Increased turnout in the Spanish elections – Politico

MADRID — The Spanish National Electoral Commission reports that about 40.48 percent of registered voters cast their ballots in the Spanish national election as of 2 p.m., up two percentage points compared to turnout recorded at the same hour during the November elections of 2019.

This number does not include turnout for mail-in ballots, which could boost the final number significantly. Spaniards have chosen to vote by mail in record numbers in this election, the first to be held in the middle of summer, when more than a quarter of registered voters are on vacation. some 2.47 million The votes were processed by the country’s state-owned Postal Service; These tickets are already in the polling stations but will only be counted at the end of the day.

More than 37 million Spaniards are registered to vote in this election, which will determine whether the country is still run by a left-wing coalition led by Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, or if the reins of power will instead pass to the centre-right Popular Party, Alberto Núñez Viejo, the open candidate to form a government with the far-right Vox party.

Despite concerns that some voters assigned to supervise would not show up at polling stations, the Spanish authorities reported no incidents. Similarly, the scorching heat It does not appear to have a low turnout. Although many areas are on edge due to scorching conditions, voters are showing up at a steady pace, with many using fans to keep cool while they wait in line.

Spain’s General Directorate of Traffic implemented a special strategy this afternoon to ensure that voters traveling from holiday homes can reach polling stations to cast their ballots.

Turning on the high-speed rail line that currently connects Valencia and Madrid has been suspended due to a fire near Xátiva; throughout the morning complained that the Spanish railway service was complicating the day of their election by failing to offer them alternative travel arrangements.

Polling offices in mainland Spain are open until 8pm today, with first projections of results expected at 9pm, when polls close in the Canary Islands.

But the only place where the voting process actually ends is in a village VillaroyaAll seven registered voters voted within 25 seconds of polling stations opening this morning. The small village, located in the province of La Rioja, prides itself on being the fastest Spanish municipality to complete elections. This time they managed to achieve this goal in three seconds less than the local elections last May.