Voters across Spain have until November 19 to request mail-in ballots for the November 29 general election, setting off a administrative window that has already drawn familiar accusations of electoral tampering from conservative political factions, eldiario.es reported.
Deadlines and Postal Procedures for Domestic Voters
The application window opened on October 6 and closes on Thursday, November 19. Electors who will be unable to visit their assigned polling station on election day can submit their requests either online through the official postal website using a digital certificate or electronic DNI, or in person at any post office across the country. Those choosing the physical route must present an original identity document, such as a national identity card, passport, or driver’s license.
According to eldiario.es, the Electoral Census Office will begin dispatching the necessary voting documentation on November 9. The absolute deadline to deposit the ballot at a post office is Wednesday, November 25.
Once a mail-in vote application is approved by the census office, the elector forfeits the right to cast a ballot in person at their physical polling station on November 29.
Procedures for Voters Abroad
Spanish residents temporarily abroad or vacationing outside the country during the election cycle must follow a distinct procedure. La Oficina del Censo Electoral comienza a enviar la documentación necesaria a partir del 9 de noviembre, con una fecha límite para depositar el voto en una oficina de Correos fijada para el 25 de noviembre.
Meanwhile, citizens residing permanently abroad, registered in the Census of Absent Resident Electors, do not need to file an initial mail-in request. However, eldiario.es noted that a recent Supreme Court ruling regarding the grandchildren’s nationality law has threatened to disenfranchise certain overseas voters. The high court’s orders distinguish between applicants who provided exile documentation for their ancestors and those who relied on a broader instruction covering individuals who left Spain between 1936 and 1955. While the former group retains voting rights with a consular certificate, judges have provisionally suspended the suffrage of the latter pending consular review of individual files.
Next Steps in the Electoral Calendar
For resident voters, the primary operational focus shifts to the November 9 start date for document deliveries by the postal service, culminating in the November 25 mailing cutoff. Polling stations across the country will open for standard in-person and processed mail-in votes on November 29.
