, the 2nd suffrage ballot papers do not arrive at a polling station abroad in a timely manner”.

The CNE adds: “If for any reason the ballot papers do not arrive at any polling station in time for early voting for voters registered in Portugal but traveling abroad for the reasons set out in the law, the 1st ballot papers will have to be used. The solution in this case will be the same, but also at this moment we are not counting on it being necessary, unless due to some unforeseeable impediment.”