Six Maltese Councils Fill Vacant Seats Using Voter Preferences: Nominations Open June 24-26
Six Maltese local councils are filling vacant seats this week following the May 2026 parliamentary election. Between June 24 and June 26, the Electoral Commission will accept nominations from candidates seeking to fill positions left empty when councillors won parliamentary seats. The affected councils are: Gżira, Għargħur, Birkirkara, Mosta, Siġġiewi, and Marsascala.
The Vacant Seats and Departed Councillors
The six vacancies resulted from councillors elected to the House of Representatives in May 2026:
• Gżira: Former mayor Conrad Borg Manché (Nationalist Party)
• Għargħur: Mayor Mariah Meli (Labour Party)
• Birkirkara: Councillor Yana Debono Grech (Labour Party)
• Mosta: Councillor Anthony Agius Decelis (Labour Party)
• Siġġiewi: Julian Borg (Nationalist Party)
• Marsascala: Minority leader John Baptist Camilleri (Nationalist Party)
How Malta Fills Council Vacancies Without New Elections
When council seats become vacant in Malta, new public elections are not held. Instead, the Electoral Commission applies voter preferences from the local elections held five years earlier, when the now-departed councillors were originally elected. Using the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system, the Commission retrieves the original ballot papers and identifies the next preference voters marked for candidates in those localities. If a candidate accumulates sufficient preferences, they fill the vacant seat.
This administrative process means residents do not return to polling stations. The outcome is determined by preference distributions voters recorded years earlier.
Nomination Requirements
Candidates have three days to submit nominations. The Electoral Commission requires:
• A valid identity card
• A €90 deposit (recoverable if the candidate reaches a specified vote threshold)
• Submission between June 24 and June 26
Candidates abroad or unable to attend may submit nominations through a representative holding a notarized power of attorney.
Birkirkara's Governance Challenge
Birkirkara faces particular administrative complications. Since the June 2021 local elections, the council has operated with equal representation between the Nationalist Party and Labour Party, with independent councillor Kaylocke Buhagiar serving as tie-breaker. Interim mayors have been repeatedly appointed as workarounds to maintain basic functioning.
The departure of Councillor Yana Debono Grech adds further uncertainty. Should the casual election process fail to produce a candidate, the co-option mechanism activates: existing councillors appoint a replacement whose political allegiance reflects the vacating member's party. In Birkirkara's balanced council, this decision becomes consequential for governance.
If No Candidates Emerge: The Co-Option Process
If the nomination period yields no eligible candidates or the casual election cannot proceed, the Local Government Act provides for co-option. Existing councillors convene at their next scheduled sitting and collectively appoint a replacement. Co-opted members must represent the "interests and opinions" of the departing councillor, a requirement typically understood as maintaining the same political allegiance.
What Comes Next
The Electoral Commission will begin the counting process after the nomination window closes on June 26. Results will be published according to the Commission's established timeline. For councils where casual elections succeed, regular operations resume with newly filled seats. For any where co-option is required, the process occurs at the next scheduled council meeting.
The practical outcome determines whether councils function at full capacity through the summer months. For residents, service continuity depends on how swiftly these administrative procedures are completed.
