Spanish election polling station appointments

Following the announcement of early elections, municipalities in Spain have begun the public lottery process to select citizens for polling station duties for the November 29 general elections. Local councils have until November 4 to complete these random selections, which may be conducted via computer programs or traditional methods such as drawing names from a bag.

Across the country, approximately 549,297 people, including both primary members and alternates, are expected to be called to serve across 61,033 polling stations. Each station will consist of a president and two members, with two alternates designated for each role. Selected individuals will be notified within three days of the lottery and will receive an instruction manual.

In Jerez de la Frontera, Mayor María José García-Pelayo presided over an extraordinary plenary session where a computer-based random draw designated 2,547 citizens for 283 polling stations and 99 electoral colleges. With a local electoral census of 178,531 voters, municipal services will now begin sending official notifications to the selected individuals.

Serving as a polling station member is mandatory. Citizens have seven days to present documented, justified reasons for exemption to the Zone Electoral Board. Valid reasons include disability, medical leave, advanced stages of pregnancy, being between 65 and 70 years old, or pre-existing travel that would result in significant economic loss. For those serving, the Ministry of the Interior has set compensation at 75 euros per day, and employees are entitled to paid leave and a five-hour reduction in their workday the following day. Failure to appear without justification is an electoral offense under the LOREG, which may result in fines between 1,000 and 7,000 euros, prison sentences of three months to one year, and a criminal record.