Overall voter turnout had risen by nearly four percentage points as of Saturday evening, the day before polling day, driven by a rise in the number of people casting paper votes during the advance voting period. The e-vote, which is now closed, had fallen by a fraction of one percent, according to preliminary figures.
The advance voting period, including the e-vote, ended at 8 p.m. Saturday. While polls are now open for in-person paper voting on Sunday, election day, no e-votes may be cast. All 356 polling stations were open from Friday, while select stations had been open from Monday for advance voting.
Turnout as of Saturday evening was higher than at the last local elections in 2021, even as the number of polling stations had fallen from 448 to 356 this time.
As of 8:15 p.m., voter turnout stood at 43.3 percent, higher than the 39.6 percent seen at the same point in time in 2021.
This had risen to 44 percent as of 10 a.m. on Sunday morning.
The on-paper vote had risen, to 162,415 votes cast compared with 149,823 in 2021.
The e-vote, however, had fallen slightly, to 272,206 by the time polls closed, compared with 273,620 at the same point in October 2021.
In total, 441,479 people had voted as of 10 a.m. Sunday, out of 1,003,752 eligible voters, reflecting a turnout of 44 percent.
The final turnout in 2021 was 584,901.
The final number of e-votes for 2025 was determined on Sunday evening, after duplicate votes and e-votes overridden by in-person voting had been removed.
By region, the highest turnout as of Saturday evening was seen in Hiiumaa, with a 49.5 percent turnout, compared with 48.1 percent for Tallinn, and 45.5 percent for Tartu.
Estonian citizens, EU citizens resident in Estonia, and persons of indeterminate citizenship (“Gray passport holders”) are eligible to vote at this year’s local elections.
More information on how to vote is here.
Candidates on the campaign trail: Things went well
As for campaigning, several candidates continued to meet voters up until Saturday.
Some candidates and campaigners ERR spoke to on Saturday said things had gone well.
While campaigning is permitted on the Sunday, many politicians said they would stay at home on election day.
On Saturday, the parties were out in force in Tallinn’s various districts, for a final drive, offering goodies such as sweets, pens etc. to passersby, regardless of whether they could vote in that district, or at all.
Center Party candidate Marika Tuus-Laul told “Aktuaalne kaamera” that her campaign tent in the Kristiine district of Tallinn was something of a free for all.
“Everything is being offered, but you can’t even tell who’s who or where they come from. Whether they can vote here or whether they can vote for someone in your district — is is all one big market,” she said. Tuus-Laul’s own personalized goody was a packet of spices, replete with recipe suggestions.
Eesti 200 was campaigning too. The party rejects claims that it may struggle to pass the 5-percent vote threshold, following a long period of low ratings.
“Eesti 200’s rise is definitely ahead. We’re doing our best, and I believe we’ll get over the threshold. I don’t believe the mantra that’s being spread here,” said candidate and MP Kadri Tali told “Aktuaalne kaamera.”
Parempoolsed, contesting its first ever local elections, had a campaigning tent adjacent to Center’s in Mustamäe, with party leader Lavly Perling in attendance.
“When you show that we’re pursuing our own goals and have our own principles, but we can still interact normally with our competitors — that’s what people care about,” Perling said.
Meanwhile, candidates running in Tallinn’s Nõmme neighborhood, seasoned politicians and newcomers alike, said that people in that area care most about local issues.
Allar Levandi, a first time candidate, running with Isamaa, said: “It’s nice to be with people and listen to what the real problems and real issues are that they care about.”
EKRE candidate Kadri Vilbasaid: “There have been a lot of young students coming by who are voting for the first time, and it’s really clear that they’ve done their homework and ask very smart questions.”
Polling stations opened at 9 a.m. Sunday and will close at 8 p.m. A paper vote overrides any e-vote a voter has cast, as it does in the advance period too.
The results are likely to come in late on Sunday.
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