Lenox

Registering to vote is easy but you must do so by the end of December. Registration forms are available from your town hall or from the Electoral Census Bureau (Oficina del Censo Electoral in each provincial capital until January 15th). You will need to bring your passport, your padrón and just to be on the safe side your NIE certificate or Residencia certificate.
If you are not sure, or wish to confirm that you are registered to vote you can check your listing by sending an email to [email protected] quoting your name, the address on your padrón, your passport number and your NIE number. Emails are accepted in English.
If you don't vote, then don't complain.

jojojojojo

To vote, you should make sure that you understand what and who you are voting for and why. Sadly most people arent interested or knowledgeable enough in Spanish politics (or fluent enough in spanish) to be in that position and therefore, IMO shouldnt vote. Its not good enough to vote for a party who for example, agrees that smoking in bars should be outlawed, you agree so you vote for them - you need to understand all the other issues in their manifesto.

Just my thoughts and no, I wont be voting!

Jo xxx

cricketman

I agree with Jo. Voting without knowing the policies of the candidates is irresponsible.

Lenox

In local elections, the issues are purely local - not about banning smoking or declaring war on Ethiopia. Merely by showing that you intend to vote, you are sending a message to your local town hall, that your community counts and that you will do your part to integrate.
I know that many people don't care about (or respect) their neighbourhood, jojo and so on, but - in my opinion - it is not something to boast about.

angiescarr

I agree too. But I feel so sorry for my daughter and her friends who agitated for young people to vote in the last elections. It was all over the social networking sites and a huge number of young people who wouldn't have voted before, were moved to use their franchise...They were many of them working class students, so naturally, voted for Clegg ('s party) .
So that's another group of young people totally disenchanted with Politics

jdr

Totaly agree, show some interest in the country you live in.

Casa Santo Estevo

I agree too...... Vote

errrr I know Clegg is married to a Spaniard but is he in politics here too?

EsuriJohn

jojojojojo

How dare you say I dont care when you know nothing about me! I care enough not to stick my nose in and fight for something I know little about. I respect my area and those around me enough to allow them to chose without my potentially misguided interference! I also resent being told that I must vote. Its a jolly good job that you're not in politics Lenox, cos you'd be useless with your attitude and people skills!

Jo

EsuriJohn

Are you resident?
Do you pay taxes?
Do you care about how those taxes are spent locally?
Is there no smell of corruption at your town hall?
Do you want to help improve things locally?
Do you want to be closer to the local indiginous population?
Are you a true European?

jojojojojo

Are you resident? Yes
Do you pay taxes? Yes
Do you care about how those taxes are spent locally? No
Is there no smell of corruption at your town hall? I dont know
Do you want to help improve things locally? Yes, but define improve
Do you want to be closer to the local indiginous population? Already close enough
Are you a true European? Yes

EsuriJohn

I answered yes to all those questions so we are not that different except that I care where my money goes and the local Town Hall does not smell good. So I am definitely going to vote in the Local and European elections in May since this is the only place that I can. I shall make it my business to find out what each local party is intending to do for the Town and in particular my Urbanisation. I will have no right to vote in Spanish National elections nor would I want to since I will vote in my former home town in UK for the next UK government which will affect my pension and national taxes there. As it says in my Tag line ......

Lenox

I live here in Spain, in my town. I vote. I am.

megmet

I identify with you on this one, like you I do care (but not how they spend my taxes), and yes I am very close to the local Spanish people that I live very happily alongside.

I do feel though that it would be very arrogant of me to presume to know which is the best party to represent the indigenous population here!
They know far more about Spanish politics than I ever will, and are therefor best placed to judge who is best to serve them!

Lenox

There is a report in today's Ideal that says that the Moroccans living in Spain (who don't have the right to vote in municipal elections) have started a pressure group with the campaign call 'aquí vivo, aquí voto'.
They also ask that on December 18th - the International Day of the Immigrant - 'that there is more solidarity towards Spain's new citizens'.
But, of course, we're not Moroccans... we have more rights than they do, even if we chose to ignore them.