Foreign resident Euro election vote campaign

By Lois Jones THE Balearics is the region of Spain with the fourth highest number of foreign residents from other European Union countries or from those 10 awaiting full membership. The total registered headcount is 59'716 people, which confirms that the Islands only follow behind Alicante (146'587), Málaga (76'864) and Madrid (60'756). The National Institute of Statistics (INE) confirmed that these residents, who are registerered in the records of the National Electoral Census, are those who will be able to exercise their right to vote in Spain next year when European Parliamentary elections will be held. Foreigners' votes must be cast in the locality where they have officially registered their homes. According to regional statutes and Spanish electoral law, Europeans who wish to vote in Spain must declare their intention to do so in advance. If they have already voted here on a previous occasion, which is the case with 62'278 of the 665'083 Europeans currently resident in Spain, they don't need to go through the paperwork a second time, since the “declaration of intent” is a permanent record. Those who have not been through the process before, will have to make it known that they intend to exercise the right to vote in Spain. In order for foreign nationals to complete the administration work, the Electoral Census office is sending out an information pack which includes a printed form on which to make an official declaration of intent to vote. Once the form is completed and signed, it must be sent or taken in to the regional Electoral Census office which covers the area where the foreign national has a registered address. The intent to vote will then be lodged as part of the national census throughout the period of time that the foreign voters remain in Spain. The names of voters will not appear on the census if a special request is made for for them to be omitted. European Union citizens who are not registered with the local town council in the area where they are living, should go to the Town Hall to complete the process of registratation. If they wish, they will at the same time be able to fill in the form for officially declaring their intention to vote. Centres where information can be obtained on the European Parliamentary elections to be held in June of 2004 will be set up at the regional Electoral Census offices, as well as in local town halls. Information can also be obtained from the web page of the National Institute of Statistics (www.ine.es).