Salamanca (Spanish Congress Electoral District)

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Location of Salamanca electoral district in Spain

Salamanca is one of the 52 electoral districts (circunscripciónes) used for the Spanish Congress of Deputies - the lower chamber of the Spanish Parliament, the Cortes Generales. It is one of the nine electoral districts which correspond to the provinces of Castile and León. Salamanca is the largest municipality accounting for 140,000 voters - 45% of the total electorate. Salamanca was one of only four districts (along with Vizcaya, Burgos and Cuenca) where the electorate fell between 2000 and 2004.

1 Boundaries and electoral system
2 Eligibility
3 Number of members
4 Summary of seats won 1977–2008
5 Results
- 5.1 2004 General Election
- 5.2 2000 General Election
6 External links
7 References

[edit] Boundaries and electoral system

Under Article 68 of the Spanish constitution ^[1] the boundaries must be the same as the province of Salamanca and under Article 140 this can only be altered with the approval of congress. Voting is on the basis of universal suffrage in a secret ballot. The electoral system used is closed list proportional representation with seats allocated using the D'Hondt method. Only lists which poll 3% or more of all valid votes cast, including votes "en blanco" i.e. for "none of the above" can be considered for seats. Under article 12 of the constitution, the minimum voting age is 18.

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[edit] Eligibility

Article 67.3 of the Spanish Constitution prohibits dual membership of the Cortes and regional assemblies, meaning that candidates must resign from Regional Assemblies if successfully elected. Article 70 also makes active judges, magistrates, public defenders, serving military personnel, active police officers and members of constitutional and electoral tribunals ineligible. ^[2]

[edit] Number of members

Salamanca has returned four members at every election since the restoration of democracy.

Under Spanish electoral law, all provinces are entitled to a minimum of 2 seats with a remaining 248 seats apportioned according to population. ^[3] These laws are laid out in detail in the 1985 electoral law. (Ley Orgánica del Régimen Electoral General) The practical effect of this has been to overrepreseent smaller provinces like Salamanca at the expense of larger provinces. Salamanca had a ratio of 78,106 voters per deputy in 2004 ^[4] a figure below the Spanish average of 98,777 voters per deputy. ^[5]

[edit] Summary of seats won 1977–2008

	1977	1979	1982	1986	1989	1993	1996	2000	2004	2008
Democratic Centre Union (UCD)	3	3
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)	1	1	3	2	2	2	1	1	2	2
People's Party (PP)			1	1	2	2	3	3	2	2
Democratic and Social Centre (CDS)				1

Seats shown for the Peoples Party include seats won by their predecessors the Popular Alliance in 1982 and the Popular Coalition in 1986.

[edit] Results

Although the PSOE topped the poll in their two best elections in 1982 and 1986, Salamanca has generally favoured the parties of the centre right who have topped the poll at every other election since the restoration of democracy. In 2004, PP led by 12% in Salamanca municipality - a figure quite close to the average.

[edit] 2004 General Election

[discuss] – [edit]
**Summary of the 14 March 2004 Congress of Deputies election results in Salamanca.**
Parties and alliances	Votes	%	Seats
People's Party (Partido Popular)	128,932	54.25	2
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (Partido Socialista Obrero Español)	94,655	39.83	2
United Left	4,713	1.98	0
Others	4,661	1.95	0

Source: ^[6]

[edit] 2000 General Election

[discuss] – [edit]
**Summary of the 12 March 2000 Congress of Deputies election results in Salamanca.**
Parties and alliances	Votes	%	Seats
People's Party (Partido Popular)	130,360	58.52	3
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (Partido Socialista Obrero Español)	72,769	32.67	1
United Left	8,195	3.68	0
Others	6,811	3.10	0