1983 Spanish local elections
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Local elections were held in Spain on 8 May 1983[a] to elect all 67,505 councillors in the 7,781 Spanish municipalities,[2] all 1,177 provincial seats in 41 provinces (including 38 indirectly-elected provincial deputations and the three foral deputations in the Basque Country) and 191 seats in ten island councils (seven Canarian and three Balearic ones). They were held concurrently with regional elections in thirteen autonomous communities.
.jpg)
3.3% 6.0 pp | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
8 May 1983[a]
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
67,312 councillors in 7,781 municipal councils All 1,368 provincial/island seats in 44 provinces[b] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opinion polls | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Registered | 27,474,920 3.3% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Turnout | 18,847,386 (68.6%) 6.0 pp | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Provincial results map for municipal elections | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
Overview
Local government
Under the 1978 Constitution, the governance of municipalities in Spain was centered on the figure of city councils (Spanish: ayuntamientos), local corporations with independent legal personality composed of a mayor, a government council and an elected legislative assembly.[3] The mayor was indirectly elected by the local assembly, requiring an absolute majority; otherwise, the candidate from the most-voted party automatically became mayor (ties were resolved by drawing lots).[4] The concejo abierto system (English: open council), under which voters directly elected the local mayor by plurality voting, was reserved for municipalities under 25 inhabitants and some minor local entities.[5]
Provincial deputations were the governing bodies of provinces in Spain—except for single-province autonomous communities[d]—having an administration role of municipal activities and composed of a provincial president, an administrative body, and a plenary.[7] For insular provinces, such as the Balearic and Canary Islands, deputations were replaced by island councils in each of the islands or group of islands. For Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Fuerteventura, La Gomera, El Hierro, Lanzarote and La Palma, this figure was referred to in Spanish as cabildo insular, whereas for Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza–Formentera, its name was consejo insular (Catalan: consell insular).[8][e] The three Basque provinces had foral deputations instead (called General Assemblies, or Juntas Generales).[10]
Date
The term of local assemblies in Spain expired four years after the date of their previous election. The election decree was required to be issued no later than the day after the expiration date of the assemblies, with election day taking place within from 55 to 70 days after the decree's publication in the Official State Gazette (BOE).[11]
Elections to the assemblies of local entities were officially called on 10 March 1983 with the publication of the corresponding decree in the BOE, setting election day for 8 May.[12] Subsequent by-elections were called on 29 August, for 6 November.[1]
Electoral system
Voting for local assemblies and Canarian island councils was based on universal suffrage, comprising all Spanish nationals over 18 years of age, registered and residing in the municipality or council and with full civil and political rights.[13]
Local and island councillors were elected using the D'Hondt method and closed-list proportional voting, with a five percent-threshold of valid votes (including blank ballots) in each constituency. Each municipality or council was a multi-member constituency, with a number of seats based on the following scale:[14]
| Population | Councillors | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Municipalities | Canary Islands | Balearic Islands[e] | |
| <250 | 5 | No island below 5,000 inhabitants |
Fixed number: Ibiza–Formentera: 12 Menorca: 12 Mallorca: 30 |
| 251–1,000 | 7 | ||
| 1,001–2,000 | 9 | ||
| 2,001–5,000 | 11 | ||
| 5,001–10,000 | 13 | 11 | |
| 10,001–20,000 | 17 | 13 | |
| 20,001–50,000 | 21 | 17 | |
| 50,001–100,000 | 25 | 21 | |
| >100,001 | +1 per each 100,000 inhabitants or fraction +1 if total is an even number | ||
Councillors in municipalities between 25 and 250 inhabitants were elected using open-list partial block voting, with voters choosing up to four candidates.[15]
Most provincial deputations were indirectly elected by applying the D'Hondt method and a three percent-threshold of valid votes to municipal results—excluding candidacies not electing any councillor—in each judicial district. Seats were allocated to provincial deputations based on the following scale (with each judicial district being assigned an initial minimum of one seat and a maximum of three-fifths of the total number of provincial seats, with the remaining ones distributed in proportion to population):[16]
The General Assemblies of Álava, Biscay and Gipuzkoa were directly elected by voters under their own, specific electoral regulations.[17]
The law provided for by-elections to fill vacant seats only when results in a constituency were annulled by a final sentence following an electoral petition, or in cases where elections were not held due to a lack of candidates; otherwise, vacancies arising after the proclamation of candidates and during the legislative term were filled by the next candidates on the party lists or, when required, by designated substitutes.[18]
Parties and candidates
The electoral law allowed for parties and federations registered in the interior ministry, alliances and groupings of electors to present lists of candidates. Parties and federations intending to form an alliance were required to inform the relevant electoral commission within 10 days of the election call, whereas groupings of electors needed to secure the signature of a determined amount of the electors registered in the municipality for which they sought election, disallowing electors from signing for more than one list:[19]
- At least two percent of the electors in municipalities with a population below 5,000 inhabitants, provided that the number of signers was more than double that of councillors at stake.
