Cypriots living in the UK will be able to cast their votes for the Cyprus presidential election on 5 February 2023, at a total of ten polling stations.
Five stations have been set up in two locations in London; three at the Cyprus High Commission, 13 St. James’s Square, London, SW1Y 4LB, where 1461 people have registered to vote, and two at the Cypriot Community Centre, Earlham Grove, Wood Green, London N22 5HJ, where 815 people are expected to vote.
An additional five polling stations will operate across the UK; in Manchester – at the function hall of the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation, Bury New Road, Salford M7 4EY (365 registered voters); in Birmingham – at The Midlands Greek & Cypriot Association, Magnet Centre, Park Approach, B23 7SJ (311 registered voters); in Leeds – at the function hall of the Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Three Hierarchs, 57 Harehills Avenue, Leeds LS8 4EU (234 registered voters); in Bristol – at the function hall of the Greek Orthodox Church of St Peter and St Paul, Lower Ashley Road, Bristol BS5 0YL (203 registered voters); and in Glasgow – at the function hall of the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of St Luke the Evangelist, 27 Dundonald Road, Dowanhill, Glasgow G12 9LL (257 registered voters).
Consul General of the Republic of Cyprus in the UK, Odysseas Odysseos, has made all the necessary arrangements for the operation of the election centres, in preparation for the presiding officers to assume their duties.
He told Parikiaki, “the presiding officers will be responsible for running the polling stations, counting the votes and informing the General Election Officer of the results of each ballot. The five polling centres that will operate outside London (Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Bristol and Glasgow) will be manned by officers coming from Cyprus, whilst the five polling centres in London (Cyprus High Commission and Cypriot Community Centre) will be manned by Embassy staff.”
The Consul General urged those who will exercise their right to vote at the Cyprus High Commission, to bear in mind that there will be traffic restrictions and road closures in central London on the day of the presidential election, due to a half marathon taking place.
“Voters making their way to the High Commission on Sunday 5 February are advised
to use the underground (nearest tube stations: Piccadilly Circus and Green Park), rail (London Paddington), or bus services (routes 6, 14, 19, 38 and 94 to Piccadilly Circus or route 9 to
Pall Mall/St James’s Palace) as a scheduled marathon taking place in central London will result in limited vehicle access,” underlined Mr Odysseos.
With regards to polling station opening hours, although there is no official announcement as yet, polls are expected to open at 10am UK time with a break between 12:00-12:30pm, and close at 4pm, simultaneously with the closing of polling centres in Cyprus.
Concluding, Mr Odysseos called upon the 3,646 UK Cypriots on the electoral register, to exercise their right to vote.
“The right to vote is sacred. Every five years, we as citizens can make our voices heard, and on February 5th, we have the opportunity to do so.”
Besides the UK, electoral centres will be set up in Greece, Berlin, Vienna, Brussels, Brussels, Paris, Luxembourg, Sofia, Stockholm, The Hague, New York and Dubai.
Approximately 561,000 voters are registered to vote in the 2023 presidential elections.
There are three main candidates: ruling-DISY backed Averof Neophytou, AKEL-backed independent Andreas Mavroyiannis, and DIKO and EDEK-backed independent Nikos Christodoulides.
If no candidate receives a majority of the vote on 5 February, a runoff will be held on 12 February.
