The Spanish city councils begin this Saturday, October 31, the draws to designate the citizens who will have to be part of the polling stations in the general elections of next November 29. In total, 549,297 people will be called as presidents, members or alternates, according to the forecasts for these elections, in which 61,033 polling stations distributed throughout the national territory will be set up. The procedure will take place over the next few days and will mark the beginning of the notifications that the selected citizens will receive to participate in the organization of the election day.
According to Electomanía, the city councils have until Wednesday, November 4 to hold the public draws by means of computer procedures or any other mechanism that guarantees the random selection of citizens. Subsequently, the chosen people must receive an official communication in the following three days, so November 7 is the reference date to complete the notifications. However, a delay in delivery does not automatically invalidate the designation. The summons affects both the principal members and their alternates, who will be obliged to present themselves at the polling stations on Sunday, November 29.
More than 61,000 polling stations: how the presidents and members are chosen
The Organic Law of the General Electoral Regime (LOREG) establishes that the formation of the polling stations corresponds to the city councils, under the supervision of the zone electoral boards. The appointments are made by public lottery among the people registered in the census of each electoral section who meet the legal requirements. Although this competence corresponds to the municipal plenary, it may also be exercised by the local government board when this function has been delegated to it.
Each polling station is made up of three people: a president and two members. However, the draw must also select two alternates for each of the positions, so that nine citizens are chosen per polling station. The aim is to ensure that the voting can proceed normally if any of the principal members cannot carry out their duties for a justified reason.
For these elections, it is planned to constitute 61,033 polling stations, approximately 700 more than in the general elections of July 23, 2023. This means summoning 549,297 people, compared with the nearly 543,000 selected in the previous elections. The figures could undergo small adjustments depending on the modifications that occur in the electoral organization.
The designated citizens must appear at their polling station at 8:00 a.m. on Sunday, November 29, one hour before the ballot boxes open. Substitutes are also obliged to attend, although they may leave when the polling station is properly constituted and it is confirmed that their participation is not needed. The principal members will remain during the voting and the subsequent counting of the votes for the Congress of Deputies and the Senate.
How to know if you have been assigned to a polling station and when the notification arrives
The draws will be held between October 31 and November 4, although each town hall organizes the procedure according to its own schedule. Once the selection has been made, the chosen citizens will receive an official notification with their appointment and the Instruction Manual for members of the polling stations, a document approved by the Council of Ministers last October 27.
The communication is usually carried out by means of a personal notification with acknowledgment of receipt. Some municipalities also offer electronic consultation systems so that citizens can check whether they have been selected. It is important to remember that there is no single national consultation that allows the result of all municipal draws to be known immediately, so those interested must attend to the channels enabled by their corresponding town hall.
The Ministry of the Interior has prepared for these elections an updated manual that sets out the functions of chairs, members and substitutes, from the constitution of the polling station to the final counting of the votes. In addition, it includes specific instructions to guarantee accessibility for persons with disabilities and to resolve the incidents that may arise during the day.
Who can be selected for a polling station and who is excluded
The electoral regulations establish that citizens registered in the corresponding electoral roll who know how to read and write and are under 70 years of age may be selected. However, there is a relevant exception: people between 65 and 69 years of age may decline to be part of the polling station, provided that they communicate their decision within seven days following the notification.
To serve as president, a minimum academic qualification is required. Specifically, the designated citizen must have the Bachillerato diploma, second-grade Vocational Training or, subsidiarily, School Graduate or an equivalent qualification. This condition is not required in the same way for the members.
On the other hand, candidates running in the elections cannot be part of the polling stations. Nor do those who reach the age of majority after the closing of the census used to constitute the electoral lists participate in the drawing, even though they may exercise their right to vote on election day.
The selection is carried out randomly, so having been part of a polling station in previous elections does not prevent being selected again. Likewise, having been called up in 2023 does not mean that a person has more or fewer chances of being designated on this occasion, since each drawing is held independently.
