Spain is set to hold general elections on 29 November 2026. Voters who will not be at their usual residence on that date can apply for postal voting until 19 November. The deadline for submitting the ballot at Correos, the national postal service, is 25 November.
The extraordinary Council of Ministers on 5 October 2026 approved the royal decree for the dissolution of the Cortes (the Spanish Parliament) and the call for elections to the Congress of Deputies and the Senate, which will take place on Sunday, 29 November. This decree was published in the Boletín Oficial del Estado (Official State Bulletin) on 6 October, the date it came into effect.
Campaign duration and key dates
According to the Organic Law 5/1985 on the General Electoral Regime, the electoral campaign will last for 15 days, commencing at midnight on 13 November and concluding at midnight on 27 November. The newly elected chambers will convene for their inaugural sessions on 23 December 2026. A reflection day will be held on 28 November.
Postal voting deadlines
Applications for postal voting can be made from the date of the election announcement until 19 November 2026, either at any Correos office or online via the Correos website, without the need for an in-person visit. Voters must authenticate their identity using an electronic ID (DNI) or a valid digital certificate.
How to vote by post
To vote by post, you must collect the application form at a Correos office or submit the request online using your electronic ID or a valid digital certificate. The form requires you to specify the postal address where you want the electoral documentation to be sent, which can be your home, workplace, or a P.O. box. The Electoral Census Office will send the necessary voting documentation to the indicated address starting from 9 November.
Once you receive the documentation, select your ballot and place it in the voting envelope (or leave it blank if you choose to vote null). Place the voting envelope and the census registration certificate inside the envelope addressed to your polling station. Do not include any identity documents inside the voting envelope, as this would render your vote invalid.
You must deliver this envelope to a Correos office, where you will need to identify yourself with your DNI or a similar document, and send it by certified mail before 25 November 2026, during regular postal office hours. If you are unable to deliver the documentation in person, you must authorise another person to submit it on your behalf, accompanied by a photocopy of your DNI or similar document, signed by you. To facilitate this process, Correos provides a model authorisation form that can be downloaded.
Can I change my mind and vote in person?
No. If you apply to vote by post and your application is accepted, you will not be able to vote in person at your polling station on 29 November.
How to apply for postal voting while abroad
If you are temporarily abroad or on holiday and wish to exercise your right to vote, you must complete the application form (available at consulates or embassies or downloadable from the websites of the Ministry of the Interior or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and submit it in person at the consulate or embassy by 31 October. It is recommended to make the request as early as possible.
To submit the application, you must be registered in the consular registration of the country where you are temporarily residing as a non-resident. The application and registration can be done simultaneously. The Electoral Census Office will begin sending electoral documentation to the addresses indicated in the applications from 3 November. Votes must be sent by certified mail no later than 25 November. For these votes to be valid, it is essential that the envelope bears a postmark or other official inscription from the relevant postal office, certifying that it was sent within the stipulated timeframe.
Who can use the electronic application for postal voting?
Eligible voters residing in Spain can use the online application. Once the request is submitted online and accepted by the Electoral Census Office, they will not be able to vote at the polling station on election day. Voters residing abroad who are temporarily in Spain and have the right to vote in the scheduled elections can also apply. However, applications cannot be made by voters residing in Spain who are temporarily abroad, nor by voters residing abroad who request it from their country of residence.