- At least 100 signatures in municipalities with a population between 5,001 and 10,000.
- At least 200 signatures in municipalities with a population between 10,001 and 50,000.
- At least 500 signatures in municipalities with a population between 50,001 and 150,000.
- At least 1,000 signatures in municipalities with a population between 150,001 and 300,000.
- At least 2,000 signatures in municipalities with a population between 300,001 and 1,000,000.
- At least 5,000 signatures in municipalities with a population over 1,000,001.
Opinion polls
The table below list opinion polling results in reverse chronological order, showing the most recent first and using the dates when the survey fieldwork was done, as opposed to the date of publication. Where the fieldwork dates are 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. If a tie ensues, this is applied to the figures with the highest percentages. The "Lead" column on the right shows the percentage-point difference between the parties with the highest percentages in a poll. Refusals are generally excluded from the party vote percentages, while question wording and the treatment of "don't know" responses and those not intending to vote may vary between polling organisations.
| Polling firm/Commissioner | Fieldwork date | Sample size | Turnout |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
PNV |  |
 |
 |
 |
Ind. | Lead |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 local elections | 8 May 1983 | N/a | 68.6 | – | 41.9 | 8.0 | 25.7 | 4.1 | 2.2 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 1.8 | – | 16.2 |
| Metra Seis/Tiempo[20] | 11–15 Apr 1983 | ? | ? | – | 49.9 | 4.2 | 17.6 | 6.4 | 1.3 | 2.1 | 32.3 | ||||
| 1979 local elections | 3 Apr 1979 | N/a | 62.6 | 30.9 | 28.2 | 13.0 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.4 | – | – | 2.7 |
Results
Municipal
Overall
| Parties and alliances | Popular vote | Councillors | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | ±pp | Total | +/− | ||
| Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | 7,883,502 | 41.87 | +13.72 | 23,729 | +11,660 | |
| People's Coalition (AP–PDP–UL)1 | 4,843,665 | 25.73 | +22.66 | 21,076 | +18,693 | |
| Communist Party of Spain (PCE) | 1,499,907 | 7.97 | −5.08 | 2,495 | −1,230 | |
| Convergence and Union (CiU) | 763,758 | 4.06 | +0.96 | 3,329 | +1,547 | |
| Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV) | 407,908 | 2.17 | −0.03 | 1,322 | +229 | |
| Democratic and Social Centre (CDS) | 333,001 | 1.77 | New | 658 | +658 | |
| Galicianist Party–Convergence of Independents of Galicia (PG–CIGA)2 | 169,711 | 0.90 | +0.48 | 872 | +731 | |
| Popular Unity (HB) | 158,163 | 0.84 | −0.16 | 385 | +118 | |
| Liberal Democratic Party (PDL) | 145,982 | 0.78 | New | 861 | +861 | |
| Socialist Party of Andalusia–Andalusian Party (PSA–PA) | 110,780 | 0.59 | −0.91 | 146 | −113 | |
| Regionalist Aragonese Party (PAR) | 105,956 | 0.56 | +0.20 | 1,120 | +844 | |
| Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) | 85,198 | 0.45 | −0.18 | 155 | −55 | |
| Basque Country Left (EE) | 76,950 | 0.41 | +0.05 | 121 | +37 | |
| Party of the Communists of Catalonia (PCC) | 67,214 | 0.36 | New | 61 | +61 | |
| Tenerife Group of Independents (ATI) | 66,140 | 0.35 | New | 85 | +85 | |
| Galician Nationalist Bloc (BNG)3 | 50,400 | 0.27 | −0.21 | 118 | −140 | |
| Canarian People's Union–Canarian Assembly (UPC–AC) | 45,534 | 0.24 | −0.10 | 51 | +21 | |
| Majorcan Union (UM) | 37,956 | 0.20 | New | 140 | +140 | |
| Navarrese People's Union (UPN) | 33,111 | 0.18 | +0.11 | 79 | +69 | |
| Valencian People's Union (UPV)4 | 29,389 | 0.16 | +0.09 | 35 | +23 | |
| Workers' Socialist Party (PST) | 27,168 | 0.14 | New | 0 | ±0 | |
| Independents of León (IL) | 23,596 | 0.13 | New | 11 | +11 | |
| Independent Provincial Group of Ciudad Real (APICR) | 21,752 | 0.12 | New | 77 | +77 | |
| United Extremadura (EU) | 21,513 | 0.11 | New | 202 | +202 | |
| Galician Left (EG) | 19,173 | 0.10 | New | 22 | +22 | |
| Valencian Independent Organization (OIV) | 16,735 | 0.09 | New | 63 | +63 | |
| United La Coruña (LCU) | 16,007 | 0.09 | New | 5 | +5 | |
