Voting in your home country's elections from Spain

Key rules

• Municipal elections: You can vote in Spanish municipal elections and in your home country's elections.
• European Parliament: If you are an EU citizen, you vote once for the European Parliament, either in Spain or in your home state.
• Registration: Most countries require you to be on their overseas electoral roll, usually through the consulate or an online system.
• Voting method: Post, proxy or consulate voting depends on your nationality and can change by election.

Can you vote at home while living in Spain?

Yes. Spain lets foreign residents vote in municipal elections and also in their home-country elections. The one limit is the European Parliament: if you are an EU citizen, you vote once, either in Spain or in your home state.

Whether you can vote at home, and how, is set by your home country's law. Voting from Spain requires registering with your home state or consulate. The methods (post, proxy or consular voting) vary by nationality.

Step 1: Register as an overseas voter

Most countries expect you to be on an overseas electoral roll. You usually register through your consulate or an online system. Some examples:

• UK: register online as an overseas elector. You must renew the registration periodically. The 15-year limit on overseas voting was abolished in 2024.
• Germany: you are listed through the local authority of your last residence in Germany.
• France: you join the consular electoral list through your consulate.
• Italy: you register with AIRE, the register of Italians abroad.
• Romania: you register with the Permanent Electoral Authority.
• Colombia: you register your cédula at the consulate.

If your country is not listed, ask your consulate or embassy. Some countries also limit voting after a long absence, so check this early.

Step 2: Know how you can vote

Methods differ by country, and sometimes by election and year:

• UK: by post or by proxy.
• Germany: by postal ballot.
• France: in person at the consulate, by proxy, or online in some elections.
• Italy: by post.
• Romania: in person at consular polling stations, or by post.
• Morocco: options are limited. In practice, mostly proxy in Morocco or in person at the consulate in some elections.

Postal voting needs time for ballots to travel, so register early. Before each election, ask your consulate which methods are open and what the deadlines are.

The decision tool below helps you choose a method. The checklist and the questions that follow cover the practical steps.

Choosing between options

How will you cast your vote in your home country's election from Spain?

• Vote by post: Fits UK, German, Italian and Romanian citizens, whose countries allow postal ballots.

• Vote by proxy: Fits UK and French citizens, and Moroccans, who mostly vote by proxy in Morocco.

• Vote in person at the consulate: Fits French, Romanian and Colombian citizens, and Moroccans in some elections, where consular polling stations are used.

Use the method your home country offers for that election, and register on its overseas roll first. If you hold two nationalities, pick the country whose method is easiest for you.

Checklist

• Find out whether your home country lets citizens abroad vote and whether a long absence limits your right.

• Use the route that fits your nationality: UK online overseas elector registration, Germany via the local authority of your last residence, France via the consulate's electoral list, Italy via AIRE registration, Romania via the Permanent Electoral Authority, or Colombia via your cédula registration at the consulate.

• Renew your registration when your country requires it, as UK overseas registration must be renewed periodically.

• Ask your consulate which voting methods are open for the next election and the deadlines for them.

Frequently asked questions

Can I vote in Spanish municipal elections and in my home country's elections?

Yes, you can do both, because Spain allows foreign residents to vote in municipal elections and in their home-country elections.

Can I lose my vote at home if I live abroad for a long time?

Yes, some countries limit or restrict voting after a long absence, so check your home country's rules. Others let non-resident citizens vote by post or at a consulate. Your consulate can tell you which applies to you.

How do Moroccans usually vote from Spain?

Moroccans in Spain have limited options, mostly voting by proxy in Morocco or, in some elections, in person at the consulate. Ask your consulate before each election which of these is open.