Sarthe Department Sees Voter Registration Increase for 2026 Municipal Elections

As the first round of municipal elections approaches on Sunday, March 15, 2026, the Sarthe prefecture has released figures indicating a slight increase in registered voters within the department. A total of 414,359 citizens are registered to vote in the upcoming two rounds of elections.

Voter Registration Numbers

This represents a modest rise compared to the 406,609 voters registered for the 2020 municipal elections and exceeds the 408,530 registered in 2014.

Contradiction to Population Trends

This increase in voter registration is notable as it contrasts with recent census data indicating a decline in the overall population of the Sarthe department. This suggests a potential surge in civic engagement, possibly influenced by the heightened focus on local concerns following the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

Breakdown by City

The city of Le Mans accounts for the largest portion of registered voters with 91,827 individuals. La Flèche has 10,305 registered voters, and Sablé-sur-Sarthe has 7,768.

Proxy Voting

As of Thursday, March 12, at noon, the prefecture had received 3,708 requests for proxy votes. Citizens still have time to submit proxy requests before the second round of voting.

Changes to Voting Procedures

Since the promulgation of Law No. 2025-848 on August 27, 2025, the voting procedures in communes with fewer than 1,000 inhabitants have been aligned with those of larger communes. This means a unified system of proportional, parity-based list voting will be used across all municipalities.

Specifically, the modern rules eliminate the possibility of altering candidate lists during voting – voters can no longer add, remove, or reorder candidates. All municipal lists must adhere to gender parity requirements.