scampicat

Can you not register as a non-resident voter? That's what we did (we vote via a proxy) and can vote in Parliamentary and European elections.

As regards the Spanish elections, we can vote here for the Council and Mayor (and European). I have a query.

Do we just put the list of candidates of the party of our choice into the envelope? And what if one does not come through the door, can we get one at the polling station?

Thanks.

EsuriJohn

The "slates" - list of candidates put forward by each party are available at your polling station you can take one of each ito the booth mark the one you want and put the others in your pocket. Take your choice fold it and the poll clerk will put it in an envelope and place it in the box.

Your right to vote as an expatriate voter only extends for 15 years after you have left the UK.

Lynn R

Yes, I will be voting. However, now I am confused - I read an article in an English language paper a couple of weeks ago about the procedures to follow in the polling station and it said that you should take the list of candidates but NOT mark it in any way, simply put it in the ballot box.

So, should the list be marked, or not? If anyone has a definitive answer, please let us know, I should hate to unwittingly spoil my ballot paper.

Xabiero

DON'T mark the list in any way! Just take the list of candidates of the party that you want to lend your support to, stick it in the envelope, show your ID and then put it in the ballot box when indicated to do so ... that's all.

gill556

The voting slip should not be marked in any way. You are voting for the party and not an individual. There will be approx. 23/25 names on each list, depending on how many seats each party win ie. One party wins 10 seats then the first 10 names on the list are the ones who get in to the town hall. You need to take your voting card, passport or Spanish driving licence (not English) and if you have received an envelope and voting slip in the post for the party you want to vote for, if you haven't received one then there will be plenty in the polling station which will be open from 9.00am - 8.00pm. Any voting slip that is marked in any way will be classed as spoiled and not counted.

scampicat

Thanks everyone for your help.

Lenox

Don't forget photographic ID (preferably a passport).

scampicat

Thanks Lenox, will do.

The Mayor knows us anyway. He is also our Doctor.

VFR

Voted via a postal vote as we are currently staying somewhere else in Spain.

gill556

knowing you has nothing to do with it, they need your passport number which is also on your Spanish driving licence and without it you will not be allowed to vote.

Lenox

It's not the number they need - it's just a confirmation that Mr Smith of such and such address (as on their voting is) is you!

gill556

please could you not give out false information, my husband is the Mayor and we are running the polling station. We have had specific training on what to do and it includes either of the ID I have mentioned and the reason you cannot use a British drivig licence is because it does not have the passport number on as does the Spanish. Even we have to take our passports.

EsuriJohn

I am puzzled by this on two levels.

1. I have just examined my new Spanish driving licence and it does not have my UK passport No. It does have a box marked DNI-NIE and in that box is my NIE number. This is as it should be since my NIE number is with me for life. My UK passport has been renewed and a new number has been issued as is usual. This is not the passport number that was used when I did the licence exchange less than 6 mths ago.

2. I am sure good Electoral practice does not provide for the candidates or their close relatives to run polling stations!

avocados

Voting - what's the point!!!

ALL the candidates down here have question marks about honesty, integrity and corruption, etc.

My Oh has sent in his postal vote as NULL, along with most other Spanish we know.

As a foreigner, I only have the option to vote at townhall level, which has no relevance to the big issues that affect me. Foreigner "rights" are set at Autonomous Region and National level and I don't have a say in that.

I can't vote for the Cabildo (island authority) nor the Parliament, bit of an insult really.

Also, the elections are not very democratic, as a voter can only vote for a party, not a person. So in effect, one votes for the leader, the rest are just puppets. It's a bit autocratic!

Xabiero

If one doesn't vote then one really can't have too much to say about the running of the town? It's much the same as someone who moans about the state of the local postal deliveries and cleanliness of the streets but refuses to sign onto the padrón, no?