Understanding Election Boards and Polling Stations in Spain
Area Election Boards
These are located in the head of each Judicial District and consist of five members, of which three are Judges of the first instance or instruction, and even Justices chosen by lot by the Board of Government of the respective High Court of Justice. The remaining two members have degrees in law, political science, or sociology and are residents of the judicial district. The secretary is the clerk of the court of the first instance involved, and if there are more, the Dean of the Court.
In its territorial exercise, some responsibilities of the boards above and others that are held exclusively:
- Ensure the existence in each polling place of a ballot box for each of the elections conducted and a voting booth, and a sufficient number of envelopes and ballots for each candidate.
- In its territory, rule on complaints submitted to it and supervise the training of electoral officers.
- During the campaign, account for the equitable distribution of available sites for the various competing forces.
Autonomous Community Election Boards
Left to the electoral system’s existence. In communities with a single province, the provincial boards are to be replaced with regional ones. In others, there is no reference, even in the case of Madrid, Navarra, and Asturias. In multi-provincial communities, the existence of an Autonomous Community Election Board is contemplated, permanent and renewing by legislatures, whose composition is between five and seven, the majority being of judicial origin.
As for the competitions, there is no uniform regulation. As a general rule, Autonomous boards must resolve queries raised by the JEP and issue instructions to them, resolve complaints and appeals submitted to it, exercise disciplinary jurisdiction over all persons involved in an official capacity in the elections, and correct violations occurring in the process, in addition to those conferred upon it by the autonomous legislation.
The Polling Stations
The constituencies are divided into electoral districts, i.e., the province or municipality is divided into electoral sections. Each section will have at least one polling station. However, when the number of electors in a section is high, the advice may agree that a section has several tables, distributing the voters of that section among them. Each section includes a maximum of 2,000 voters and a minimum of 500. Now, each municipality will have at least one section. The voters have a section on electoral lists sorted alphabetically. The polling station is formed by a president and two members. If several elections are held simultaneously, the table common to all of them will have as many polls as elections.
Formation of the Tables
The formation of the tables corresponds to the municipalities under the supervision of the electoral board issuing the appropriate area appointments. The president and members of each table, and their alternates, are appointed by public drawing among all persons registered in the relevant section who are under 65 years old and who can read and write. The president must have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent. The electoral vote polling day will begin at 8 am with the meeting at the local electoral board members previously appointed and their alternates. The board must consist of a chairman and two members.
If the owners do not appear, they are to be replaced by alternates. If they too do not appear, that fact will be communicated immediately to the area election board. This shall immediately and freely proceed to the appointment of new board members, who generally are the first voters who have come to the polling place. Tables are formed at 9 am. The president formally announces the start of voting, which will be extended until 8 pm. At the end of the session, the presence of two of its three members is required. The president has exclusive authority on the premises and in their access for the preservation of public order, being forced to lend the aid policies that seek to fulfill their duties. You can order the immediate expulsion of those who attempt to enter the local with a gun or similar instruments.
Voting Process
Voters can exercise their right to vote between 9 am and 8 pm if they are enrolled on the electoral register and prove their identity. To this end, all the tables have updated census lists on polling day.
The non-inclusion in the census is an irremediable condition that can only be supplied by a judicial ruling on the right to vote or a voter identity certification. Voter identity is proved by the DNI, passport, or driving license. Documents may be obsolete if they allow the perfect identification of the voter. The exhibition of these documents may not be necessary in specific cases when the voter is known to the board members. If in doubt about the identity of a voter, the table decides by a majority.
The vote is secret, and therefore all have a polling booth. Voters go to the table, and after identification and registration, and confirmation that they have not made use of postal voting, they hand the president the ballot, who will put it into the urn.
At 8 pm, the voting ends, closing the doors of the local. Only electors who are found inside can vote. Then the president introduces the postal votes after the board members and auditors have voted.