1869 Spanish general election
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A general election was held in Spain from 15 to 18 January 1869 to elect the members of the Constituent Cortes in the Democratic Sexennium period. 363 of 381 seats in the Cortes were up for election. In the Canary Islands the election was held from 27 to 30 January, in Puerto Rico it was held from 30 May to 1 June, and in Cuba it was indefinitely postponed.[a]
.jpg)
 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
15â18 January 1869
27â30 January 1869 (Canary Islands) 30 May â 1 June 1869 (Puerto Rico) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
All 381 seats in the Constituent Cortes[a] 191 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered | 3,798,284 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Turnout | 2,943,460 (77.5%) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The election was the first to be held following the Glorious Revolution in September 1868, which had resulted in the overthrow of the Moderate Party from power and the exile of Queen Isabella II. A provisional government under Francisco Serrano, supported by the Progressive Party, the Liberal Union and elements from the Democratic Party, was formed to organize an election to Constituent Cortes, aiming at replacing the Spanish Constitution of 1845 with a new constitution.
Background
The Glorious Revolution in Spain in September 1868, marking the starting point of the Democratic Sexennium, had led to the overthrow of the Moderate Party's government and the exile of Queen Isabella II, with the revolutionaries aiming for a reform of the Isabelline political system through a constituent assembly elected by universal suffrage.[3] With the purpose of organizing this election, the Progressive Party and the Liberal Union formed a provisional government led by Francisco Serrano, Duke of la Torre, running together as part of the MonarchistâDemocratic Coalition that aimed for the establishment of a "democratic monarchy".[4] Public enthusiasm after the revolution saw favourable conditions for a relatively free and fair election, with the government not needing to resort to electoral fraud to provide itself with a parliamentary majority.[5]
As for the Democratic Party, following several assemblies held between October and November 1868, it decided to withdraw its support for the government after concluding that the provisions of the Pact of Ostend had been fulfilled, advocate for the establishment of a federal republic and re-establish itself as the Federal Democratic Republican Party (PRDF). A faction of the party opposed this decision and decided to opt for the "democratic monarchy" proposed by the government, becoming popularly known as the Cimbrios and joining the government's ticket. One of the factors that most helped the popularization of the PRDF in the country's urban areas would be its opposition to the consumption taxesâestablished in 19th-century Spain and taxing essential goodsâand the quintas, a system of forced recruitment of young people into the Spanish Army which saw wealthier families being able to "exempt" their offspring from military service by paying a fee (the redención en metálico or "cash redemption") or by hiring a replacement ("substitution"). Many had hoped these would be abolished with the success of the Revolution and felt betrayed by the government's decision to uphold them.[6][7]
The Carlist movement only became established as a political party in the Revolution of 1868, having previously preferred military procedures; as a result the CatholicâMonarchist Communion was formed to participate in the election, although still subordinated to the Royal Carlist Armies.[8]
Overview
Under the Pact of Ostend and the Cádiz Manifestos, the Spanish Cortes were conceived as a constituent assembly tasked with drafting a new constitution that would replace the legal framework of the Isabelline period.[3][9][10]
Date
Election day was held over four voting days: the first was used to elect polling station officials, and the remaining three were devoted to the parliamentary election itself.[11]
