Chief Electoral Officer Elikkos Elia issued a comprehensive briefing on Friday regarding the final arrangements for the parliamentary elections on Sunday. Speaking at a press conference at the Theocharis Georgiades Press and Information Office amphitheatre, Elia confirmed that the state mechanism is fully prepared and made a strong appeal for active public participation, emphasizing that elections are a fundamental expression of democracy and that abstention is the forfeiture of a core citizen right.
The upcoming election process will be closely monitored by an official delegation from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), whose findings and recommendations will be studied with interest.
Electorate demographics and voter statistics
The total number of registered voters stands at 569,182 citizens, which marks an increase of 11,081 voters compared to the previous parliamentary elections held in 2021. The permanent electoral roll specifically includes 859 Turkish Cypriots and 595 enclaved citizens. In terms of regional distribution for the enclaved electorate, 260 reside in Famagusta District and 335 in Kyrenia District.
A demographic analysis reveals that women comprise the majority of the electorate at 50.81 per cent (288,884 voters), while men account for 49.19 per cent (279,703 voters). Younger voters under the age of 30 make up 11.08 per cent of the total roll, whereas citizens over the age of 70 constitute 21.17 per cent. Additionally, there are 11,733 first-time voterswho have been added to the register since the 2024 elections.
Based on the registered addresses of the electorate, 218,555 citizens will vote in Nicosia District, 157,289 in Limassol District, 98,341 in Larnaca District, 54,567 in Paphos District and 33,929 in Famagusta District. Furthermore, 6,501 voters have submitted declarations to cast their ballots at polling stations overseas.
Operations and polling stations
A total network of 1,217 polling stations will be operational on Sunday. Out of these, 1,204 stations will open within the Republic of Cyprus, while 13 stations will operate abroad to serve the overseas electorate. The international stations are distributed with five in Athens, three in Thessaloniki, four in London and one in Brussels.
The smallest voting centre in the country will operate at the Louvaras Community Council offices in Nicosia District, serving just 52 voters. Conversely, the largest polling station will be located at the Pano Polemidia Primary School in Limassol District, catering to 680 voters.
Special voting arrangements have been designated for specific groups. Enclaved citizens from Kyrenia District will vote at the Kykkos A Lyceum in Engomi, while those from Famagusta District will vote at the Acheritou Primary School. For the Maronite religious group, 13 specific polling stations will be available, including a second dedicated station at the Kykkos A Lyceum for the 324 enclaved Maronite voters from Kyrenia District. The representatives for the Armenian and Latin religious groups have already been automatically elected without a vote, as their candidacies were unopposed.
Special polling stations will also operate within the Central Prisons, a practice established since 2006 in coordination with prison management. To fully protect the secrecy of the prisoners' votes, these ballot boxes will be transferred and mixed with pre-determined regular ballot boxes before the counting process begins. For Turkish Cypriot voters, allocations to polling stations have been made alongside Greek Cypriot voters based on their residence. To assist them, voting instructions at these stations will be available in the Turkish language, and Turkish-speaking officers will be stationed at district administration offices for any required support.
Electoral personnel and logistics
The massive logistical operation will employ approximately 9,000 personnel covering all stages of the election, from voting and security to counting and results transmission. This workforce includes 5,618 presiding officers and assistantsat polling stations, 2,100 police officers maintaining law and order and 809 administrative staff managing data entry at district offices. Following established policy, priority for staffing was granted to 293 unemployed university graduateswho applied for the roles.
The Government Printing Office has produced 617,600 official ballots using secure paper, alongside 201,500 sample ballots distributed to parties and candidates for voter education. Due to the high volume of candidates, two-sided ballot papers are being utilized for the first time. There is no official front or back side to prevent any unfair advantage, and vote secrecy is fully maintained by folding the ballot.
Voters can verify their designated polling station through the online service "Where I Vote" (wtv.elections.moi.gov.cy or elections.gov.cy). Information can also be obtained via a dedicated telephone hotline or by sending an SMS to 1199(charged at 4 cents) with the format: wtv [space] ID number [space] date of birth.
