2018 Venezuelan municipal elections
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 2018 Venezuelan municipal elections
| country = Venezuela
| type = municipal
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 2017 Venezuelan municipal elections
| previous_year = 2017
| election_date = {{Start date|2018|12|9|df=y}}
| next_election =
| next_year = 2021
| turnout = 27.4% {{decrease}} (official)
~11.1% (independent est.){{cite news|title=Meganálisis: participación final en elecciones de concejales fue de 11,16%|url=http://www.noticierodigital.com/2018/12/meganalisis-participacion-final-elecciones-concejales-fue-1116/|date=9 December 2018|accessdate=10 December 2018|work=Noticiero Digital|archive-date=2018-12-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181210030323/http://www.noticierodigital.com/2018/12/meganalisis-participacion-final-elecciones-concejales-fue-1116/|url-status=dead}}
| 1blank = Officials
| 2blank = Officials +/–
| alliance1 = Great Patriotic Pole
| electoral_vote1 =
| popular_vote1 =
| percentage1 = {{increase}} 97.3%
| colour1 = cc0000
| 1data1 = 326
| 2data1 = {{increase}} 20
| alliance2 = Concertación
| electoral_vote2 =
| popular_vote2 =
| percentage2 = {{decrease}} 2.7%
| colour2 = 0000ac
| 1data2 = 9
| 2data2 = {{decrease}} 16
| map_image = Municipales Venezuela 2018.png
| map_size = 214px
| map_alt = Results by Municipality.
| map =
| map_caption =
}}
{{Politics of Venezuela}}
Municipal elections were held in Venezuela on 9 December 2018, aimed at choosing only the 2459 municipality councillors of Venezuela.[http://www.cne.gov.ve/web/normativa_electoral/elecciones/2018/concejales/documentos/cargos_elegir/Cargos_Vs_Circuns_31-12-2018_Concejales.pdf Elecciones Municipales 2018] CNE
Background
Following the 2018 Venezuelan presidential election, municipal elections were quickly organized throughout Venezuela. The National Electoral Council proposed the election date of 9 December 2018, which in turn was approved by the Constituent National Assembly on 13 July 2018.[http://www.elimpulso.com/noticias/nacionales/asamblea-de-educacion-carece-de-validez-el-anuncio-de-elecciones-de-concejos-municipales Asamblea de Educación: Carece de validez el anuncio de elecciones de Concejos Municipales] El Impulso, 17 July 2018[http://talcualdigital.com/index.php/2018/07/09/junta-nacional-electoral-propone-elecciones-municipales-para-el-9-de-diciembre/ Junta Nacional Electoral propone elecciones municipales para el 9 de diciembre] TalCual, 9 July 2018
Conduct
Many voting centers were seen empty due to low participation.{{Cite web|url=http://www.lapatilla.com/2018/12/09/en-fotos-la-desolacion-en-los-centros-de-votacion-9dic/|title=EN FOTOS: La desolación en los centros de votación #9Dic|date=2018-12-09|website=La Patilla|language=es-ES|access-date=2018-12-10}} Members of the state-run CLAP were ordered to participate in the elections with the government offering food products to those who were involved.{{Cite web|url=http://www.lapatilla.com/2018/12/09/miembros-organizadores-de-los-clap-obligados-a-votar-este-domingo-en-caracas/|title=Miembros organizadores de los Clap obligados a votar este domingo en Caracas|date=2018-12-09|website=La Patilla|language=es-ES|access-date=2018-12-10}}
Results
Official results showed that only 27.4% of eligible voters participated in the election{{cite news |title=CNE anunció que participación fue de 27,4% en elecciones municipales |url=http://www.el-nacional.com/noticias/politica/cne-anuncio-que-participacion-fue-274-elecciones-municipales_262777 |accessdate=10 December 2018 |work=El Nacional |date=9 December 2018 |language=es}} compared to 47.3% in 2017.