Info
Voter Registration
VR001
Voting age
Question: What is the legal voting age in the national elections?
Answer:
c . 18
Comments:
Article 49
(Right to vote)
1. Every citizen who has attained the age of eighteen years has the right to vote, subject to the incapacities
provided for in the general law.
2. The right to vote shall be exercised personally and constitutes a civic duty.
Article 1
Eligibility to vote
1 - Portuguese citizens over the age of eighteen years are eligible to vote.
2 - Portuguese who are also held to be citizens of another state do not lose the eligibility to vote
because of that fact.
Source:
Constitution of the Portuguese Republic, Seventh Revision [2005], Article 49: https://ecnl.org/sites/default/files/files/2021/PortugalConstitution.pdf
Assembly of the Republic Electoral Law (Law No. 14/79 of May 16, 1979) as amended, Article 1:
https://www.parlamento.pt/sites/EN/Parliament/Documents/LeiEleitoralARen.pdf
Verified:
2024/10/10
VR002
Other voting requirements
Question: Beyond age, what other qualifications exist for registering to vote and voting in the national elections?
Answer(s):
a . Citizenship
Comments:
Article 49
(Right to vote)
1. Every citizen who has attained the age of eighteen years has the right to vote, subject to the incapacities
provided for in the general law.
2. The right to vote shall be exercised personally and constitutes a civic duty.
Article 1
Eligibility to vote
1 - Portuguese citizens over the age of eighteen years are eligible to vote.
2 - Portuguese who are also held to be citizens of another state do not lose the eligibility to vote
because of that fact.
Source:
Constitution of the Portuguese Republic, Seventh Revision [2005], Article 49: https://ecnl.org/sites/default/files/files/2021/PortugalConstitution.pdf
Assembly of the Republic Electoral Law (Law No. 14/79 of May 16, 1979) as amended, Article 1:
https://www.parlamento.pt/sites/EN/Parliament/Documents/LeiEleitoralARen.pdf
Verified:
2024/10/10
VR004
Authority responsible for voter registration
Question: Which is the authority responsible for the registration of voters for national elections?
Answer:
a . Central Government Department (specify)
Comments:
Article 11
Organization, Management, Monitoring, and Supervision of the Voter Registration Database (BDRE)
1 - The organization, maintenance, and management of the BDRE are the responsibility of the Technical Secretariat for Electoral Affairs (STAPE) of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
2 - In each electoral registration geographic unit, the electoral registration commissions are responsible for the organization, maintenance, and management of their respective computerized files, without prejudice to the provisions in the previous paragraph and in paragraphs 1 and 3 of Article 10.
3 - The National Data Protection Commission (CNPD) oversees and supervises the operations referred to in the previous paragraphs.
Source:
Law no. 13/99 of 22 March 1999 regulating electoral registration, Article 3(1-3), 11(1-3):
https://diariodarepublica.pt/dr/detalhe/lei/13-1999-150518
Official Website of Ministry of Internal Administration, Secretary General: https://www.sg.mai.gov.pt/AdministracaoEleitoral/FAQs/RecenseamentoEleitoral/Paginas/default.aspx
Verified:
2024/10/10
VR008
Is it compulsory to be on the voters register?
Question: Is it compulsory to be on the voters register?
Answer:
a . Yes
Comments:
Article 113 of the Constitution:
2. Without prejudice to the provisions of Articles 15(4) and (5) and 121(2), electoral registration is
conducted at the initiative of the citizen and is compulsory and permanent, and there is a single
registration system for all elections that are held by direct, universal suffrage.
Source:
Constitution of the Portuguese Republic, Seventh Revision [2005], Article 113(2): https://www.parlamento.pt/sites/EN/Parliament/Documents/Constitution7th.pdf
Official Website of Ministry of Internal Administration, Secretary General:
https://www.sg.mai.gov.pt/AdministracaoEleitoral/FAQs/RecenseamentoEleitoral/Paginas/default.aspx
Verified:
2024/10/10
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