We have lived in our house some 6 years, are on the Padrón but have been told that we are not on the register as being able to vote in the local elections. Does this make sense?

Yes it does. The Padron is a Census by the Ayuntamiento of all the people who have their permanent address in the local authority area. The Electorial Roll is a separate list of all the people who have fulfilled the criteria and asked to be placed on the register. It's too late for this years elections but check with the town hall for next time now.

Many thanks for your reply. It appears from a conversation I had at our local town hall that we will have to go to the administrative center for our Province in A Coruna , some 60 kms away to get ourselves on the electoral register. Cannot be done locally because we are foreigners - at least that is what I think was said whilst being shouted at in Galician - but with a smile!

I know that it may vary from area to area but we put our names on the electoral roll in our own town hall. I cannot remember but think that they sent us out a form a while before an election.

Rosemary

Just a thought - do you also have your (green) certificate of registration?

Here's the weird thing.

We are not resident but had to get padron last year to buy a new car. My wife has received a voting paper but I have not!

Yes. We took our Certificados De Registro etc Green Form to the local Concello when we first needed a Certificado De Empadromento. I understand
now that at that time we should have declared a desire to be included on the electoral register as EsuriJohn pointed out. The "Padrón" and the "Electoral Register" appear to be two seperate lists. Clearly you have to be on the Padrón before you can go on the other. No doubt in some áreas this may be done automatically.

The joys of Spain and in particular the consistency of the inconsistency! I understand that you should not be on the Padrón unless you are a permanent resident and it is possible to buy a car without a Padrón but many garages will not accept this.

We did ours in the local town hall, he also asked if we wanted to vote in the EU elections as previously said it is too late for this years.

Not in Ayamont it isn't. A friend with a spanish wife wondered why he did not get the electoral papers but his wife did. She went. Along to the town hall to find out why. They could not explain it and in the face of a veritable tiger reinstated him immediately however you do have to check! The voting papers are issued by the provincial government but your town hall should register you.

It seems as if you have been given some incorrect information.

After the elections go to your ayuntamiento and ask for a "Reclamación al censo electoral de residentes en España". Every
ayuntamiento will have copies. I have enclosed a copy of the part you must ensure you have completed correctly. Note there are two areas which you must make an X in. Voting in Europe and the local elections. If you only added a cross to one you can only vote in that one. This section is around 3/4 of the way down the page.