Canary Islands Electoral System and Voting Rights
Canary Islands Institutions: The Parliament
The most important institution is the Parliament of the Canary Islands. It first met on May 30th, which is celebrated as the Day of the Canary Islands. The Canary Islands Parliament holds legislative powers.
How are members of the Canary Parliament chosen? They are selected through the electoral system established by the Canary Islands.
How many Members of Parliament (deputies) does the Canary Islands have? 60 deputies.
The Canary Islands Electoral System
The electoral system is specific to the Canary Islands. These 60 deputies are chosen as follows:
In the Canary Islands, the constituency is the island, not the entire archipelago. What matters is who wins in each island, meaning the votes are counted island by island.
The district (or constituency) is the area where the votes are counted. It is an electoral system where it is important to know where and how the votes are tallied. The district is the territory that personalizes the vote and transforms votes into seats.
For comparison: When choosing the Congress of Deputies (national parliament), votes are counted by provinces. For Senators in the Canary and Balearic Islands, the system differs from the remaining provinces. For the European Parliament, the entire territory of Spain constitutes a single constituency.
Understanding Territorial and Personal Suffrage
Why is the system considered territorial and personal?
- It is territorial because the constituency is based on a specific piece of territory (the island).
- It is personal because it refers to the people living in that territory.
Each person votes in their constituency, determined by the municipal census. The electoral census is compiled through local registries and is the list of persons entitled to vote. In theory, all Spanish citizens aged 18 or over are eligible. However, not all citizens aged 18 or over are voters, as they must be registered in the census.
Voter Eligibility and the Electoral Census
There are two important exceptions for which a person might not be able to vote, besides not appearing in the census:
- Criminal Conviction: Individuals sentenced to prison. The ability to vote depends on the specific court decision. If the sentence explicitly states the loss of the right to vote (a penalty), they cannot vote. If not specified, they may vote (usually by mail, as they cannot leave the facility). This group is typically a minority.
- Mental Incapacity: Persons disqualified from voting due to mental illness or decreased mental abilities. This requires a report from two forensic doctors working for the political administration.
Voting Rights for Resident Aliens
Can only Spanish citizens vote? No. Resident aliens can vote, but not all of them. Only those from the European Union and those from countries that have reciprocity agreements with Spain (meaning Spanish citizens living in those countries can also vote there) are eligible.
Polling Stations and Voting Locations
Can I vote anywhere in the district? No. You cannot vote at all sites within the district. Each district is divided into polling stations (or polling places).
A polling station is a group of people and a territorial and personal subdivision of the district. The specific polling station is determined by the voter’s residence, usually assigning them to the closest location. Polling stations are typically located in public buildings.
Historical Context: Restricted Suffrage Systems
Historically, restricted suffrage was divided into two main systems:
- Suffrage Censitaire (Property/Income Suffrage): This was the most commonly used system, including in Spain. It meant that only men who possessed a certain level of income or wealth could vote. As the nineteenth century progressed, the required economic level was gradually reduced, allowing more men to vote.
- Suffrage Capacitaire (Trained/Education Suffrage): This system was used more frequently in Latin America and less often elsewhere. It was reserved only for men who had attained a certain level of education or study (economic level was not taken into account).
Democratic vs. Undemocratic Suffrage
DEMOCRATIC SUFFRAGE | UNDEMOCRATIC SUFFRAGE |
Universal suffrage | Restricted Suffrage |
Free suffrage (not subject to coercion) | Non-free Suffrage |
Secret ballot | Unclassified Suffrage (non-secret) |
Single vote (one person, one vote) | Non-single vote or multiple voting |
Direct Voting | Indirect Voting |
The vote must be secret to be free. Free and secret ballots are intrinsically linked.
Casting an empty envelope constitutes a blank ballot. The State generally does not incentivize blank votes.
To vote, you need a valid identification card with a photo and name that is not expired. Any type of card meeting these requirements is acceptable.
Direct and Indirect Voting Explained
Direct Voting: This is when the people vote directly, and the results determine the elected officials immediately. Note that indirect suffrage can also be democratic.
Indirect Voting: Voters choose electors or representatives who, in turn, choose the final officials. The initial vote does not directly yield the final results.
- The right to vote (active suffrage) means the ability to cast a ballot.
- The right to stand for election (passive suffrage) means the ability to be elected as a candidate.