Can foreigners vote in the May 28, 2023 elections?
On the streets of Spain, posters and banners from local and national political parties are everywhere encouraging everyone to go to the polls during the municipal elections on Sunday, May 28. In addition, mailboxes are filled with leaflets and flyers in which politicians announce their program. Many Dutch and Belgians living in Spain received an invitation to the elections in the mail. But what exactly? Can I…or do I have to vote as a foreigner in Spain and how is it?
Sunday 28 May Two elections will be held in many places in Spain: the elections for the autonomous region (elecciones autonómicas), which is a regional election, and the municipal elections (elecciones municipales). As a foreigner (from the European Union) in Spain, to vote at the local/municipal level, you must be registered in the register ‘Senso Electoral de Extranjeros Residentes en España ‘, something that had to be done before January 30, 2023 using their NIE number (número de Identificación de Extranjero) and their proof of empadronamiento (Domiciliation).
If you have not done so before, and if you have not done so this year, you cannot vote at the local level in Spain. This means that you are registered as a foreign resident in the municipality of your place of residence, but because you do not live inSenso Electoral de Extranjeros Residentes en España It is registered, you cannot vote for the municipal council of your place of residence in Spain. If you are registered correctly, you will receive your Certificate of Vote (tarjeta censal) by regular mail before May 1. This ballot paper states where you can cast your vote.
How many foreigners?
In total there are in Spain 35 million voters Who can therefore vote in independent/provincial and local/municipality elections. There is also a total 1,055,653 foreigners Living in Spain and registered as eligible to vote.
It is also found below 11,804 Dutch and 30,693 Belgian According to the last numbers Spanish Statistical Office INE. Therefore, there are almost three times as many Belgians registered as the Dutch, while there are much more Dutch people than Belgians living in Spain.
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