| Communist Movement–Revolutionary Communist League (MC–LCR)5 | 15,381 | 0.08 | −0.56 | 12 | −54 | |
| Regionalist Party of Cantabria (PRC) | 13,644 | 0.07 | −0.08 | 63 | −18 | |
| Independent Galician Party (PGI) | 12,763 | 0.07 | New | 39 | +39 | |
| Cantonal Party (PCAN) | 12,363 | 0.07 | −0.02 | 5 | −2 | |
| Socialist Party of Majorca–Socialist Party of the Islands (PSM–PSI) | 11,925 | 0.06 | +0.01 | 32 | +21 | |
| United Candidacy of Workers (CUT) | 11,691 | 0.06 | +0.03 | 51 | +18 | |
| Governing Independent Viguese (VIGO) | 10,556 | 0.06 | New | 3 | +3 | |
| Agrarian Bloc–Spanish Ruralist Party (BAR–PRE) | 10,298 | 0.05 | +0.02 | 210 | +102 | |
| Spanish Communist Workers' Party (PCOE) | 10,098 | 0.05 | ±0.00 | 0 | −1 | |
| Progressive Riojan Party (PRP) | 9,788 | 0.05 | New | 97 | +97 | |
| Independent Party of Almería (PIDA) | 8,823 | 0.05 | New | 62 | +62 | |
| Group of Independent Electors (ADEI) | 5,254 | 0.03 | New | 67 | +67 | |
| Majorera Assembly (AM) | 5,215 | 0.03 | ±0.00 | 29 | −2 | |
| Free Independents (IL) | 3,701 | 0.02 | New | 6 | +6 | |
| Gomera Group of Independents (AGI) | 3,402 | 0.02 | New | 26 | +26 | |
| Socialist Party of Menorca (PSM) | 2,727 | 0.01 | −0.01 | 7 | −1 | |
| Independents of Fuerteventura (IF) | 2,656 | 0.01 | New | 17 | +17 | |
| Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD) | n/a | n/a | −30.87 | 0 | −29,288 | |
| Others (lists at <0.05% not securing any provincial or island seat) | 1,532,055 | 8.14 | — | 9,368 | −5,904 | |
| Blank ballots | 84,973 | 0.45 | +0.33 | |||
| Total | 18,827,482 | 100.00 | 67,312 | −193 | ||
| Valid votes | 18,827,482 | 99.89 | +1.13 | |||
| Invalid votes | 19,904 | 0.11 | −1.13 | |||
| Votes cast / turnout | 18,847,386 | 68.60 | +5.98 | |||
| Abstentions | 8,627,534 | 31.40 | −5.98 | |||
| Registered voters | 27,474,920 | |||||
| Sources[21][22] | ||||||
Footnotes:
| ||||||
City control
The following table lists party control in provincial capitals (highlighted in bold), as well as in municipalities above 75,000.[23] Gains for a party are highlighted in that party's colour.
Provincial and island
Summary
| Parties and alliances | Seats | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PD | IC | FD | Total | +/− | ||
| Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | 527 | 72 | 39 | 638 | +276 | |
| People's Coalition (AP–PDP–UL)1 | 350 | 55 | 14 | 419 | +381 | |
| Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV) | — | — | 74 | 74 | −25 | |
| Convergence and Union (CiU) | 49 | — | — | 49 | +4 | |
| Communist Party of Spain (PCE) | 35 | 4 | 0 | 39 | −32 | |
| Galicianist Party–Convergence of Independents of Galicia (PG–CIGA)2 | 21 | — | — | 21 | +19 | |
| Popular Unity (HB) | — | — | 20 | 20 | −27 | |
| Democratic and Social Centre (CDS) | 8 | 10 | 0 | 18 | +18 | |
| Regionalist Aragonese Party (PAR) | 12 | — | — | 12 | +8 | |
| Majorera Assembly (AM) | — | 9 | — | 9 | ±0 | |
| Basque Country Left (EE) | — | — | 6 | 6 | −8 | |
| Tenerife Group of Independents (ATI) | — | 6 | — | 6 | +6 | |
| Majorcan Union (UM) | — | 6 | — | 6 | +6 | |
| Liberal Democratic Party (PDL) | 2 | 4 | — | 6 | +6 | |
| Independent Herrenian Group (AHI) | — | 6 | — | 6 | ±0 | |
| Gomera Group of Independents (AGI) | — | 5 | — | 5 | +5 | |
| Independents of Fuerteventura (IF) | — | 5 | — | 5 | +5 | |
| Socialist Party of Andalusia–Andalusian Party (PSA–PA) | 4 | — | — | 4 | +2 | |
| Canarian People's Union–Canarian Assembly (UPC–AC)3 | — | 4 | — | 4 | −6 | |
| Group of Independent Electors (ADEI) | 3 | — | — | 3 | +3 | |
| Socialist Party of Majorca–Socialist Party of the Islands (PSM–PSI) | — | 2 | — | 2 | ±0 | |
| Independents of León (IL) | 2 | — | — | 2 | +2 | |
| Independent Provincial Group of Ciudad Real (APICR) | 2 | — | — | 2 | +2 | |
| Socialist Party of Menorca (PSM) | — | 2 | — | 2 | ±0 | |
| Galician Nationalist Bloc (BNG)4 | 1 | — | — | 1 | −2 | |
| United Extremadura (EU) | 1 | — | — | 1 | +1 | |
| United La Coruña (LCU) | 1 | — | — | 1 | +1 | |
| Agrarian Bloc–Spanish Ruralist Party (BAR–PRE) | 1 | — | — | 1 | ±0 | |
| Free Independents (IL) | 1 | — | — | 1 | +1 | |
| Menorcan Independent Candidacy (CIM) | — | 1 | — | 1 | +1 | |