What to do if you are assigned to a polling station and cannot attend on November 29
Serving as president, member or alternate of a polling station is a legal obligation, although the regulations provide for certain circumstances that allow an exemption to be requested. Those who receive a notification will have seven days to submit allegations to the Zona Electoral Board, accompanied by the documentation justifying the impossibility of performing the position.
Among the causes that may justify an exemption are certain situations of disability, medical leave, advanced pregnancies, caregiving responsibilities and specific family or professional circumstances. Other justified situations may also be submitted, although it is up to the Zona Electoral Board to assess each case and determine whether the request should be accepted.
One of the main doubts concerns the people who have contracted a trip for November 29. In the general elections of July 2023, the Central Electoral Board exceptionally allowed vacations booked before the call to be taken into account when their cancellation caused economic harm or a serious disruption. However, that measure was specifically approved for the 23J elections and does not constitute an automatic exemption applicable to any election.
In fact, travel agency associations have recently asked the Central Electoral Board to clarify the criteria for the November 29 elections. Therefore, those who have travel reservations must document their situation and consult the competent electoral board, without assuming that having tickets or accommodations contracted will be sufficient to be exempt.
The final decision rests with the Zona Electoral Board, which must assess the circumstances and the documentation submitted by each citizen.
Fines and prison sentences for not attending an electoral polling table
Electoral legislation establishes criminal consequences for those who unjustifiably fail to fulfill their obligations as members of an electoral polling table. According to article 143 of the LOREG, presidents, members, and alternates who do not appear, leave their duties without legitimate cause, or fail to comply with their legal obligations may face prison sentences of three months to one year or fines of six to twenty-four months.
The sanction does not automatically apply for submitting a claim that is ultimately rejected, but rather for the unjustified failure to comply with the obligations provided for in the legislation. Therefore, if a person has been appointed and considers that they cannot attend, they must formally submit their request and wait for the corresponding resolution, instead of simply failing to show up.
The obligation to attend also affects alternates, even if they ultimately do not have to remain at the polling station. If any of the principal members fail to appear, the alternates must take their place following the established order.
How much is paid for being on a polling table: 75 euros and five hours off
Citizens who serve as chairs or members of an electoral board will receive an allowance of 75 euros, according to the order of the Ministry of the Interior published in the Official State Gazette on June 27, 2026. The amount represents an increase of five euros compared with the general elections of July 2023, when the compensation was set at 70 euros.
Substitutes will only receive the allowance if they ultimately have to replace a regular member and carry out their duties during election day. The amount is paid in full to those who actually perform the position, regardless of the hours they have remained on the board.
In addition, employees and public servants who are part of an electoral board are entitled to paid leave during voting day if it coincides with their working hours. They may also enjoy a reduction of five hours in their workday the following day, Monday, November 30, in accordance with the conditions established by the regulations.
Participants will be protected by Social Security against contingencies that may arise from their activity during the elections.
29N will mobilize nearly 39 million voters
The drawing of the boards constitutes one of the main preparation procedures for the general elections of November 29, 2026, called after the early election announced by the Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez. According to data from the National Statistics Institute (INE), 38,728,356 Spaniards are called to the polls, of whom 35,958,711 reside in Spain and 2,769,645 are abroad.
The election campaign will officially begin on Friday, November 13, and will end on Friday the 27th, while Saturday the 28th will be the reflection day. On Sunday the 29th, polling stations will open at 9:00 a.m. and close at 8:00 p.m., at which time the vote count will begin, first for Congress and then for the Senate.
With the municipal draws already underway, almost 550,000 citizens will learn in the coming days whether they must directly participate in the organization of the vote. The key dates are November 4, when the general deadline for holding the draws ends, and November 7, the reference limit for completing the ordinary notifications. From the receipt of each communication, the seven-day period to request an exemption will begin to count, if there is a legally justified cause.