Up to 10,000 more people will shape the future than in 2019. In the Valencian Community, including Alicante and other regional municipalities, regional elections are set for 28 May, announced earlier this week. Beyond party proposals and shifting alliances, elections are rich with data, deadlines, and requirements that help voters understand the process, exercise the right to vote, and engage with local autonomy in Spain. Over the next four years, this will define the eleventh regional legislature and the governance of municipalities alike.
VOTERS
Nationals are rising
In the last regional elections held in 2019, 1,337,684 people in the province of Alicante were eligible to vote. That number has grown by more than 10,000 and now stands at 1,347,852. The number of Spanish voters residing in Alicante is increasing by about 25,000. Conversely, about 21,000 residents have become foreigners with citizenship in recent years. Alicante residents living abroad also grew by roughly 6,000.
CONTINUOUS VOTING
you can request now
Since municipal elections coincide with regional elections, residents can request a postal vote to elect both the Generalitat president and mayors. The right to vote by mail can be exercised until 18 May, ten days before Election Day. To request remote voting, applicants should obtain the form from post offices and provide the postal address where the voting materials should be sent. Citizens abroad who are on vacation or temporarily residing outside Spain can vote without returning to the country. They must apply in person at the Spanish consulate or embassy in their country of residence by 29 April.
CHECK THE COUNT AND TABLE
informative census card
After elections are announced, the Electoral Census Bureau sends an informational census card by regular mail to all eligible voters. The card lists current registration details and the polling center and table. If the census card does not arrive or the recipient is unavailable, information can be accessed on the INE website using a digital certificate. If any data is erroneous, a citizen can challenge the Census Bureau.
IMPORTANT DATES
From 14 April to 26 June
April 14 marks the deadline for parties wishing to join the electoral process. April 24 is the last day to submit the full list of nominees to the Election Board. Campaigning will run from 12 May at midnight until 26 May, featuring posters and the usual campaign materials. May 27 is the evaluation day, and 28 May is voting day. In the Alicante constituency, 99 deputies will be elected for the regional legislature, with 35 directly representing districts. On 17 June, municipal assemblies will be created, and on 26 June the Valencian Cortes will convene the eleventh legislative assembly at Palau de Borja in Valencia city.
TABLE ESTABLISHMENT
From 29 April to 3 May
During this period, attention should focus on the dates that determine the makeup of polling stations. Notices received in the days ahead may indicate a need to be present at the polls on Election Day.
The election race begins: what can and cannot be done
The election period brings rules about what is allowed for campaigns and what is restricted. Practicing transparency matters, and the public expects conduct consistent with democratic norms. Parties may plan activities, but certain actions are limited as Election Day approaches, in order to maintain fairness and integrity in the process.
ELECTION ADVERTISING
Procedure not to take
During campaigns, there can be attempts to flood mailboxes with political propaganda. A simple form helps prevent this. The form is available from the official statistics office website. Completing it excludes the user from the mailing lists controlled by political entities. Accessing the form requires a personal key or electronic signature to verify identity. The deadline to complete this process is 17 April.
DIGITAL INFORMATION
Generalitat is launching a website
The Generalitat Valenciana has launched a dedicated site, eleccions2023.gva.es. This resource provides essential information for 28M, including regulations, calendars, nominations, frequently asked questions, voting methods, downloadable forms, and an interactive tool for tracking voting evolution from 1983 to 2019, along with municipal results through maps and statistics.
CORPORATE TRANSACTIONS
Openings are prohibited
With the election decree published recently, institutional political actions such as project openings or new announcements are restricted. A 2011 amendment to Article 50 of the General Election Regulation aimed to curb pre-election hype and opening ceremonies, ensuring a focused, fair campaign period.
MORE AUTONOMOUS
Voting in twelve autonomies
Following the 2019 cycle, the regional election calendar returns to a broader national frame. On 28 May, eleven more autonomous communities will vote: Aragon, Asturias, Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, Cantabria, Castilla-La Mancha, Extremadura, Madrid, Murcia, Navarra, and La Rioja. If progress stalls, Galicia and the Basque Country could hold elections in 2024, Catalonia in 2025, and Andalusia and Castilla y León in 2026.
VOTING BOXES AND ENVELOPES
sepia color for municipality
Aside from the regional election, a decree requires blank ballots and one side of the ballot papers to be printed in a color distinct from white for the regional phase and the municipal phase. The combination of 28M and the concurrent municipal elections will use a sepia tone to distinguish materials issued for autonomous areas versus municipal processes.