Voting in Spanish elections from the UK: CERA and ERTA
Spain holds a general election on 29 November 2026, and Spaniards in the UK vote from here. How depends on whether you are registered at the consulate as a resident (CERA vote) or as a non-resident (ERTA vote).
Residents: the CERA vote
No prior request is needed any more. The electoral office sends the voting papers to your registered address, a first mailing between 24 and 30 October and the ballot papers between 4 and 8 November (up to 14 November if candidacies are challenged).
Ballot papers can also be downloaded until 26 November from the electoral office's website.
You can then post your vote to the consulate, by certified mail where possible, so that it arrives by 24 November; or drop it in the ballot box at your consulate from 21 to 26 November.
The ballot box at each consulate
London and Manchester: Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 November from 10 am to 5 pm, and Monday 23 to Thursday 26 November from 9 am to 6 pm. Edinburgh: the weekend from 10 am to 5 pm, Monday 23 to Wednesday 25 from 9 am to 6 pm, and Thursday 26 only until 2 pm.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Election | general, 29 Nov 2026 |
| Ballot download | until 26 Nov |
| Postal vote to the consulate | by 24 Nov |
| Ballot box at the consulate | 21 to 26 Nov |
| ERTA, vote to Spain | by 25 Nov |
- The papers sent by the electoral office
- Spanish identity document, if you vote at the ballot box
Residents who are in Spain during the election
They can request a postal vote at any Correos office in Spain until 19 November and send it by 25 November.
Non-residents: the ERTA vote
Spaniards temporarily in the UK had to be registered as non-residents and request their papers at the consulate by 31 October. Once the papers arrive, the vote goes by certified post to their polling station in Spain, no later than 25 November.
In Edinburgh, the last ballot-box day closes at 2 pm.Related guides
Checked against the official pages on 10 November 2026.
This directory is run privately. spanishconsulates.co.uk does not belong to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or to any consular office.
We publish what the official sources say and point out where they disagree. Before travelling, check the detail with the office.