| Assembly (Tagoror) | — | 0 | — | 0 | −1 | |
| Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD) | n/a | n/a | n/a | 0 | −873 | |
| Navarrese People's Union (UPN) | n/a | n/a | n/a | 0 | −13 | |
| Electoral Groups of Merindad (Amaiur) | n/a | n/a | n/a | 0 | −7 | |
| Basque Nationalists (PNV–EE–ESEI) | n/a | n/a | n/a | 0 | −3 | |
| Party of Labour of Spain (PTE) | n/a | n/a | n/a | 0 | −1 | |
| Regionalist Party of Cantabria (PRC) | n/a | n/a | n/a | 0 | −1 | |
| Carlist Party (PC) | n/a | n/a | n/a | 0 | −1 | |
| Navarrese Left Union (UNAI) | n/a | n/a | n/a | 0 | −1 | |
| Navarrese Foral Independents (IFN) | n/a | n/a | n/a | 0 | −1 | |
| Independents (INDEP) | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | −12 | |
| Total | 1,024 | 191 | 153 | 1,368 | −267 | |
| Sources[30] | ||||||
Footnotes:
| ||||||
Indirectly-elected
The following table lists party control in the indirectly-elected provincial deputations.[30] Gains for a party are highlighted in that party's colour.
Island councils
The following table lists party control in the island councils.[31][32] Gains for a party are highlighted in that party's colour.
| Island | Population | Previous control | New control | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Hierro | 6,507 | Independent Herrenian Group (AHI) | Independent Herrenian Group (AHI) | ||
| Fuerteventura | 27,104 | Majorera Assembly (AM) | Majorera Assembly (AM) | ||
| Gran Canaria | 630,937 | Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD) | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | ||
| Ibiza–Formentera | ? | People's Coalition (AP–PDP–UL) | People's Coalition (AP–PDP–UL) | ||
| La Gomera | 18,760 | Gomera Group of Independents (AGI) | Gomera Group of Independents (AGI) | ||
| La Palma | 76,426 | People's Coalition (AP–PDP–UL) | People's Coalition (AP–PDP–UL) | ||
| Lanzarote | 50,721 | Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD) | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | ||
| Mallorca | ? | Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD) | Majorcan Union (UM) | ||
| Menorca | ? | Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD) | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | ||
| Tenerife | 557,191 | Tenerife Group of Independents (ATI) | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | ||
Foral deputations
The following table lists party control in the foral deputations.[33] Gains for a party are highlighted in that party's colour.
| Province | Population | Previous control | New control | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Álava | 257,612 | Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV) | Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV) | ||
| Biscay | 1,227,299 | Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV) | Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV) | ||
| Guipúzcoa | 694,404 | Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV) | Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV) (EA in 1986) | ||
| 501,279 | Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD) | 1983 Navarrese regional election → | |||
Notes
- By-elections were held on 6 November 1983 in those constituencies where results were annulled by a final sentence following an electoral petition, or where elections were not held due to a lack of candidates.[1]
- Including:
- 1,024 seats in 38 provincial deputations;
- 153 seats in 3 Basque foral deputations;
- 137 seats in 7 Canarian island cabildos;
- 54 seats in 3 Balearic island councils.
- Between December 1979 and February 1983, most Spanish regions were established as autonomous communities with their own statutes of autonomy. For Asturias (December 1981), Cantabria (December 1981), La Rioja (June 1982), Region of Murcia (June 1982), Navarre (August 1982) and Community of Madrid (February 1983), provincial deputations were abolished and their powers transferred to the newly-established autonomous communities.[6]
- Amendments in 1983 determined that, for the Balearic Islands, regional lawmakers were to serve as island councillors.[9]
- Renamed from San Sebastián in December 1982.[26]