Ramón Adell, president of the Barcelona Management Committee, informed that the club’s presidential elections will take place on July 18.

Adell explained the Committee’s priority has always been to conduct the elections in the earliest possible time. “Our will is that the transfer of powers is done as soon as possible,” with the new board set to take charge 10 days after the elections. He added they called for the elections on a Saturday instead of Sunday in the hopes of a higher voter turnout.

Voting will be from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Camp Nou’s Auditori 1899. The Committee has also proposed to the club to arrange transportation for the socis, especially for those members who live far from Barcelona.

For a candidacy to be valid it must be presented with at least 2,534 support signatures from the socis. The pre-candidates will be able to pick up the ballot papers on June 19 and, after that, they will have 36 hours to deliver the signatures.

Besides the former president Josep Maria Bartomeu, three others have confirmed their candidacy. They are Toni Freixa, Agustí Benedito and Jordi Farré. Two other contenders are expected to announce their candidacy, Jordi Majó and former FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta, who has been leading the surveys as a favorite.

The presidential elections were called by Bartomeu in order to “reduce the excessive pressure” the club was facing after Barça’s defeat at Anoeta this season, Messi’s clash with Luis Enrique and Zubizarreta’s and Puyol’s departure from the sporting management.