On Sunday, December 21, polling stations opened in Extremadura as the region elects a new assembly. The decision for early elections was made after the regional government failed to secure support for next year’s budget. President María Guardiola announced the need for new elections back in October, and now nearly 891,000 residents have the chance to make their voices heard.
From early morning, polling stations in Badajoz and Cáceres began to welcome the first voters. By 11 a.m., turnout across the region had reached 8.83%: 9.03% in Cáceres and 8.7% in Badajoz. These figures served as the first indicator of voter engagement for the day, and regional authorities promised to publish further turnout updates at 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. so residents can follow the voting progress in real time.
Voting Geography
This year, residents of Extremadura can not only monitor overall turnout but also analyze voting patterns in individual municipalities. A special map displays data for each town and village, making it possible to compare activity in the traditional strongholds of PSOE and PP. This approach offers insight into where the parties are holding their ground and where they are losing support.
Particular attention is given to municipalities where Socialists or the People’s Party won in previous elections. In 2023, PSOE won in 257 municipalities, while PP won in 132. Only in one small town—Garciaz (Cáceres)—did Ciudadanos secure a victory, collecting less than 1% of the regional vote. Now, voters can filter the data and track how the situation evolves in these locations.
Turnout trends
A key feature of the current elections is the trend in postal voting. In 2025, the number of applications for postal voting nearly halved compared to the previous elections: 17,508 versus 34,533 in 2023. This could impact overall turnout figures, as some voters living abroad will not be able to vote in person.
A total of 30,608 residents of Extremadura living abroad are eligible to vote, but their ballots will only be counted after the official tally. As a result, preliminary turnout figures are traditionally higher than the final numbers, which will be released in a few days.
Historical comparisons
Voter turnout in Extremadura’s regional elections has always drawn close attention. In 2023, it rose to 70.4% after several years of decline. By comparison, in 2019, when the elections coincided with national ones, interest in regional voting was minimal. On election day evening in 2023, preliminary turnout was 72.5%, but after counting overseas ballots, it fell to 70.4%.
This year, authorities expect voter turnout to remain high despite a decrease in mail-in ballots. Polling stations, open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., maximize accessibility for everyone wishing to vote. Throughout the day, interim data is published so residents can monitor turnout in their municipalities and compare it with previous election cycles.
Municipal differences
Each municipality in Extremadura has its own voting dynamics. Turnout is traditionally higher in some towns, lower in others. Particular attention is paid to areas where shifts in political preferences have occurred in recent years. Analysts note that in several municipalities, voter engagement could prove decisive in determining the winner.
Throughout the day, local residents can track how the situation is evolving in their town or village and draw their own conclusions about political trends. Final turnout figures and election results will be released after the polls close and all ballots have been counted, including votes from abroad.