The election to the Constituent Cortes was officially called on 6 December 1868, with the corresponding decree setting election day for between 15 and 18 January 1869 in most of the country and from 27 to 30 January in the Canary Islands, scheduling for the chamber to reconvene on 11 February.[12][13] The publication of the election decree for Puerto Rico was delayed until 30 April, setting election day in the island for between 30 May and 1 June.[14] In Cuba, elections were postponed due to the outbreak of the Ten Years' War.[1][2]
Electoral system
Voting for the Cortes was based on universal manhood suffrage, comprising all Spanish national males over 25 years of age and registered in the census.[15][16][17] In the Spanish West Indies, voting was based on censitary suffrage, comprising Spanish males of voting age, with full civil rights, who met either of the following:[18][19]
- Being taxpayers with a minimum quota of 50 escudos in property or corporate taxes;
- Holding specific positions (members of scientific and literary corporations or economic societies of Friends of the Country; doctors and graduates; ordained ministers; active and retired public employees; general officers, awarded painters or sculptors, senior court officials; industrial and commercial managers; certified teachers);
Additional restrictions excluded those deprived of political rights or barred from public office by a final sentence, criminally imprisoned or convicted, legally incapacitated, bankrupt, and public debtors.[20]
The Constituent Cortes had one seat per 45,000 inhabitants or fraction above 22,500. All were elected in multi-member constituencies corresponding to the provinces of Spainâeach assigned a number of seats according to populationâusing plurality voting. Provinces electing six to ten seats were divided into two sub-provincial constituencies, and those electing above ten into three (with the exception of the Balearics and the Canary Islands, which were divided according to their particular circumstances).[21][22] Cuba and Puerto Rico were allocated 18 and 11 seats, respectively.[23]
As a result of the aforementioned allocation, each Cortes multi-member constituency (a total of 88) was entitled the following seats:[24][25]
| Seats | Constituencies |
|---|---|
| 7 | Havana, Madrid |
| 6 | Avilés, Barcelona, Castellón, Ciudad Real, Coruña, Huesca, Játiva, Matanzas, Oviedo, Salamanca, Santiago, Zamora |
| 5 | Albacete, Alicante, Badajoz, Cuenca, Granada, Guadalajara, Manresa, Motril, Murcia, Pontevedra, Santander, Santiago de Cuba, Seville, Teruel, Valladolid, Vich, Vigo, Zaragoza |
| 4 | Alcalá, Alcoy, AlmerÃa, Astorga, Ãvila, Baeza, Bilbao, Burgos, Cáceres, Cádiz, Calatayud, Castuera, Córdoba, Gerona, Ginzo de Limia, Huelva, Jaén, León, Lérida, Liria, Lorca, Logroño, Lugo, Mayagüez, Mondoñedo, Montilla, Orense, Palencia, Palma, Pamplona, Ronda, San Juan Bautista, San Sebastián, Tarragona, Toledo, Valencia |
| 3 | Antequera, Arecibo, Briviesca, Ãcija, Estella, Huercalovera, Jerez, Málaga, Morón, Ocaña, Olot, Plasencia, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Segovia, Seo de Urgel, Soria, Tortosa |
| 2 | Ãlava, Las Palmas, Mahón |
The law provided for by-elections to fill vacant seats during the legislative term, as long as this affected at least one third of the seats assigned to a given province.[26]
Candidates
Nomination rules
Spanish males with the right to vote could run for election. Causes of ineligibility applied to holders of government-appointed posts within their areas of jurisdiction, except for those serving in the province of Madrid with limited authority. Additionally in the Spanish West Indies, ineligibility extended to those convicted of slave trade crimes, but not to local mayors and deputy mayors.[27]
Incompatibility rules barred representing multiple constituencies simultaneously, as well as combining the role of deputy with any civil, military or overseas post based outside Madrid.[28]
Results
Overall
 | |||||
| Parties and alliances | Popular vote | Seats | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Total | +/â | ||
