Registration for Municipal Election

Election for Mayor and Local Cuncil will take place last Sunday i May 2011. At least in Aliocante province.

But how to registrate? RTN is having a campain to get ex pats to vote but I cant find any firm information exact how to registrate.

As i understand the requirements for EU members are:
1- Get a Padrón (Certificado de empedramiento) from Town Hall. Passport and prof of housing required.
2- Apply for voting registration at Town Hall latest end of August the year before the voting. (I assume the postal address will be registered in the same form)

The above is only needed once when living in the same municipal.
I due time you will get a card giving you the possibility to vote.

Have I got it right? Can anyone confirm?

Hi arne 56,

                  Go to your Town Hall and I am sure they will help.

We registered many years ago and found ours most helpful. Only too pleased to help. I did hear that each local town hall received a donation from central government for each person on the 'voters list'. Don't know how true that is.

Even though, at that time, we weren't 'resident' but property owners. We could vote in local and EU elections. At that time our Spanish was not as good as now but they were very helpful.

I think that many thought it was a way of the authorities checking up on them, so didn't register.  We have always been 'legal' and now resident.

Go to your Town Hall and enquire I think you will find it easy. After all it is your right to vote.

Hi Arne - there is a simple form which you are supposed to be given when you get your Padron, but unfortunately they seldom give them out without being asked - at least in our local town hall at Orihuela Costa.

Take your Padron to the town hall and ask for the form.  You need to sign it in front of the staff and they should then register you.

I'm not sure what else you need, but I would take your passport and residencia, with copies,  just in case.

I am taking a client to do her residencia and voting form this week, so if there is more than that required I will post it on here.

It is absolutely vital that all those who are eligible register for the vote.  Here in Orihuela Costa, the council are able to justify ignoring the needs of the expat population because so few of us appear on the voting register.  They are only interested in winning votes and staying in power, so they need to know that we can vote against them next year if they continue to spend all the budget in Orihuela City and ignore the other half of the municipality.

Round Town News is working hard to get the message out and hopefully there will be an event in Orihuela Costa to highlight the issue, but we don't have much time to spread the word!!