All nationals over the age of 17 who live abroad are automatically and unofficially enrolled on the electoral roll, provided that they are holders of a citizen's card with an address abroad.
Each citizen is automatically registered with the registration office (Consular Section of the Embassy).
National citizens residing abroad who are holders of an identity card are not automatically enrolled in the Portuguese electoral census and must promote their enrolment in person at the census office of the area of their residence.
Voters who register in person abroad identify themselves by presenting their identity card and certify their residence with a document that proves their address in their country of residence.
Portuguese citizens residing abroad, holding an identity card and promoting their registration in the Portuguese electoral register, will be registered at the local census offices (consular section of the Embassy) corresponding to the address indicated, with documentary proof, of the country where they live.
Registration of Portuguese citizens residing abroad is voluntary, and although they are automatically registered, they may request at any time (with the exception of the period of suspension of voter registration, which starts 60 days before the date of the electoral act) the cancellation of their automatic registration in the voter register.
When applying for the issuance or renewal of the citizen card, citizens must compulsorily choose whether to maintain or cancel their registration, and this information shall be registered in the system.
The registration of Portuguese citizens living abroad will become inactive 24 months after the expiration date of the last valid national identification document or passport, if it has not been revalidated.
Registration will become active, ex officio, upon obtaining or revalidating the citizen's card or upon voluntary registration in the voter register.
Voter registration shall be suspended 60 days prior to each electoral act and reopened on the day following the electoral act in question.
Exercise of voting rights abroad
A) Elections for the President of the Republic
The voters of the President of the Republic are Portuguese citizens registered in the national territory and Portuguese citizens residing abroad who are registered in the Portuguese electoral register.
The election of the President of the Republic is carried out in person and directly by the voting citizen, under the terms of the CRP (Article 121) and the LEPR (Nos. 1 and 2 of Article 70).
B) Elections to the Assembly of the Republic
In the election to the Assembly of the Republic, Portuguese citizens registered abroad can choose between voting in person or voting by post, and for the purpose of expressing their preference to the respective census commission until the date of publication in the Diário da República. of the electoral act.
In the event that, by the aforementioned date, no preference is expressed, Portuguese citizens registered abroad will continue to exercise their right to vote by post.
Useful Legislation
Amendments to the Electoral Laws and LRE - Organic Law no. 3/2018, of 17th August and Organic Law no. 4/2020, of 11th November - http://www.cne.pt/news/lei-organica-no-42020-alteracao-leis-eleitorais_6879
LEPR - Presidential Electoral Law - Decree-Law no. 319-A/76, of 3 May, (updated with Organic Law no. 4/2020, of 11 November) - http://www.cne.pt/sites/default/files/dl/legis_lepr_2020-11-11.pdf
LEAR - Electoral Law for the Assembly of the Republic - Law No. 14/79, of 16th May - http://www.cne.pt/content/eleicoes-para-assembleia-da-republica-2019
LEPE - Parliament Election Law - Law n.º 14/87, from 29th April - http://www.cne.pt/content/eleicoes-para-o-parlamento-europeu-2019
LEALRAM - Electoral Law for the Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Region of Madeira - Organic Law 1/2006, of 13 February - http://www.cne.pt/content/eleicao-para-assembleia-legislativa-da-regiao-autonoma-da-madeira-2019
LEALRAA - Electoral Law of the Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Region of the Azores - Decree-Law no. 267/80, of 8 August - http://www.cne.pt/content/eleicao-para-assembleia-legislativa-da-regiao-autonoma-dos-acores-2020
For further information, please consult the website of the National Elections Commission, the AE-SGMAI Portal, the Voters' Portal and the "euEleitor" Portal, namely the links below:
http://www.cne.pt/content/perguntas-frequentes-tema-eleicao
https://www.sg.mai.gov.pt/AdministracaoEleitoral/EleicoesReferendos/
