Two eleven-letter words linked for more than three months: coronavirus and municipal. The severity of the pandemic upset the ballot, the second round of which had to be postponed. But this time, for sure, this Sunday, June 28, millions of voters will finish what they started in the first round on March 15 and elect their municipal councilors.
An unprecedented second round
It is the first time that so much time has passed between the two rounds of municipal elections. Usually they are spaced a week apart. But the coronavirus decided otherwise.
It is also the first time that the second round is held so late in the year. Until now, the municipal elections had only taken place once in June (in 1995 after the election of Jacques Chirac at the Elysée) but the second round was held on the 18th.
Voters in 4,800 municipalities at the polls!
If you had completely forgotten the second round on Sunday, this may be normal. Not everyone votes, some cities having appointed all their municipal councilors in the first round on March 15. This is the case for 30,125 municipalities (out of 34,967, or almost 85%). You should only go to the polls on Sunday if you are a voter in one of the approximately 4,800 remaining municipalities.
The second round was however canceled in the seven communes of Guyana which still had to vote. This decision was taken because of “the worrying development of the Covid-19” in this territory.
3982 lists are in competition in the 1428 communes of more than 1000 inhabitants which still have to vote. In almost 55% of cases, the second round gives rise to a triangular.
Very special polling stations
In mainland France, the coronavirus epidemic is less virulent than on March 15, but it is still present. Health regulations have been further strengthened. There can only be three voters in the office at the same time. This time, it will be mandatory to be hidden (although you may be asked to remove it for a few seconds to verify your identity). The assessors will be equipped with a surgical mask or FFP2. Hydroalcoholic gel will be made available.
Superstars’ proxies
We may never have talked as much about proxies as we did for this election. The government has sought to facilitate them so that people at risk can vote without having to travel. Also for the first time, an elector may hold two proxies. Another measure to help in this process, those who need it can ask a gendarme or a police officer to come to their home to complete the file.
It is this latter device that has created suspicions of fraud in Marseille, particularly in an Ehpad.
Suspense in many big cities
This second round promises upheavals and the electoral evening of Sunday evening will be interesting on many points. In Paris, the outgoing mayor Anne Hidalgo, who came first in the first round and having concluded an alliance with environmentalists, is the favorite. But the weight and attitude of the abstainers in the first round, as well as the type of ballot (by sectors, as in Marseille and Lyon) can hold surprises.
