Volunteers who serve as election proxies and auditors are not the stars of election day. Their job is to guard against fraud and irregularities, a role that is essential to the integrity of the vote. In recent precincts, their presence on the 28M ballot has been limited, with some parties relying on social networks to recruit volunteers willing to assist at polling places on the final Sunday in May.
Proxies and auditors from each party occupy a vital position at polling stations. They supervise the process, verify that elections run smoothly, and ensure that every citizen can exercise their democratic rights with proper safeguards.
As Irene Belmonte, a political science and management professor at Miguel Hernández University, explains, these volunteers act as witnesses to the legality of elections. While party representatives can observe what happens inside the voting rooms, they cannot intervene in the decision making of the table; that responsibility rests with the presiding officer and the other members of the committee.
Regarding whether these observers can tip the outcome of the upcoming election, Belmonte notes that the actual counts come from the voters themselves and that trust in the observers is crucial. Those placed on the table have received training and are expected to act without bias.
According to the professor, these verification mechanisms bring significant value. They strengthen the control and quality of the selection process. Yet she cautions that observers must refrain from overstepping their duties: they are there to watch, not to influence voters. Any attempt to sway an undecided person could lead to expulsion.
Vision of the watchers
From the PSPV side, the importance of deputies and auditors is framed as essential for two reasons: first, for on-site monitoring of the table and, second, for informing voters about the polling stations and the process. Local representatives become familiar faces for residents, offering guidance about election day logistics and helping voters understand where to cast their ballots.
They also emphasize that the deputies often participate directly in both party and campaign activities, contributing to the overall operation on election day rather than acting as mere bystanders.
On the other side, the Popular Party expresses confidence in the numbers of volunteers it expects to mobilize. They note the challenge of filling every ballot box table in all municipalities but anticipate recruiting more than twenty thousand volunteers for the next elections. Their plan includes securing proxies and auditors in a substantial portion of electoral boards, a goal that can be difficult in larger towns and regions alike.
Ciudadanos reports a robust pool of more than seven hundred regional deputies, though some of their candidates and advisers have switched to other parties. They acknowledge that they will not assume the full duties of observers for the 28M elections at this stage.
In the Liberal camp, there is a general sense of respect among parties at almost all polling places. They maintain that volunteers play a visible role in the Valencian Community’s electoral colleges, ensuring the process runs smoothly. These volunteers also provide guidance to citizens who have questions about the ballot process and serve as approachable faces for voters seeking clarity about what they see on election day.
Support for the government side shows a similar pattern. Compromís projects a need for roughly three thousand volunteers in the upcoming regional elections and notes that there is still time to grow these numbers. They view both deputies and interveners as upholding a citizen’s right that strengthens democracy.
Unides Podem commits to having at least one deputy in each electoral college on 28M, while acknowledging that many polling places expect several volunteers. The purple coalition has relied on social networks to recruit volunteers and has cited national figures who have spoken publicly about volunteering in elections. They maintain that a mature electoral system should minimize the need for extensive auditor presence, yet they recognize the value of volunteers in preventing errors in ballot records and guarding against careless or intentional mischief that could hide a candidate’s ballots.
To prevent lapses, Unides Podem offers training days that cover common mistakes and how to prevent them. They argue that their volunteer program reflects a genuine commitment to democracy, noting that neither Podemos nor Esquerra Unida funded these activities. Vox, meanwhile, presents volunteers as a fundamental pillar of education in the electoral process, focusing on preventing manipulations and anti-democratic actions by other actors. They caution that political shifts could alter the context, but many Vox supporters see change as a necessary step for the Generalitat while recognizing potential obstacles to implementing their platform.
Across formations, the shared thread is clear: trained volunteers help ensure that the voting process remains transparent, lawful, and accessible to all eligible citizens. Their presence is a reminder that democracy relies on careful observation, informed participation, and a commitment to integrity at every polling place.
In summary, the volunteer system for election observers and proxies serves as a safeguard for rules, a guide for voters, and a check on the administrative side of the process. The ongoing effort across parties demonstrates a broad consensus that accurate vote counting, clear information for voters, and a well-supervised election environment are fundamental to protecting the democratic rights of citizens in the region.