Electoral system
In Spain, the electoral constituency for the election of Members of the European Parliament is the national territory; therefore, the political formations that present candidacies do so by means of a single, closed and common list throughout the national territory.
However, the candidacies may request that the scope of dissemination of their ballot papers be smaller than that of the State, with a different name, initials and symbol, and change the candidates included on these lists (articles 221.4 and 222 of Law 5/1985 on the General Electoral System).
The ballot papers for this process must be printed on a single side and contain the name, initials and symbol of the party, federation, coalition or grouping of voters standing as a candidate. They must also include the full list of names and surnames of the candidates and alternates making up the candidature.
The ballot papers for the European Parliament Elections are prepared by the Ministry of the Interior, which is responsible for distributing them to the Government’s Delegations and Sub-Delegations, so that they can be sent to the Town Councils throughout Spain.
The first ballot papers and voting envelopes that are made will be delivered to the Electoral Census Office to enable it to handle postal vote applications and the voting by persons residing abroad.
The seats are allocated on the basis of the election results and in accordance with the following rules:
- The number of votes obtained by the candidacies is ordered from highest to lowest in one column.
- The number of votes obtained by each candidacy is divided by 1, 2, 3, etc., up to a number equal to the number of seats corresponding to the constituency.
- Seats are allocated to the candidates with the highest quotients, in descending order.
This allocation is known as the “D’Hondt Method”, which is the traditional system for distributing seats among candidacies in proportion to the number of votes obtained.
Votes may be valid or null.
The following are regarded as valid votes:
- Votes for candidacies and
- Blank ballots
cast in the ballot box in accordance with the legal requirements.
An abstention is:
- Envelopes that do not contain a ballot paper.
- A vote cast in favour of a legally withdrawn candidacy.
Votes cast in envelopes that are different from the official model or are altered; or ballot papers that are different from the official model, altered, ripped or torn; as well as those cast in ballot papers without envelopes; and those in which the will of the voter cannot be ascertained (for example, envelopes containing more than one ballot paper from different candidates) are invalid.
The following will also be null votes: ballot papers on which the names of candidates have been altered, added, crossed out or the order in which they have been placed has been changed, as well as those on which any legend or phrase has been added or any other alteration of a wilful or intentional nature has been made.
In the event that the ballot envelope contains more than one ballot paper of the same candidature, it shall be counted as one valid vote. Votes cast on ballot papers containing a sign, cross or mark next to one of the candidates shall be considered valid, provided that they are not so important or significant as to be considered to have altered the configuration of the ballot paper or to have expressed disapproval of one of the candidates or of the political grouping to which they belong.