Madrid (EFE).- The composition of the electoral tables of July 23 will be known these days. To be more precise: you will know if you have been designated in one of the draws that will be held in Spain until the 28th.
The expectation is high because the notification can disrupt the long-planned summer plan or the desired vacation for months.
Such is the attention that the Central Electoral Board itself has posted on its website a series of links with the excuses that can exempt from attending a polling station. It even allows citizens to present said excuse through an application (click here). on line.
Just below, a manual, and immediately afterwards, even a tutorial. It is not frequent, but, aware of the social concern that has occurred, the Central Electoral Board has chosen to facilitate the procedures, or at least the ways to access them. For this reason, it offers another link with the list of the zone electoral boards, which will decide the cases.
Contracted vacations or trips on 23J
Knowing that on July 23 a large part of the population will be on vacation or rest, the members of the Central Electoral Board agreed on June 8 that those who had contracted their vacations before May 30, which was when it came into force the calling of early elections, could avoid the obligation to be part of a polling station.
They will have to justify that the cancellation of the vacation plan supposes serious economic damage or a major disorder.
Another fact that can become a defense is the coincidence of the start or end trip of that vacation plan with election day.
But there are more situations, listed in a 2011 Electoral Board instruction.
The causes of “lowering” that the JEC allows
They are causes that are grouped into personal, family and professional. It should be noted that all the situations mentioned below must be duly accredited by the procedures or criteria established by the respective laws.
The personal ones:
- Be older than 65 and younger than 70, as indicated above.
- Disability situation, according to the revised text of the General Law on the rights of persons with disabilities and their social inclusion. The contribution of the statement, whatever its degree, will suffice for the acceptance of the excuse.
- Be a pensioner with absolute permanent disability and severe disability, in accordance with the General Law of Social Security.
- It is also worth being a disability pensioner for a certain profession, as long as the factors that have caused it are similar to the functions required by the integration of a polling station. The accreditation will be made by means of a medical certificate detailing such limitations.
- Not being able to work by medical prescription, for which the presentation of the medical leave will suffice.
- An injury, illness or physical or mental illness that, although it has not given rise to a declaration of incapacity, prevents the exercise of the functions of a polling station, or such a task is difficult or painful, is also an excuse. In this case, the presentation of the medical report specifying the limitations will suffice.
- Pregnancy from the sixth month, or earlier if at risk, which must be proven by medical certificate.
- Likewise, it is an excuse to be on maternity leave, in which it will be necessary to present a copy of the acknowledgment letter.
- Being an inmate or being admitted to psychiatric centers, which will be accredited with the certifications of the respective addresses.
- Having been part of a polling station before, at least three times in the last ten years.
- However, as the instruction of the Central Electoral Board qualifies, it must be ensured that the table will be made up of people registered on the corresponding electoral list.
- Being the victim of a crime, declared or presumed, if such condition is derived from a judicial resolution in force.
- Said resolution shall establish the penalty or precautionary measure of prohibition of approach. This implies that the convicted or investigated would vote in the same school as the person who has had to integrate a table.
- Forecast of surgical intervention or relevant clinical tests on the day of the vote, on the days immediately preceding it, or on the day following it, provided that they cannot be postponed, in which case it will be necessary to show the reports of the physicians.
- Belonging to confessions or religious communities in which the ideology or the closure regime are contrary or incompatible with participation in a polling station.
- Change of habitual residence to a place located in another autonomous community.
The relatives:
- Condition of mother in period of natural or artificial lactation, until the baby reaches nine months. The accreditation may be made by means of a photocopy of the family book or certification of the person in charge of the Civil Registry.
- Direct and continuous care, for reasons of legal guardianship, of children under eight years of age or of people with physical, mental or sensory disabilities.
- It will be necessary to provide a copy of the document in which the planned reduction in working hours or the certification of the social services of the autonomous community or local entities is recognized.
- Direct and continuous care of a relative up to the second degree of consanguinity or affinity who, due to age, accident or illness, cannot fend for himself.
- A copy of the letter acknowledging the planned reduction in working hours or of the social services of the autonomous community or of the corresponding local entity must be shown.
- Concurrence, on the day of the elections, of family events of special relevance that cannot be postponed or in which the postponement causes important economic damages, provided that the interested party is the protagonist or maintains a relationship of kinship up to the second degree of consanguinity . All this will have to prove it.
- Condition of mother or father of minors under fourteen years of age, when it is proven that the other parent cannot take care of the minor during election day, and the interested party also lacks ascendants or other older children who can do so.
And the professionals:
- Provide services to the Electoral Boards, the Courts and the Public Administrations entrusted with electoral functions during the voting day. The reports of those responsible for said units will be necessary.
- Provide essential community services of vital importance, such as medical, health, civil protection, firefighters, etc., during election day. The reports of those responsible for the department in which the affected person works will be necessary
- Being directors of general information media and heads of information services that must cover election day.
- Being professionals who must participate in public events to be held on the day of the vote, which are scheduled prior to the electoral call, when the interested party cannot be replaced and their non-participation forces the event to be suspended, causing relevant economic damages.