# Voting in Spanish municipal elections May 2015



## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

You have until 30 December to get on the electoral register if you aren't already on it.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Aargh, typo in thread title, should be 2015 of course!


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## 213979 (Apr 11, 2013)

I can't even vote in municipal elections!?!?!?!?!?!!!!! 

sdOHG idughiurhgiUSFHGUfh gfsUHifsuhfUOHIFUHOIJFALKFAJJGFASJ ********************************************************************************************************bleeeeeeeeeeep.


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## larryzx (Jul 2, 2014)

Whilst many I know many will say they do not know enough about the various parties, the system etc. it is vital that expats vote, to show that they care, have an interest in what happens, and should not be ignored.

If you don’t vote why should you be taken seriously ? 

Why should your wishes or concerns be respected when new laws are passed ?

It is, in my opinion, more important to exercise your right to vote, than who you actually vote for.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

larryzx said:


> Whilst many I know many will say they do not know enough about the various parties, the system etc. it is vital that expats vote, to show that they care, have an interest in what happens, and should not be ignored.
> 
> If you don’t vote why should you be taken seriously ?
> 
> ...


I agree that it's VERY important to vote.

However, I see no point in just voting for the sake of it! 

I have gone through life with the philosophy of trying to learn as much as I can - if I don't know why to vote for one party/person or another, then I think I should not vote until I understand the facts.


Just my point of view.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

I didn't vote in the first municipal elections held here after we moved, as at that stage I really didn't feel I knew enough about the various parties and their policies. I always have since then, though.

I don't exercise my right to still vote in UK General Elections, but I do wish foreign residents had the right to vote in national elections here in Spain, perhaps after they have been registered as residents for a minimum of 5 years would be appropriate.


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## larryzx (Jul 2, 2014)

snikpoh said:


> However, I see no point in just voting for the sake of it!
> 
> I have gone through life with the philosophy of trying to learn as much as I can - if I don't know why to vote for one party/person or another, then I think I should not vote until I understand the facts.
> .


Ideally that's is correct, but if large numbers of people don't vote it is not unreasonable to believe they failed to do so because they don't care. 

If they don't care, as I said, why should the legislators care about them. 

It's no good complaining afterwards that you don't like what was done.

I have asked a lot of people over the years, when they have complained about a law, ' When did you past speak to your MP and tell him/her what you want ?' Very few people have ever spoken to their MP so their representative has voted the way they thought best, or worse, the way the voracious minority wanted. 

Sad but true.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Alcalaina said:


> You have until 30 December to get on the electoral register if you aren't already on it.
> 
> Campaign about the right to vote of foreigners in 2015 Municipal Elections - YouTube


we're having a massive campaign here too - it's been going on for about a year now!


& STILL I'm getting messages every day asking how to register to vote - & even how to register on the padrón - from people I KNOW have lived here full time for YEARS!

if nothing else, the fact that a lot of the local foreigners feel strongly enough to want to vote, means that they are at long last registering on the padrón  

There are a couple of documents in our FAQs thread which are based upon those I prepared for our local ayto for the English-speaking community


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Alcalaina said:


> Aargh, typo in thread title, should be 2015 of course!


I've changed it for you


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

A vote cast at random, in ignorance, is no vote. It's plumping and therefore pointless. Xabia is quite right. Voting should be more than merely putting a tick in a box or shoving a list in an envelope.
So if an immigrant feels that they are not sufficiently informed about the policies of the very many Parties that will be contesting these elections they need feel no guilt in staying home. The right to complain is not linked to the right to vote either.
We often forget that the right not to vote is also of importance. I say that as someone who has been active in local politics in the UK and now in Spain for many years and of course it's preferable for people to vote....but is a vote for a far-right party or a far left party given in ignorance of what these parties stand for something to be encouraged??
As I shall be a candidate in these elections I do however hope that people in my municipality will take the trouble to inform themselves and hopefully put 'my' list in the urn.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Incidentally, MPs in the UK are representatives, not delegates. Neither are they mandated.
Although of course they should sound out the opinions of the electorate when considering how to cast their vote.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

elenetxu said:


> I can't even vote in municipal elections!?!?!?!?!?!!!!!
> 
> sdOHG idughiurhgiUSFHGUfh gfsUHifsuhfUOHIFUHOIJFALKFAJJGFASJ ********************************************************************************************************bleeeeeeeeeeep.


I was rather surprised at which non-EU countries CAN vote!!

you can take Spanish nationality soon though, can't you?


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## larryzx (Jul 2, 2014)

mrypg9 said:


> A vote cast at random, in ignorance, is no vote. It's plumping and therefore pointless. )


Sorry Miss, I was just expressing my opinion,which I thought was allowed, and just pointless. I did not expect to be told off for being naughty.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

larryzx said:


> Sorry Miss, I was just expressing my opinion,which I thought was allowed, and just pointless. I did not expect to be told off for being naughty.


Then make sure you do your homework correctly and be sure to check spelling and grammar before handing it in...... Otherwise your grades will remain very low.
Be thankful corporal punishment has been abolished.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

I knew someone who voted for a candidate because she liked his face on the election poster.

Should there be some kind of citizenship test before voting, I wonder........


