Asturian regional election, 2019

Asturian regional election, 2019

26 May 2019
All 45 seats in the General Junta of the Principality of Asturias 23 seats needed for a majority
Opinion polls
Leader Javier Fernández Mercedes Fernández Emilio León Party PSOE PP Podemos Leader since 23 October 2010 14 February 2012 1 April 2015 Leader's seat Central Central Central Last election 14 seats, 26.5% 11 seats, 21.6% 9 seats, 19.1% Seats needed 9 12 14   Leader Gaspar Llamazares Cristina Coto Nicanor García Party IU/IX FAC Cs Leader since 24 January 2015 21 February 2015 18 April 2015 Leader's seat Central Central Central Last election 5 seats, 11.9% 3 seats, 8.2% 3 seats, 7.1% Seats needed 18 20 20
Incumbent President Javier Fernández PSOE

The 2019 Asturian regional election will be held on Sunday, 26 May 2019, to elect the 11th General Junta of the Principality of Asturias. All 45 seats in the General Junta will be up for election. As per convention, the election is expected to be held simultaneously with regional elections in 12 other autonomous communities and local elections all throughout Spain, though the date may vary so as to make it coincide with the 2019 European Parliament election.

Electoral system

The 45 members of the General Junta of the Principality of Asturias are elected using the D'Hondt method and a closed list proportional representation, with a threshold of 3 per 100 of valid votes—which includes blank ballots—being applied in each constituency. Parties not reaching the threshold are not taken into consideration for seat distribution. Additionally, the use of the D'Hondt method may result in an effective threshold over three percent, dependant on the district magnitude.^[1] Seats are allocated to constituencies, which are established by law to comprise the following municipalities:

• Central: Aller, Avilés, Bimenes, Carreño, Caso, Castrillón, Corvera de Asturias, Gijón, Gozón, Illas, Las Regueras, Langreo, Laviana, Lena, Llanera, Mieres, Morcín, Noreña, Oviedo, Proaza, Quirós, Ribera de Arriba, Riosa, San Martín del Rey Aurelio, Santo Adriano, Sariego, Siero, Sobrescobio and Soto del Barco.
• Eastern: Amieva, Cabrales, Cabranes, Cangas de Onís, Caravia, Colunga, Llanes, Nava, Onís, Parres, Peñamellera Alta, Peñamellera Baja, Piloña, Ponga, Ribadedeva, Ribadesella and Villaviciosa.
• Western: Allande, Belmonte de Miranda, Boal, Candamo, Cangas del Narcea, Castropol, Coaña, Cudillero, Degaña, El Franco, Grado, Grandas de Salime, Ibias, Illano, Muros del Nalón, Navia, Pesoz, Pravia, Salas, San Martín de Oscos, Santa Eulalia de Oscos, San Tirso de Abres, Somiedo, Tapia de Casariego, Taramundi, Teverga, Tineo, Valdés, Vegadeo, Villanueva de Oscos, Villayón and Yernes y Tameza.

Each constituency is entitled to an initial minimum of two seats, with the remaining 39 allocated among the constituencies in proportion to their populations.^[2][3] Voting is on the basis of universal suffrage, with all nationals over eighteen, registered in Asturias and in full enjoyment of all political rights entitled to vote. Additionally, Asturians abroad are required to apply for voting before being permitted to vote, a system known as "begged" or expat vote (Spanish: Voto rogado).^[4]

The electoral law provides that parties, federations, coalitions and groupings of electors are allowed to present lists of candidates. However, groupings of electors are required to secure at least the signature of 1 per 100 of the electors entered in electoral register of the constituency for which they are seeking election. Electors are barred from signing for more than one list of candidates. Concurrently, parties and federations intending to enter in coalition to take part jointly at an election are required to inform the relevant Electoral Commission within ten days from the election call.^[2][5][6]

Elections are fixed for the fourth Sunday of May every four years. The President of the Principality of Asturias has the prerogative to dissolve the General Junta and call a snap election, provided that no motion of no confidence is in process, no nationwide election is due and some time requirements are met—namely, that dissolution does not occur either during the first legislative session or within the legislature's last year ahead of its scheduled expiry, nor before one year has elapsed since a previous dissolution under this procedure—. Additionally, the chamber is to be automatically dissolved and a new election called if an investiture process fails to elect a regional President within a two-month period from the first ballot. Any snap election held as a result of these circumstances would not alter the period to the next ordinary election, with elected deputies merely serving out what remains of their four-year terms.^[3][5]

Opinion polls

Individual poll results are listed in the table below in reverse chronological order, showing the most recent first, and using the date the survey's fieldwork was done, as opposed to the date of publication. If that date is unknown, the date of publication is given instead. The highest percentage figure in each polling survey is displayed with its background shaded in the leading party's colour. In the instance of a tie, the figures with the highest percentages are shaded. Seat projections are displayed in bold and in a different font. The lead column on the right shows the percentage-point difference between the two parties with the highest figures. 23 seats are required for an absolute majority in the General Junta of the Principality of Asturias.

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size	Turnout								Lead
NC Report/AsturiasDiario[p 1]	12–20 May 2017	1,200	49.1	24.1 12	22.0 11	19.6 10	11.0 5	7.2 3	9.6 4	–	2.1
2016 general election	26 Jun 2016	N/A	63.8	24.9	35.3	w.UP	w.UP	w.PP	12.6	23.9	10.4
2015 general election	20 Dec 2015	N/A	63.8	23.3	30.1	21.3	8.4	w.PP	13.6	–	6.8
2015 regional election	24 May 2015	N/A	55.8	26.5 14	21.6 11	19.1 9	11.9 5	8.2 3	7.1 3	–	4.9

Opinion poll sources

References

Elections in Asturias
Regional elections	1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011 2012 2015 2019
General elections	1977 1979 1982 1986 1989 1993 1996 2000 2004 2008 2011 2015 2016 Next
European elections	1987 1989 1994 1999 2004 2009 2014 2019