The 2025 Local Government (LG) election is scheduled to be held today where over 17 million Sri Lankans are eligible to vote to elect members for 339 Local Government institutions.
Voting will take place between 7:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. at 13,759 polling centers across the island.
Nominations
The acceptance of nominations for 336 local government institutions took place from 8.30 a.m. on March 17 until 12 noon on March 20.
Nominations for the Mannar, Poonakary, and Dehiattakandiya Pradeshiya Sabhas were accepted from 8.30 a.m. on 24 March to noon on 27 March.
Nominations of several political parties and independent groups were rejected based on provisions included in various election laws. This prompted legal challenges by aggrieved parities at the Court of Appeal. The Appeals Court subsequently ordered the Election Commission and returning officers to accept nominations of several factions.
Accordingly, a total of 75,589 candidates are contesting from various political parties and independent groups at the Local Government election.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission announced the maximum spending limit allowed for each candidate for campaigning during the LG election.
Accordingly, the spending ceiling allowed per candidate at the polls was Rs. 74 per voter in the Mannar Ward, which is the lowest spending amount, while it was Rs. 160 per voter in the Lahugala Ward, which is the highest amount that a candidate can spend per voter across all wards in Sri Lanka.
The election campaigning activities related to the Local Government election officially concluded at midnight on May 3.
Voters
The LG election will take place based on the 2024 electoral register and the supplementary list which was certified on 1 February, 2025.
A total of 17,156,338 voters are eligible to vote in the election, with the highest number of voters registered in the Gampaha District.
Postal Voting
Applications of 648,495 individuals were approved to vote by post in the Local Government election.
The marking of postal votes for this year’s LG election took place over four days — April 24, 25, 28, and 29 — at a wide range of government institutions.
Personnel from several government departments, police and armed forces, staff of public schools, state-owned corporations, and statutory boards exercise their franchise on four days.
Voting
The distribution of polling cards to voters commenced on April 16 and concluded on April 29. The Department of Posts said those who have not received their official polling cards as of yet, can visit their local post office to collect them by proving their identity.
However, the absence of an official polling card would not hinder the voters from exercising their right to vote, if they are able to provide necessary identification documents upon arrival at the polling station.
Every elector is entitled to one vote, and therefore an elector will receive only one ballot paper.
The ballot papers issued to voters at the polling station are printed with only the names and symbols of the contesting parties and the words “Independent Group” and the identification number and symbols in the case of Independent Groups. The name or numbers of candidates or wards do not appear on the ballot paper.
Accordingly, voters should mark only one “cross (X)” in the space provide on the right side of the name and symbol of the party or number and symbol of the Independent Group any individual wishes to cast the vote.
Individuals should refrain from entering, drawing or writing any mark other than the “cross (X)” on the ballot paper.
ID to Vote
Eligible voters are required to carry one of 10 accepted forms of identification to cast their vote:
1. National Identity Card (Old or New NIC) issued by the Department for Registration of Person
2. Valid Passport
3. Valid Driving License
4. Government Pensioner’s Identity Card issued by the Department of Pensions
5. Elders’ Identity Card issued by the Divisional Secretariat
6. Identity Card issued for the clergy by the Department for Registration of Person
7. Letter issued by the Department for Registration of Person confirming he peculiars of the National Identity Card
8. Temporary Identity Card issued by the Election Commission
9. Temporary Identity Card issued by the Election Commission for persons with disabilities
10. Temporary License Card with a photograph issued by the Department of Motor Traffic
No ballot will be issued at the polling station one of the above identification document is not presented.
As per usual process, voters will have their little finger of the left hand marked with an appropriate sign to prevent double voting and ensure transparency during the Local Government election.
Meanwhile, if a voter’s left little finger is unavailable, the mark will be applied to another finger, as suitable, according to the Election Commission.
Leave of absence to vote
The Election Commission has announced guidelines regarding granting leave for public and private sector employees to allow them to vote. The guidelines are as follows:
• Half-day leave if the polling station is within 40 km of the workplace.
• One day’s leave if the distance is between 40 and 100 km.
• One and a half days’ leave for distances between 100 and 150 km.
• Two days’ leave for distances exceeding 150 km.
Security
More than 65,000 police officers have been deployed for election duties related to the LG election.
Monitoring
Election watchdog, the People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) has decided to deploy approximately 3,000 observers.
Executive Director of PAFFREL Rohana Hettiarachchi stated that observers will be assigned to monitor the election process throughout the country.
Closures
The Ministry of Education has announced that all schools across the island will remain closed today owing to the election.
The Ministry further stated that schools will reopen on May 7.
Additionally, the University Grants Commission (UGC) stated that all universities across the island will remain closed today and tomorrow, specifically for university students.
However, the commission clarified that this leave does not apply to university academic and non-academic staff.
Furthermore, the Department of Government Information announced that all counters responsible for issuing vehicle revenue licenses in the Western Province will remain closed today, due to the deployment of relevant officers for election duties.
For vehicle owners whose license renewal deadline falls today, the department stated they will be allowed to obtain their vehicle revenue license without a fine on the first working day after the elections, upon payment of the applicable license fee.
Meanwhile, the Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) announced that its head office in Narahenpita will be closed today in view of the upcoming elections.
This is because the head office, located on Elvitigala Mawatha, Colombo 05, is scheduled to be used as a polling center.
The Department of Immigration and Emigration has announced that the 24-hour service implemented for one-day service passport issuance will not be available today and tomorrow (07).
The Immigration and Emigration Controller said the decision was taken as providing One-Day and Normal services for issuing Passports to the public have to be restricted due to the Local Government election.
Results
The results of 2025 Local Government election will be available on the www.adaderana.lk website as soon the certification process is completed by the National Election Commission. Adaderana.lk will also provide in-depth analysis of the results until the completion of the 2025 Local Government election process.
