The searcher Google notes that in recent weeks ‘absentee ballot’ It has become a matter of interest and possible concern for citizens in Spain. The inquiries about the voting mechanics by mail have skyrocketed at the same rate as requests to exercise that right by via post. The same body of Mail has advised the public “do not wait until the last minute to vote by mail”. The request hides behind the pressing need for the Post Office staff to “expedite procedures and avoid waiting in the face of the high influx expected at their offices.” The fear of a administrative collapse plans in Post Offices throughout Spain, despite the fact that the workforce has been reinforced.
For now, the forecasts are being met and the provincial delegations of the Electoral Census Office have already begun to send electoral documentation to people who have already requested to vote by mail. The deposit of the vote can be made at any Post Office until July 20, 2023.
reinforced service
Correos assures that it has adopted “all the organizational measures necessary for the correct development of the activities that are entrusted to it during the electoral processes and for the management of the absentee ballot“. Among them, it alludes to extensions of hours and reinforcements both in distribution and in office attention. Given the celebration of public holidays in different locations in Spain, the coincidence with the summer period and the increase registered in the number of requests for vote by mail, Correos recommends that citizens who wish to exercise their right to vote by mail “try not to wait until the last day and take advantage of the extended hours of the post offices”.
From the 3rd of July Electoral documentation is already being sent to people who have already requested to vote by mail. The delivery must be by hand to the addressee, after having checked the registration of the vote-by-mail applicants in the census.
electoral documentation
What citizens registered to vote by mail receive is the electoral documentation, which includes a certificate of registration in the census, envelopes and ballots of all candidacies. The address for receiving this documentation is the one indicated by the voter in the requested vote request, certified and urgent.
The Postman or Post Office will make at least two attempts to deliver this documentation by hand to the recipient himself, leaving the notice so that he can pick it up at the nearest office if it was not possible to make that delivery by hand. To make the delivery, the Correos staff will verify the identity of the voter by means of the DNI, passport or driving license and will write down the number of the identification document attesting to the receipt of the envelopes and ballots with the signature of the delivery by the applicant. .
Once the Electoral Census Office (OCE) has sent the electoral documentation to the address indicated by the applicant, the Central Electoral Board allows the reissue of that electoral documentation to other addresses, provided that the voter expressly requests it. In any case, it is important that the voter take into account that they must request said reissue in sufficient time for Correos to send their documentation to the new address.
delegate the vote
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People who requested a vote by mail but cannot personally go to the Post Office to deposit their vote, must grant authorization for the delivery to be made by another person on their behalf. The authorization must be signed by the voter and accompanied by a photocopy of their national identity document, passport or other official identification document, as well as a photocopy of the identification document of the person they authorize. Correos staff will not accept the delivery of electoral documentation belonging to another voter if it is not accompanied by the corresponding authorization signed by the voter, which must be kept, together with a photocopy of the official document accrediting the voter and the person delivering on their behalf. the electoral documentation, for its remission to the corresponding Electoral Board of the Zone.
Voters who wish to vote by mail in the General Elections can still request until July 13 (inclusive) the Certificate of their registration in the Electoral census, via ‘online’ or in person at any Post Office in Spain. Once the application has been submitted online or in person, if it is accepted by the Electoral Census Office, it will not be possible to vote at the polling station on the day of the general elections.