The polls have been open since this morning in Agrigento, Ispica (Ragusa) and Bronte (Catania) for the run-offs that will decide the new mayors of the three Sicilian municipalities. Voting takes place today until 11pm and tomorrow, Monday, from 7am to 3pm.
Agrigento: Center-right “split” against Countercurrent and progressive area
Overall, 85,143 voters are called to the polls, of which 51,267 in the Agrigento capital alone. The spotlight is focused above all on Agrigento, where Gerlando (Dino) Alonge, supported by the centre-right, and Michele Sodano, candidate from the progressive area supported by Controcorrente, Pd and Movimento 5 Stelle, are competing. In the first round Sodano obtained 11,596 votes, equal to 39.13%, while Alonge stopped at 10,308 preferences, corresponding to 34.79%. The progressive candidate was rewarded by the disjoint vote, recording an exceptional result: his name received 5,204 more votes than the lists that supported him, a figure that represented the highest rate of disjoint voting recorded in the latest administrative elections at national level. Alonge is supported by Noi with Sicilia-Popolare e Autonomisti (Mpa), Fratelli d’Italia, Forza Italia, Forza Azzurri and Udc. The centre-right was divided in the first round, with the League and the DC supporting the candidate Luigi Gentile, who stopped at 14.11%. Despite the fragmentation, the lists attributable to the centre-right area achieved a total of 54.26% of the votes, obtaining 19 of the 24 seats in the municipal council. In recent days the regional commissioner of the League, Nino Germanà, had made an appeal to moderate voters to converge on the centre-right candidate in the second round.
Ispica: Walls against Countercurrent Arena
In Ispica the challenge is between Lucio Muraglie, supported by the Pierenzo Muraglie Sindaco, Pensiamo Ispica and Libera e Forte lists, and Serafino Arena, candidate of Controcorrente, Movimento 5 Stelle, Avs and the civic lists that support his project. In the first round Muraglie had obtained 33.59% of the votes, while Arena had stopped at 19.65%.
Bronte: Forza Italia and center-right against Controcorrente and progressive lists
Finally, in Bronte, the confrontation is between Giuseppe Castiglione, regional deputy of Forza Italia and supported by centre-right civic lists, and Giuseppe Gullotta, candidate of Controcorrente and the progressive civic lists. In the first round Castiglione had received 31.71% of the votes against 25.28% for Gullotta. The polls will remain open until 11pm today and will reopen tomorrow morning for the last day of voting. Counting will begin immediately after the polls close, scheduled for 3pm on Monday.