Voting from abroad, safeguarded by guarantees

Voting from abroad, safeguarded by guarantees

The following two fundamental rights of Spanish citizens are enshrined in Article 23 of the Spanish Constitution:

• Active suffrage (Article 23.1): the right of citizens to participate in public affairs, through representatives elected by universal suffrage. 
• Passive suffrage (Article 23.2): the right to stand for public office on equal terms, pursuant to requirements established by law. 

The right to vote from abroad is therefore a fundamental right of Spanish citizens and essential to their maintaining democratic ties with Spain irrespective of their place of residence. To ensure that each vote cast abroad is managed in a transparent and secure manner, with full respect for the law, the electoral process includes a series of safeguards to underpin trust in each phase thereof.

• Presence of candidates’ representatives

  Candidates' representatives may be present at consular posts and at authorized polling stations throughout election day, including outside the hours in which these posts and stations are open to the public.

• Transparency in the count

  At the end of each election day, ballot boxes are sealed in public. When the vote counting starts, the ballot boxes are unsealed in public too. Envelopes received are counted in public and the accompanying consular document is drafted in public. 

• Register of incidents and complaints

  The consular document will provide details of any incident that arises during the electoral process, as well as any claims or complaints presented by candidates’ representatives.

• Verification by Electoral Boards

  The votes cast from abroad will be included in the general counting process subject to the prior confirmation of the competent Electoral Board that all requirements provided for in Organic Law on the General Electoral System have been met.

• Publication of electoral data

  Immediately after the votes have been counted, the number of envelopes sent by each consular post will be published, with a breakdown by province, as will the number of envelopes received by each Electoral Board, with a breakdown by consular post.