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Voting in Spain
Voting in Spain, Registering to vote in Spain, Voting in UK and European elections from Spain
Living in Spain Factsheet 2.
Click for full list of useful basic information factsheets about living in, and moving to, Spain.
The right to vote is a fundamental part of democracy but once you take up residence in a different country, that right can sometimes become unclear. For British nationals of voting age living in Spain there are still a number of voting rights in both countries.
Subject to certain conditions, UK citizens in Spain are likely to have the rights to vote in:
• UK general elections
• European Parliamentary elections
• Spanish local elections
They will not have the right to vote in:
• Local authority elections
• Scottish Parliamentary elections
• National Assembly for Wales elections
• Northern Ireland Assembly elections
• Spanish national elections
• Spanish regional elections
Registering to vote in Spain
To vote in Spain, you will need both an NIE number and to have registered on the Padrón of your ayuntamiento( local town hall). At the time of registering on the Padrón, you should have been offered the option to register on the electoral roll (giving you voting rights in both the European elections and the Spanish local authority elections).
If you were not given that opportunity, you will need to return to the ayuntamiento and register. Although the presence of your name on the Padrón should be sufficient, it may be wise to take along the same documents and identification that were required for registering on the Padrón, namely:
• Passport or similar proof of identification
• Proof of address (usually a utility bill or rental contract)
Once you have registered in this way, it may take up to three months for the paperwork to be processed and to receive confirmation that you are on the electoral roll.
Voting in Spanish local elections
Local elections to choose the local mayor and councillors take place every four years. Votes are cast for parties rather than individual names (although the names are of course available and will play a part in influencing how people vote). The percentage of the vote each party receives determines the percentage of the seats they are allocated (i.e. 50% of the votes equals 50% of the seats). The number of seats or councillor positions available is proportionate to the size of the local population.
Two days prior to the election (often on a Sunday) all political campaigning must stop so as to give the electorate some time for reflection. As part of the campaigning, some parties may send out voting slips for themselves through the post as an incentive to encourage voters to choose their party – only take that slip to the polling station if you intend to vote for that party.
On the day of the elections, polling stations (colegios electorales) are usually established in municipal buildings or schools and are open from 9am to 8pm. If you are not sure where to go, contact the town hall to find out the location of your nearest polling station.
At the entrance to the polling station voters arriving to vote are checked off on the electoral roll. You will need to have photo-ID with you such as a passport or driving licence.
Inside the polling station, you will find envelopes and slips for each party. Simply take a slip for your chosen party, place it in the envelope and put in the urn provided. Nothing more needs to be done.
Voting in the European elections in Spain
If you are a UK national resident in Spain there are two options for voting in European Parliamentary elections: either via the UK or through your local ayuntamiento or town hall. The first action you must take is to register your intention to vote.
If you were registered to vote in the UK within the last fifteen years, you are eligible to vote in the European elections and may do so via the last UK local authority in which you were registered to vote. To express your intention, the appropriate form can be downloaded from the Electoral Commission website: www.aboutmyvote.co.uk
As mentioned above, at the time of registering on the Padrón, you should have been offered the option to register on the electoral roll or census (giving you voting rights in both the European elections and the Spanish local authority elections). If you were not given that opportunity, you will need to return to the ayuntamiento and register. Once you are on the electoral roll, you have effectively expressed your intention to vote.
When you register an intention to vote in the European elections – whether you go the UK or the Spain route – you will need to declare that you will only vote once; i.e. take advantage of one option or the other, not both.
It is normal to be sent a notification of your right to vote prior to the elections. If this has not been received, return to your ayuntamiento and check to see if you are on the electoral register.
Voting in UK general elections from Spain
If you have been registered to vote in the UK within the last fifteen years, you are still eligible to vote in UK general elections. If, when you left the UK you were below voting age and therefore unable to register, you can still vote from overseas so long as you left the UK no more than fifteen years ago and a parent or guardian was registered to vote in the UK at that time.
Assuming that you are eligible, you can place your vote either by mail (postal vote) or by proxy (having someone place your vote for you). While choosing between the two is mainly a question of personal choice, it is worth bearing in mind that a postal vote takes longer and requires you to initiate proceedings further in advance. The forms for both options can be accessed from the website www.aboutmyvote.co.uk which is maintained by the Electoral Commission.
For other info to help you deal with common issues in Spain go to the index of Ex-pat fact sheets