Good to know · Community
Vote in Spain’s local and European elections as a resident: how to get on the electoral roll
Foreign residents are not added to Spain’s electoral roll automatically. EU citizens can vote in municipal elections and in European Parliament elections; nationals of countries that have a reciprocity agreement with Spain can vote in municipal elections only. Both groups have to be on the padrón and ask to be on the roll. For the municipal elections of 23 May 2027, the INE says EU citizens must register on the padrón and file their declaration by 30 December 2026.
- Why it matters
- Newcomers often assume living in a town is enough to vote there. The official pages show a separate request is needed, with a deadline well before the election.
- When
- You live in Spain and want to vote in the town council (municipal) elections or, if you are an EU citizen, the European Parliament elections. The next municipal elections are on 23 May 2027.
- How long it takes
- EU citizens, 2027 municipal elections (23 May 2027): padrón registration and declaration by 30 December 2026 (INE). Agreement-country nationals: the dates for 2027 were not found; the 2022 resolution used 1 December to 15 January before the election.
- Official page
- Formación del censo electoral de extranjeros residentes en España para las elecciones municipales 2027
- Last checked
- 25 Oct 2026
- Next check by
- 30 Dec 2026
In the guide: the 4 steps, what to bring (6 items), and 4 Easy to miss lines, with every official source.
One Easy to miss, on us
For the 2027 municipal elections, both the padrón registration and the formal declaration must be done by 30 December 2026, not only the declaration.