| MonarchistâDemocratic Coalition (PâULâD) | 8,743,286 | 64.97 | 259 | ||
| Others | 799,352 | 5.94 | 3 | ||
| Federal Democratic Republican Party (PRDF) | 2,987,398 | 22.20 | 69 | ||
| CatholicâMonarchist Communion (CMC) | 1,090,254 | 8.10 | 23 | ||
| Moderate Party (PM) | 220,111 | 1.64 | 1 | ||
| Independent Conservatives (CON.IND) | 5,653 | 0.04 | 7 | ||
| Independent Liberals (L.IND) | 3,661 | 0.03 | 4 | ||
| Independents (INDEP) | 119,934 | 0.89 | 0 | ||
| Vacant[a] | 18 | ||||
| Others | 286,550 | 2.13 | 0 | ||
| Total | 13,456,847 | 381 | |||
| Votes cast / turnout | 2,943,460 | 77.49 | |||
| Abstentions | 853,686 | 22.51 | |||
| Registered voters | 3,798,284 | ||||
| Sources[29][30][31] | |||||
By province
| Province | MâD | PRDF | CMC | PM | CON.IND | L.IND | Vacant | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % | S | % | S | % | S | % | S | % | S | % | S | % | S | |
| Ãlava | 0.2 | â | 4.0 | â | 88.5 | 2 | ||||||||
| Albacete | 83.7 | 5 | 11.5 | â | 3.1 | â | ||||||||
| Alicante | 64.7 | 6 | 32.8 | 3 | ||||||||||
| AlmerÃa | 85.5 | 7 | 11.1 | â | 1.2 | â | ||||||||
| Ãvila | 78.5 | 4 | 9.2 | â | 3.7 | â | 1.0 | â | ||||||
| Badajoz | 73.5 | 8 | 20.7 | 1 | 1.6 | â | ||||||||
| Balearics | 67.1 | 6 | 24.5 | â | 4.7 | â | ||||||||
| Barcelona | 39.8 | 7 | 44.0 | 8 | 14.3 | 1 | ||||||||
| Biscay | 16.5 | â | 1.0 | â | 82.5 | 4 | ||||||||
| Burgos | 71.4 | 6 | 1.8 | â | 4.3 | â | 18.8 | 1 | ||||||
| Cáceres | 67.6 | 7 | 28.2 | â | 0.3 | â | ||||||||
| Cádiz | 36.6 | â | 60.7 | 9 | ||||||||||
| Canaries | 84.0 | 5 | 13.4 | â | ||||||||||
| Castellón | 56.6 | 6 | 26.0 | â | 14.7 | â | 1.4 | â | ||||||
| Ciudad Real | 68.8 | 5 | 16.3 | â | 9.1 | 1 | 3.2 | â | ||||||
| Córdoba | 74.5 | 8 | 19.5 | â | 1.4 | â | 0.3 | â | ||||||
| Cuenca | 75.0 | 5 | 1.2 | â | 8.1 | â | 12.3 | â | ||||||
| Gerona | 29.2 | 1 | 42.9 | 4 | 27.8 | 2 | ||||||||
| Granada | 73.5 | 8 | 17.3 | 2 | 6.0 | â | 1.0 | â | ||||||
| Guadalajara | 68.8 | 4 | 8.1 | 1 | 14.6 | â | 6.9 | â | ||||||
| Guipúzcoa | 32.6 | â | 67.2 | 4 | ||||||||||
| Havana | N/a | 7 | ||||||||||||
| Huelva | 66.5 | 3 | 32.5 | 1 | 0.4 | â | ||||||||
| Huesca | 50.8 | 1 | 48.3 | 5 | ||||||||||
| Jaén | 74.9 | 8 | 20.7 | â | ||||||||||
| La Coruña | 85.9 | 12 | 5.6 | â | 1.2 | â | 0.1 | â | ||||||
| León | 74.1 | 7 | 9.4 | 1 | 1.6 | â | 6.9 | â | ||||||
| Lérida | 25.5 | â | 61.6 | 7 | 9.5 | â | 3.2 | â | ||||||
| Logroño | 82.1 | 4 | 13.1 | â | 0.4 | â | ||||||||
| Lugo | 95.7 | 10 | 2.1 | â | 0.1 | â | ||||||||
| Madrid | 68.5 | 11 | 22.8 | â | 2.2 | â | 1.4 | â | ||||||
| Málaga | 64.7 | 8 | 33.6 | 2 | 0.0 | â | ||||||||
| Matanzas | N/a | 6 | ||||||||||||
| Murcia | 72.6 | 7 | 25.5 | 2 | ||||||||||
| Navarre | 24.2 | 1 | 0.6 | â | 74.5 | 6 | ||||||||
| Orense | 77.6 | 7 | 19.2 | 1 | 0.7 | â | ||||||||
| Oviedo | 61.8 | 10 | 7.8 | â | 22.1 | 2 | 3.9 | â | ||||||
| Palencia | 64.6 | 3 | 13.6 | 1 | 20.4 | â | ||||||||
| Pontevedra | 94.4 | 10 | 4.9 | â | ||||||||||
| Puerto Rico | 57.4 | 7 | 37.2 | 4 | ||||||||||
| Salamanca | 48.5 | 4 | 25.2 | 1 | 21.2 | 1 | ||||||||
| Santander | 72.2 | 5 | 10.8 | â | 12.1 | â | 1.6 | â | ||||||
| Santiago de Cuba | N/a | 5 | ||||||||||||
| Segovia | 78.1 | 3 | 0.7 | â | 17.3 | â | ||||||||
| Seville | 45.4 | 2 | 53.4 | 9 | ||||||||||
| Soria | 67.2 | 3 | 2.9 | â | 27.5 | â | ||||||||
| Tarragona | 52.5 | 5 | 44.0 | 2 | 2.0 | â | ||||||||
| Teruel | 62.7 | 5 | 36.6 | â | ||||||||||
| Toledo | 77.3 | 6 | 14.3 | 1 | 0.7 | â | 3.7 | â | ||||||
| Valencia | 59.8 | 10 | 30.0 | 4 | 8.3 | â | 1.1 | â | ||||||
| Valladolid | 66.5 | 5 | 18.4 | â | 9.4 | â | ||||||||
| Zamora | 86.8 | 6 | 1.9 | â | 5.8 | â | ||||||||
| Zaragoza | 50.8 | 5 | 42.9 | 4 | 1.7 | â | ||||||||
| Total | 65.0 | 259 | 22.2 | 69 | 8.1 | 23 | 1.6 | 1 | 0.0 | 7 | 0.0 | 4 | N/a | 18 |
Notes
- Elections in Cuba were indefinitely postponed due to the outbreak of the Ten Years' War, resulting in the vacancy of the 18 seats allocated to the island.[1][2]
- In the Canary Islands, the election was held from 27 to 30 January 1869. In Puerto Rico, it was held from 30 May to 1 June 1869.