Foreign residents: how to vote in Spain's local elections 23 May 2027

If you live in Spain and you are a citizen of another EU country, or of one of the 13 countries with a reciprocity agreement (such as the United Kingdom, Norway, Colombia or Ecuador), you can vote in the local (municipal) elections of 23 May 2027. Being on the padrón is not enough: you must be on the electoral roll, and the deadlines come early.

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Key dates

30 Dec 2026Deadline for EU citizens
1 Dec–15 JanApplication period for the UK, Norway and the other agreement countries
23 May 2027Local elections
29 Nov: noOnly Spanish nationals vote in the general election

1. Who can vote?

  • Citizens of other EU countries living in Spain.
  • Nationals of the 13 countries with an agreement in force: Bolivia, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Iceland, New Zealand, Norway, Paraguay, Peru, South Korea, Trinidad and Tobago and the United Kingdom.

In both cases you must be on the electoral roll for foreign residents (CERE). Foreigners cannot vote in the general election of 29 November 2026.

2. EU citizens

You must be on the padrón and declare that you want to vote in Spain. The declaration is permanent: if you made it for a previous local election and still live in Spain, you do not need to repeat it.

Deadline: 30 December 2026, both for the padrón registration and for the declaration.

  • Online at the INE website, with Cl@ve. Open all year.
  • With the letter from the Electoral Roll Office (Oficina del Censo Electoral), sent at the end of September 2026 to EU citizens who had not yet declared: it includes a code (CTT) to do it online without Cl@ve, or it can be returned by post free of charge.
  • At your town hall, with form CERE.DFA. You can identify yourself with your foreigner's card (NIE) or with your national identity card or passport.

3. United Kingdom, Norway and the other agreement countries

You must apply to be included in the electoral roll within the application period.

  • Be 18 or over and not deprived of the right to vote.
  • Be registered on the padrón of your municipality.
  • Hold a Spanish residence permit.
  • Have lived legally in Spain for five years at the time of the application; three years for UK nationals (at the time of the application) and for Norwegians (on polling day).

Application period: 1 December 2026 to 15 January 2027. Late applications are rejected.

  • Online at the INE website («Solicitud de inscripción»), with Cl@ve or with your NIE and the code (CTT) in the letter.
  • With the letter the Electoral Roll Office will send at the end of November 2026 to those who meet the requirements. It can be returned by post free of charge.
  • At your town hall, with form CERE.N and your foreigner's card (UK, Norwegian and Icelandic nationals can also use their passport or national identity card). Proof of legal residence: a certificate from the Foreigners' Office (Oficina de Extranjería) or the National Police.

If you are not sure whether you are still registered from a previous election, ask your town hall or the provincial office of the Oficina del Censo Electoral.

Official sources

Based on the regulations and official communications of the Oficina del Censo Electoral. It does not replace the information from the INE or your town hall.