Running a Polling Station in Spain
Find out what happens when you're drawn to staff a Spanish polling station, from the letter to signing the final record.
In Spain each polling station is run by a mesa electoral of a president and two vocales, ordinary voters drawn by lottery from the electoral roll; it is compulsory, and you can only be excused with a justified reason filed within seven days. Party interventores observe, the count is public, and members get a small allowance and the next morning off. The cards follow one first-time president in Zaragoza from the letter to the count.
- 1
¿Y quién se encarga de la mesa electoral?
So who actually runs the polling station?
- 2
Votantes normales, elegidos por sorteo.
Ordinary voters, chosen by lottery.
- 3
Me ha tocado estar en una mesa electoral.
I've been picked to sit on a polling station.
- 4
¿Es obligatorio ir?
Do you have to go?
- 5
Sí, si no te presentas es delito.
Yes, if you don't turn up it's a criminal offence.
- 6
Solo te libras si tienes un motivo justificado.
You only get out of it if you've got a valid reason.
- 7
Tienes siete días para alegar.
You've got seven days to put in your reasons.
- 8
Yo soy el presidente y hay dos vocales.
I'm the president and there are two other members.
- 9
Hay que estar allí a las ocho de la mañana.
We have to be there at eight in the morning.
- 10
¿Quiénes son esos con la acreditación del partido?
Who are those people with the party badges?
- 11
Son interventores, no pueden interferir en la votación.
They're party observers; they can't interfere with the vote.
- 12
¿Me enseña el DNI, por favor?
Can I see your ID, please?
- 13
No aparece en el censo de esta mesa.
You're not on the electoral roll for this station.
- 14
Meta el sobre en la urna.
Put the envelope in the ballot box.
- 15
El recuento es público, puede verlo quien quiera.
The count is public, anyone who wants can watch.
- 16
Cerramos a las ocho en punto.
We close at eight on the dot.
- 17
Tenemos que firmar el acta.
We have to sign the official record.
- 18
¿Te pagan algo por eso?
Do they pay you anything for it?
- 19
Te dan una dieta y tienes libre la mañana siguiente.
You get an allowance and the next morning off.
- 20
Es un día eterno, pero se aprende mucho.
It's an endless day, but you learn a lot.