Lebanon municipal elections: Beirut polls close, Baalbek leads turnout
2 Min Read
Ballot boxes closed in Beirut, Bekaa, and Baalbek-Hermel as part of the third phase of Lebanon’s 2025 municipal elections, with Baalbek registering the highest voter turnout at 46.73%.
-
A man casts his vote as election observers monitor the process at a polling station during municipal elections in Beirut, Lebanon, Sunday, May 18, 2025. (AP)
Lebanon’s National News Agency announced the closure of ballot boxes for the third phase of municipal and mayoral elections across the governorates of Beirut, Bekaa, and Baalbek-Hermel at 7:00 pm local time.
The Ministry of Interior later released final voter turnout figures following the official end of voting.
Voter turnout varies across regions
According to official data:
- Beirut recorded a voter turnout of 20.00%.
- Baalbek-Hermel Governorate reached 44.90%.
- Bekaa Governorate registered 42.84%.
Among all districts participating in the current phase, Baalbek District saw the highest turnout, with 46.73% of eligible voters casting their ballots.
Interior Ministry receives 390 election-related complaints
The Ministry of Interior confirmed it had received a total of 390 complaints during the electoral process:
- 338 administrative
- 48 media-related
- 4 security-related
Despite the volume of complaints, the ministry did not report any major disruptions affecting the electoral process.
Aoun: Municipal elections are developmental, not political
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun visited the Internal Security Forces operations room on Sunday morning to oversee the launch of the second phase of municipal and mayoral elections.
Aoun stated that the elections serve as a message to both the domestic and international communities that "the Lebanese state has been placed back on the right track."
He emphasized that the municipal elections are "developmental, not political," urging citizens in the North and Akkar to participate and vote based on their convictions and the developmental vision that best represents them.
“I urge citizens to vote for the [electoral] program, not the individuals," the Lebanese president indicated.
Read more: Lebanon's 2025 municipal elections begin in Mount Lebanon
