How do I vote if I am a permanent resident abroad (CERA)?
Spaniards that are resident abroad must be registered in the Consular Register and in the Register of Non-Resident Voters (CERA).
The Provincial Delegations of the Electoral Census Office will automatically send the following documentation to the registration address of each person of Spanish nationality registered in the Register of Non-Resident Voters (CERA):
- Voting envelopes
- Two identical certificates attesting to being registered in the census of absent voters living abroad.
- Envelope addressed to the Provincial Electoral Board.
- Envelope addressed to the Consulate or Embassy.
- An information sheet on how to exercise the right to vote and the address of the official website where the nominations will be displayed and where downloadable sets of ballot papers will be available.
- The list of centres authorised to deposit votes in ballot boxes within their consular demarcation.
In order to guarantee voting privacy, only the complete set of ballot papers may be downloaded electronically.
The documentation must be sent by the Electoral Census Office by registered post between 22 April and 28 April, although the time it takes for the documentation to arrive at the address abroad must be accounted for.
The office shall also send official ballot papers to the registered address of each non-resident voter as of 3 May, and no later than 7 May in those provinces where the proclamation of candidatures has not been contested, and no later than 13 May in the remaining provinces.
The downloadable ballots will be available after appeals against the proclamation of candidatures have been resolved and no later than 7 May.
Consular posts shall ensure that ballot papers and official voting envelopes are available at polling stations, and that the necessary computer facilities are available for voters to download the documentation that they need to vote.
Preparing to vote
The ballot paper corresponding to the chosen candidacy shall be placed inside the voting envelope (or no ballot paper if you wish to cast a blank vote).
Then, in the envelope addressed to the Provincial Electoral Board, the following must be included:
- Voting envelope with ballot paper.
- A voter registration certificate (if voting by post, the signature and number of the voter's passport or ID card must appear on the back of the certificate).
- Photocopy of passport or National Identity Card issued by the Spanish authorities, or certificate of nationality or registration in the Consular Register issued by the Spanish Consulate in the country of residence.
Voters can:
- Cast your vote in person at the ballot boxes set up for this purpose at your Embassy or Consulate or at the centres set up for this purpose, between 20 and 25 May inclusive. You must hand the second certificate of registration in the census to the consular officer, after proving your identity, and deposit the envelope addressed to the Provincial Electoral Board. The officer shall sign the back of the envelope and affix the seal of the Consular Post indicating the date of deposit.
- Send it by registered post by 23 May.
In this case, the following must be enclosed in the envelope addressed to the Consulate or Embassy:
- Envelope addressed to the Provincial Electoral Board with the following contents: voting envelope with the ballot paper; the certificate of registration in the census, on the back of which the signature and number of the voter's passport or National Identity Card will appear, and a photocopy of the passport or National Identity Card issued by the Spanish authorities, or certification of nationality or of registration in the Consular Register issued by the Spanish Consulate in the country of residence.
- The other census registration certificate
- If desired, the completed form for the return of postage costs in countries where no post office box has been opened.
In order for the votes to be valid, the envelope addressed to the corresponding Electoral Board must bear the seal of the Consular Post or Consular Section of the corresponding Diplomatic Mission, which unequivocally certifies that the deadline has been met.
Once the deadline for depositing the vote in the ballot box has expired, all votes (received by post or deposited in the ballot box) will be sent to the Office set up for this purpose at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, who shall proceed to send them urgently to the Electoral Boards responsible for vote counting.
How can I vote if I live abroad (CERA) but I am temporarily on holiday in Spain?
If you live abroad, are registered in the Register of Non-Resident Voters (CERA), and are temporarily in Spain during the electoral process, you can apply (like residents in Spain) to vote by post from 4 April until 18 May.
To do so, you must fill out an application form at the Post Office and send it to the corresponding Provincial Delegation of the Electoral Census Office.
You will have to sign the application form and check that the post office employee has dated and stamped it.
When you receive the electoral documentation at the address in Spain that you have indicated on the application form, you must send your vote by registered post by 24 May at the latest. You will not be able to vote in person at the polling station.
Non official translation
