On 14 October 2026, the Spanish government published a briefing note on the parliamentary election on 29 November 2026. The guide brings together deadlines, responsibilities and information for voters. Its legal basis is Real Decreto 806/2026 of 5 October, published in the Boletín Oficial del Estado on 6 October. Under it, the Cortes Generales will be elected anew; according to the decree, the chambers are due to hold their constituent sittings on 23 December 2026 at 10 am.
According to Oficina del Censo Electoral of the Instituto Nacional de Estadística The electorate numbers 38,728,356. The census date was 1 August 2026. Of those eligible to vote, 35,958,711 live in Spain and 2,769,645 abroad. A total of 1,615,127 people will vote in a parliamentary election for the first time, having reached the age of majority since the elections of 23 July 2023.
The guide lists the key dates: the official campaign lasts 15 days, running from Friday 13 November at 00:00 to Friday 27 November at 24:00. Polling stations will be open from 9 am to 8 pm on election day. Accepted forms of identification are the national identity card (DNI), passport or driving licence.
For the Congreso de los Diputados A total of 350 members of Congress are elected by closed lists in constituencies corresponding to the provinces and the cities of Ceuta and Melilla . Seats are allocated using the D’Hondt method. The Senado is partly elected directly by citizens in the provinces and partly appointed by the regional parliaments. Voting from abroad follows the procedures set out in the LOREG; deadlines and arrangements are summarised in the guide.
The Oficina del Censo Electoral and its delegations are responsible for maintaining the electoral register, sending polling cards from 2 November and handling appeals. The Junta Electoral Central and the territorial electoral authorities are also responsible for organising the vote. Official documents set out the obligations of polling station members and the legal consequences of failing to attend without a valid reason.
The government’s information is consistent with Real Decreto 806/2026, published in the Boletín Oficial del Estado, and with announcements by the Instituto Nacional de Estadística. It contains no political assessments or forecasts; the guide is intended to clarify procedures ahead of the election.
Editor: Phillipe Schmidt-Araguin (Article created with AI assistance).