Final preparations are underway in Extremadura for the snap regional elections set for this Sunday, December 21. The postal service, Correos, has switched to a special operating mode: official announcements report extended working hours, increased staffing, and priority handling of all election-related mail. These measures, approved at the national level, took effect just days before ballots stopped being accepted.
Regional authorities called the early elections after failing to reach an agreement on next year’s budget. This is an unprecedented event for Extremadura: for the first time in the region’s history, voting is taking place outside the regular electoral calendar. The spotlight is not only on political maneuvering but also on the technical aspects of organizing the vote, especially ensuring that everyone who cannot come to the polling stations in person can still cast their ballot.
Postal marathon
Correos, responsible for delivering ballots, has been given clear instructions: all offices must remain open for extended hours, up to 10:00 p.m. if needed. Staffing levels have been increased, and all election-related mail is prioritized. In both cities and even the remotest villages of the region, ballot envelopes are collected and urgently delivered to electoral commissions every day.
Residents of Extremadura could exercise their right to vote by mail until the evening of Wednesday, December 17. To do so, they had to personally, or through a representative, submit a completed envelope at any post office in the country. If submitting through a representative, a written power of attorney and copies of both parties’ identification documents were required. For voters’ convenience, Correos provided an official power of attorney form on its website, which needed to be printed and presented when submitting ballots.
Record Low Interest
This year, the number of applications for voting by mail was nearly half that of the previous election. Correos received a total of 17,508 requests—49.3% less than in May 2023, when municipal and regional elections were held simultaneously. The reasons for this decline in interest have not yet been officially commented on, but experts point out that the snap nature of the campaign and tight deadlines may have affected voter turnout.
Despite this, the postal service is required to ensure the timely delivery of all ballots, regardless of the number. All election-related correspondence is collected and sent daily to election commissions, so that when polling stations open on the morning of December 21, all votes are in place.
Campaign Highlights
For the first time in the region’s history, the elections are being held outside the standard schedule. The decision to dissolve parliament was made by Prime Minister María Guardiola after the budget vote failed. From that point, preparations for the elections were expedited: voter lists were updated, and more than 890,000 residents of Extremadura received notifications and instructions on the voting process.
For citizens residing permanently outside Spain (CERA), ballots were sent out in advance—by November 22. Those temporarily abroad followed the standard procedure, similar to that for domestic residents. All documentation was distributed centrally to ensure each voter received the necessary materials on time.
Oversight and security
The postal service operates according to a government directive that gave Correos special responsibility for delivering election materials. Even in the most remote areas of the region, employees are required to ensure that envelopes reach election commissions on time. All ballots sent by mail must be delivered by 8 a.m. on election day, when polling stations begin to form.
The safeguarding and accurate processing of votes are overseen by electoral commissions. Only envelopes received on time will be counted. Any delay may result in the vote being voided, even if all regulations were followed. Under tight deadlines and heightened responsibility, the postal service is operating at maximum capacity to prevent any disruptions in the process.