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## alborino (Dec 13, 2014)

mrypg9 said:


> I knew someone who voted for a candidate because she liked his face on the election poster.
> 
> Should there be some kind of citizenship test before voting, I wonder........


In the absense of a NO vote on the ballot paper there is always the spoiled ballot paper. I mean some people think Rajoy is a good looking chap and look where that got Spain 

In the UK of course we have the raving loonies who fill a similar function to the no vote, among many other useful roles.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

alborino said:


> In the absense of a NO vote on the ballot paper there is always the spoiled ballot paper. I mean some people think Rajoy is a good looking chap
> 
> In the UK of course we have the raving loonies who fill a similar function, among many other useful roles.


All very true.....I once spoiled my ballot paper in a local election as I knew all the candidates and didn't think any of them would do a good job of representing the electorate. So I wrote a few sentences explaining my opinion.

Having spent time in a country (Socialist People's Republic of Czechoslovakia) where taking part in politics was seen as a civic duty and apathy and disinterest was viewed with suspicion, I'm supportive of people who don't feel.motivated to vote.
Tbh I might well not cast a vote if I had bothered to register in the UK next May as I have little enthusiasm for any Party at present.

A vote is imo too precious to be thrown away for the sake of just giving it without any thought.


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## larryzx (Jul 2, 2014)

alborino said:


> In the absense of a NO vote on the ballot paper there is always the spoiled ballot paper.
> :



Good point.

If I am allowed to have an option by Miss, or is it Wannabe Moderator?

Instead of not voting, because one may believe they have insufficient knowledge upon which to choose a party, then instead of doing nothing, 'spoil' your vote by say putting a line through all the names on the slip of one of the parties. Maybe the governing party’s slip would make a bigger impact.

In that way it would show you are not disinterested.



N.B. 
For those who have never voted in Spain, one does not vote for a named person but for a party. 

Each slip contains all the names of those standing for that party, and the slip is dropped into the box. 

In Spain we have a proportional representation system, thus, if a party wins say 50'% of the votes, and there are 20 seats, then the first 10 named on that party's list are elected. If another party gets say 25%, then the first 5 named are elected.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

larryzx said:


> Good point.
> 
> If I am allowed to have an option by Miss, or is it Wannabe Moderator?
> 
> ...


Get over yourself, Larry. You have my permission to say what you like but you should know that on this Forum, no-one needs permission to disagree with any opinion expressed, mine or yours. It's how the opinion is expressed, politely and without irrelevant personal comment, something you and a few others should perhaps take note of. If I , as a candidate, were telling people not to vote, you would have the right to point out my contradictions. But I'm not. My point, made by Snikpoh, not Xavia, apologies, is that a vote should be informed.

And let's get this clear: in a democracy people have a RIGHT to be disinterested. Or do you think one of the duties of the local PC Plods should be to march people to the polling station?

I can also tell you from experience of attending many counts of all kinds of elections that spoilt ballot papers have no effect whatsoever on anyone. The number of spoilt papers is merely recorded. No one bothers to look at let alone record which party's paper/list whatever you have spoilt.
Spoiling a paper may of course make you feel better. But that's all.

So to repeat: it's good to vote especially when you know why you are voting. But there is no obligation, legal or moral, to do so. In fact, I'm beginning to have sympathy with those who think that voting is a pointless exercise as there is little difference between the Parties apart from those on the extremes. 
I lived in a constituency in the UK where a blind donkey would have been elected if it had a blue rosette pinned to it. My vote was doomed to be ineffectual. Many people didn't vote as they knew it would have no effect on the outcome. Understandable, really.

I think most people are aware of how the system works here. It's been explained before. The chief merit of this form of PR imo is keeping extremist Parties out of office.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Incidentally, anyone who is interested and wishes to vote should check that they can.
I have voted in every election for which I was able to since I came here and assumed I could continue to do so. When I popped in to the Tenencia in our village a month ago I was told Yes, I could vote in May next year.

But....knowing I am to be a candidate, I thought it best to check again, so today I went back to the Tenencia with my passport and other relevant docs...to discover that I need to fill in a form which stated that I wished to be eligible to vote in municipal and European elections.
So perhaps best to check if you are determined to vote.


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## larryzx (Jul 2, 2014)

mrypg9 said:


> Get over yourself, Larry. You have my permission to say what you like but you should know that on this Forum, no-one needs permission to disagree with any opinion expressed, mine or yours.* It's how the opinion is expressed, politely and without irrelevant personal comment, something you and a few others should perhaps take note of. *


Sorry but I have never (until my 'teacher reply' to you) have I ever made personal remarks about posters, and I believe I have always been polite when I have disagreed. But stones and glass houses I think Mary, no other person has needlessly commented on my former career as you have.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

larryzx said:


> Sorry but I have never (until my 'teacher reply' to you) have I ever made personal remarks about posters, and I believe I have always been polite when I have disagreed. But stones and glass houses I think Mary, no other person has needlessly commented on my former career as you have.



Enough bickering please larryzx and mrypg9 - can you just agree to disagree.


If we (the mods) see that posters are being bullied etc. then we'll step in.


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## larryzx (Jul 2, 2014)

snikpoh;5996449
If we (the mods) see that posters are being bullied etc. then we'll step in.[/QUOTE said:


> Thank you


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