Voting and civic life in Spain

It is for anyone thinking about, planning or carrying out a move to Spain. You will learn which elections you can vote in, how to get on the roll in time, and how to take part in local civic life.

Start with "Can you vote in Spain without Spanish nationality?" It sets out which elections are open to you, depending on your nationality and status. Then read "How foreign residents get on the electoral roll (censo electoral)", because registration is not automatic.

The other articles cover how Spanish elections work, election day, voting in your home country's elections from Spain, and how the municipal vote shapes local life. They also cover civic participation beyond voting, and your rights when it comes to protest, unions and parties.

Key rules

• Electoral roll: You are not added to the electoral roll automatically: you must be on the padrón and apply to be included before the cut-off set for each election.
• Residence period: Non-EU nationals from reciprocity countries normally need 5 years of legal residence, and 3 years for some countries such as Norway and New Zealand.
• General and regional elections: No foreign resident, including EU citizens, can vote in general or regional elections.
• Opt-in: Foreign voters are not added to the electoral roll automatically; you must apply.
• Non-EU voters: You need a valid residence permit and a country with a voting agreement, and you can vote only in municipal elections.
• Closed lists: You vote for a whole party list in your province and cannot choose individual candidates.

Voting and civic life in Spain: the whole process, step by step

• Find out which elections you can vote in (Can you vote in Spain without Spanish nationality?): before you start

• Register on the padrón, your town's resident register, which is needed for the roll (How foreign residents get on the electoral roll (censo electoral)): before you apply to join the roll

• Apply to join the electoral roll. EU citizens apply once and it normally stays valid; non-EU nationals from reciprocity countries must reapply for each election (How foreign residents get on the electoral roll (censo electoral)): before the cut-off set for each election; for non-EU nationals this is usually earlier, around January for May municipal elections

• Check the election type and date, and how governments form afterwards (How Spanish elections work: general, regional, municipal and European): in the months before the vote; municipal elections are every four years on the fourth Sunday of May and European elections every five years in June

• Ask for a postal vote at a Correos office with your ID if you cannot attend in person (What election day looks like for foreign voters): after the election is called, usually until about ten days before the election

• Return the postal vote (What election day looks like for foreign voters): by the third day before the election

• Vote, and answer a call to staff a polling table if you are drawn (What election day looks like for foreign voters): on election day; if drawn, give any excuse within seven days of notification

• Follow how the new council and mayor are formed (How the municipal vote shapes housing, services and local priorities): after municipal election day

• Use civic channels beyond voting, such as volunteering, unions and demonstrations (Civic participation in Spain beyond the ballot box; Protest, unions and parties: your rights as a foreign resident): at any time; to hold a public-road demonstration, organisers notify the authorities normally 10 days before

Documents you may need

Identity and residence

• Padrón registration — Can you vote in Spain without Spanish nationality?, How foreign residents get on the electoral roll (censo electoral)
• Valid registration certificate or residence document — Can you vote in Spain without Spanish nationality?
• Your identity document — How foreign residents get on the electoral roll (censo electoral)
• A valid residence permit showing the required period of legal residence — How foreign residents get on the electoral roll (censo electoral)
• ID to show at a Correos office if you request a postal vote — What election day looks like for foreign voters

The home and the lease

• A declaration of your nationality and address — Protest, unions and parties: your rights as a foreign resident

Other documents

• The request form to the electoral census office — How foreign residents get on the electoral roll (censo electoral)
• A statement that you are not disqualified from standing in your home country — Protest, unions and parties: your rights as a foreign resident
• Polling card — What election day looks like for foreign voters
• A certificate or other proof of the above — Protest, unions and parties: your rights as a foreign resident

Voting and civic life in Spain: questions that cross several articles

Can I vote in all elections in Spain if I am an EU citizen?

No, EU citizens resident in Spain can vote only in municipal and European Parliament elections, not in general or regional ones. You must be on the padrón and apply to join the electoral roll first.

How long must I have lived in Spain to vote if I am not from the EU?

If you are from a reciprocity country, you normally need 5 years of legal residence, and 3 years for some countries such as Norway and New Zealand. The period depends on your nationality, and you must reapply for each election.

Which non-EU nationalities can vote in Spanish municipal elections?

Nationals of Norway, New Zealand, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Cape Verde, Iceland, Trinidad and Tobago and South Korea have been covered, some with conditions. Read "Can you vote in Spain without Spanish nationality?" for your situation.

Could I be called to work at a polling station as a foreign voter?

Yes, if you are on the municipal roll you can be drawn for polling-table duty, which is mandatory. Excuses such as illness or caring duties must be justified within seven days of notification.

Can I join a union or volunteer if I cannot vote?

Yes, foreign workers can join unions and strike on the same terms as Spaniards, and foreign residents can volunteer with NGOs. Unpaid volunteering must not be disguised work, and holders of limited permits should check theirs allows it. Read "Protest, unions and parties: your rights as a foreign resident" and "Civic participation in Spain beyond the ballot box".