THE BALL – Follow the elections LIVE (Benfica)

They were scheduled for next Friday, the 30th, but the restrictions of circulation imposed for the next weekend, caused by the pandemic Covid-19, anticipated for this Wednesday, between 8 and 22 hours, the elections for Benfica’s governing bodies. ABOLA.pt accompanies the electoral act from the first moment.

11.31 hours: João Noronha Lopes has already exercised his right to vote in Pavilion 2 of Estádio da Luz. Then he spoke to journalists, showing his optimism and appealing to the members to vote. «We are one day away from changing Benfica’s destiny», he said.

11.22 hours: By this time 6101 members have already voted, 1803 of which in Pavilion 2 of Estádio da Luz.

– The winner of the elections may not be known tonight. This is because, if any list asks for a recount of the votes, the ballot boxes will have to be opened and there are a total of 25 polling stations in various parts of the country. However, it was known that the professional football squad will exercise the right to vote in the Seixal.

– João Noronha Lopes will be the first candidate to vote, having planned to be at Estádio da Luz from 11.30 am. Luís Filipe Vieira has planned to vote at 4 pm, followed by Rui Gomes da Silva, who pointed to 16.30 pm.

10.02 hours: Two hours after the Electoral Assembly, 3734 members exercised their right to vote (1177 in Pavilion 2 of the Estádio da Luz Sports Complex). The queue to vote, by the way, already goes around the entire Estádio da Luz.

9.00 am: After the first hour of voting, 1611 members have already exercised their right to vote.

– Benfica’s electoral act promises strong adherence, despite the current pandemic state. It is curious if the voting record, which dates back to 2012, when Luís Filipe Vieira beat Rui Rangel, could be broken. See the biggest polls here.

8.05 hours: Virgílio Duque Vieira, chairman of the Board of the General Assembly of Benfica, in substitution, made, from inside Pavilhão 2 of Estádio da Luz, an appeal to vote through the club’s television channel. Read here.

8 hours: Everything is ready for the start of voting in Pavilion 2 of Estádio da Luz, the main stage on this election day, where around 7.30 am there were already members lining up to exercise their voting rights. However, it will be possible to vote in practically the whole country, from North to South, in 23 houses of the club and in a Branch.

Luís Filipe Vieira, president for almost 17 years – the one who has gone through the longest period at the helm of the club – re-runs for list A for what, he guaranteed, will be his last term, with opponents João Noronha Lopes in list B and Rui Gomes da Silva, on list D. List C, belonging to the movement led by Bruno Costa Carvalho left the scene yesterday.

Record all history presidents Benfica.