Municipal Elections in Spain

Municipal Elections in Spain

The last municipal elections in Spain tool place in May 2023. They take place like clockwork every four years. The next will be in May 2027

Don’t wait until there are visible reminders that someone is trying desperately to impress you with irresistible promises of a better future, visit your Town Hall now to ensure that you qualify to vote and place your name on the Municipal Padron and then on the electoral register.

Voting is by the D’ Hondt method of proportional representation. Each party publishes closed lists of candidates ranked in order of importance and equal to the number of local councilor seats to be elected. Councilors are elected in proportion to the total votes. For example in a town with 15 councilors a party who gained 60% of the vote would have 9 councilors. Within one month of the election the councilors must meet to vote their Mayor. The Major would naturally belong to the majority party and then appoint his/her councilors as an executive board to head the council departments, usually as full time salaried employees. If no party wins a majority the minority parties will form a coalition group which does not necessarily include the ‘winning’ party.

Additionally the membership of “Provincial Deputations” are indirectly elected according to the results of municipal elections, and all of their members must be councilors of a town or city in the province.

Non spanish National elegibility

Members of the European Union residing in Spain, Norwegians meeting specific criteria (*), and UK citizens under a bilateral treaty signed on 21-01-2019 are allowed to vote in Spain in local (municipal) election. (*)Norwegians and UK must certify that they have been residing in Spain for at least three years. Because residency cards do not state when residency began, the only way to certify how long you have been here is to show that you have been registered in your town's padrón for at least 3 years. Request a Certificado de Enpadronmiento historical.