Candidate facts and preference crosses
The 56 seats of the House of Representatives are being contested by a record 752 candidates. Initially, 753 candidacies were submitted, but one was subsequently withdrawn. This is the highest number of candidates in Cypriot parliamentary history, compared to 651 candidates in 2021 and 493 in 2016. Among the current candidates, 743 represent political party combinations, while nine are running as independents. Female candidates account for 29.8 per cent (224 individuals) of the total contestants. The Maronite religious group seat is being contested by two candidates.
To cast a valid vote, citizens must place an authorized mark ("X", "+", or "ν") in the large square beneath a party combination or next to an independent candidate. Voting for more than one party or combining a party with an independent candidate will invalidate the ballot paper. Ballots lacking the official state stamp, containing identifying marks, or written in any ink colour other than blue or black will be declared invalid.
Voters who choose a party combination can also select individual candidates using preference crosses. The maximum number of crosses allowed varies strictly by district:
- Five crosses for Nicosia
- Three crosses for Limassol and Famagusta
- Two crosses for Larnaca and Paphos
- One cross for Kyrenia
If a voter exceeds the allowed number of crosses, the individual candidate preferences will be ignored, but the ballot will remain valid as a vote for the chosen party. Party leaders or coalition heads do not require preference crosses to be elected, as they automatically receive the total number of votes cast for their combination, unless they explicitly choose to opt out of this legal provision and have a preference square printed next to their name.
Timeline for voting and results
For all polling stations within Cyprus and Greece, voting hours are set from 07:00 to 18:00, with a mandatory one-hour recess between 12:00 and 13:00. Voting hours in the United Kingdom and Belgium are scheduled from 08:00 to 16:00 local time (with a break from 12:00 to 12:30), ensuring that all ballot boxes across all countries close at the exact same moment. Party and candidate representatives are legally permitted to attend polling stations to monitor the voting and counting procedures.
The counting of votes will take place directly inside the local polling stations immediately after the polls close, under the authority of each presiding officer. Only on-duty staff, candidates and their appointed representatives are permitted inside, and observers are strictly prohibited from holding pens or writing materials during the count.
Results will be streamed live on the official elections website and broadcast to television networks. The first results from small voting centres are expected between 18:30 and 19:00. Party percentages and seat allocations are anticipated to be finalized by 21:30 via electronic transmission. Preference crosses will be entered into the computer system later, as these books must be delivered by hand to the Chief Electoral Officer. The final identities of the elected Members of Parliament from each combination are estimated to be known after 01:30 on Monday morning. The official declaration ceremony will take place on Monday, 25 May 2026, at the Nicosia Municipal Theatre at 12:00.
Identification and campaign restrictions
To exercise their right to vote, citizens must present either their physical voting booklet or their Republic of Cyprus identity card. For the first time, digital identity cards accessed via the "Digital Citizen" mobile application will be fully accepted at polling stations. Enclaved voters may use any official state document that features their photograph. Unclaimed voting booklets have been returned to District Officer venues, where voters can collect them even on election day. Those who have lost both their booklet and identity card can apply for an immediate replacement booklet at District Officer locations up until Saturday, 23 May 2026.
Recent legislative amendments enacted by the House of Representatives—including automatic voter registration, lowering the voting age to 17 and accepting a driving licence for identification—will not apply to this election. These measures come into effect on 1 July 2027 and will be implemented for the first time in the 2028 presidential elections.
The official election campaign blackout begins at midnight on Friday. From this time until the polls close, all political advertising, public statements and campaign gatherings directly or indirectly related to the election are strictly prohibited. This restriction applies to traditional mass media, social media platforms and internet applications. No new campaign content may be uploaded, although posts published prior to Friday night may remain online, and official party websites can stay active.
Newspapers publishing on Saturday morning are uniquely permitted to print news reports solely covering Friday’s campaign events. All billboard advertisements must be removed by midnight on Friday, and no campaign headquarters or signs may be maintained outside polling stations on election day.
Political leaders, including the President of the Republic, the former President, the President of the House of Representatives and political party chiefs, will cast their ballots on Sunday according to a pre-arranged schedule. The Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation will provide pool video and audio feeds to private channels from inside the booths during their voting. The Chief Electoral Officer will be based at the Ministry of Interior throughout Sunday, and all media updates will be delivered from the Theocharis Georgiades Press and Information Office amphitheatre.
