Works on the new vote counting hall at the former Naxxar trade fair grounds are in an advanced stage, officials of the Electoral Commission said on Wednesday morning. The project initiated in August. Finishing touches will be carried out once the election is called.
Louis Fsadni, manager of the hall, explained that the new hall is 320 sq meters larger than the former counting hall at Ta' Qali. The next election will see an increase in the number of eligible voters. There will be 315,217 eligible voters for the next general election, 17,357 more than in 2003, and the number of polling booths will rise from 553 to 565.
The new counting hall was set up after the former counting hall in Ta' Qali was sold to house the new United States (US) embassy last December 2006.
The Ta’ Qali counting hall was used for the general elections held on 1992, 1996, 1998 and 2003. Votes were counted at Lyster Barracks and Hal Far in the1981 and 1987 elections. Before that, votes were counted at the Junior Lyceum Building and the ‘Knights Hall' in Valletta.
