Spain’s 29 November General Election: How Long Does the Campaign Last and What Voters Need to Know

13. November 2026

Spain's general election campaign is officially underway, with political parties and candidates now entering a 15-day period of rallies, debates, interviews and public events ahead of the vote on Sunday, 29 November 2026.

The campaign began at midnight on Friday, 13 November, and will run until midnight on Friday, 27 November. The following day, Saturday 28 November, will be the official day of reflection, when electoral campaigning and requests for votes are prohibited.

For voters in Ibiza and Formentera, the coming two weeks will provide an opportunity to hear the proposals of the candidates competing for representation in the Spanish Congress of Deputies and the Senate.

The election will determine the composition of both chambers of the Spanish Parliament for the next legislative term. With housing, the cost of living, tourism management and public services among the issues already dominating political discussions in the Balearic Islands, the campaign is expected to bring these questions further into focus.

Here is a guide to the campaign period, the rules governing political activity, the important dates and what voters need to know before heading to the polling stations.

How Long Does the Electoral Campaign Last?

Under Spain's General Electoral Regime Law (LOREG), an official electoral campaign lasts 15 days.

For the 2026 general election, the dates were established by Royal Decree 806/2026, published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) on 6 October.

The campaign officially began at 00:00 on Friday, 13 November, and will conclude at 24:00 on Friday, 27 November.

During this period, political parties and their candidates can intensify their public activities to present their programmes, explain their proposals and seek support from voters.

Typical campaign activities include:

  • Political rallies and public meetings.

  • Debates between candidates and party representatives.

  • Interviews with newspapers, radio and television.

  • Meetings with social, economic and professional organisations.

  • Visits to different municipalities and communities.

  • Distribution of electoral leaflets and other campaign material.

  • Electoral advertising and communication through traditional and digital media.

  • Explicit requests for citizens to vote for a particular party or candidate.

Social media and digital communication are also important campaign channels, allowing parties to distribute their messages and reach voters directly.

The distinction between the pre-campaign and the official campaign is important. Although political parties can communicate their positions and discuss public issues before the campaign begins, the official period is when they are legally permitted to request votes directly as part of their electoral activities.

What Can Political Parties Do During the Campaign?

During the official campaign, political organisations have the right to present their electoral programmes, organise public events, distribute propaganda and contract advertising within the limits established by electoral legislation.

Candidates can hold rallies, meet voters, participate in debates and explain the policies they intend to pursue if elected.

Political parties can also use advertising and media campaigns to communicate their proposals, while candidates are able to ask citizens explicitly for their support at the ballot box.

The purpose of the campaign period is to provide a defined timeframe in which competing political organisations can communicate their positions and seek the support of the electorate.

However, electoral legislation also establishes restrictions on certain activities, particularly those involving public administrations.

What Are Public Administrations Prohibited From Doing?

One important restriction concerns the use of public institutions and resources during an election period.

From the calling of the election until voting day, public administrations cannot organise events intended to highlight the achievements of their political management or use public ceremonies to promote their record in office.

They are also prohibited from inaugurating public works or services during this period.

The restrictions are intended to prevent institutions from using their official position and public resources to give an advantage to the political parties currently in government.

Institutional advertising is also restricted. Public authorities may communicate information that is genuinely useful to citizens, such as the date of the election, voting procedures, identification requirements and information about postal voting.

This means that essential public information about how and when to vote can continue to be published, but promotional communication celebrating government achievements is not permitted.

When Is the Last Day to Publish Election Polls?

Another important date during the campaign is Monday, 23 November 2026.

This is the final day on which electoral opinion polls can legally be published or broadcast ahead of the election.

Spanish electoral legislation prohibits the publication and dissemination of electoral opinion polls during the five days immediately preceding voting.

Consequently, no new election polls can be published from Tuesday, 24 November, through election day on Sunday, 29 November.

This restriction applies to the publication and dissemination of electoral surveys during the final five days before voting.

The rule is intended to prevent last-minute polling publications from influencing voters immediately before they cast their ballots.

Saturday, 28 November: The Day of Reflection

Once the campaign ends at midnight on Friday, 27 November, the electoral process enters the day of reflection.

Saturday, 28 November, is traditionally known in Spain as jornada de reflexión.

It is the final day before voters go to the polls, allowing citizens to consider their choices without the continuation of organised electoral campaigning.

During this period, political parties and candidates cannot organise campaign events, distribute electoral propaganda or explicitly request votes.

The prohibition also applies to electoral campaigning through other communication channels, including digital platforms.

The day of reflection is an established part of Spain's electoral system and separates the official campaign from the voting period.

Sunday, 29 November: Election Day

Spain's general election will take place on Sunday, 29 November 2026.

Polling stations will open at 09:00 and remain open until 20:00.

At the end of voting, the presiding officers of the polling stations will announce the conclusion of the vote and the counting process will begin.

If there are still voters waiting inside the polling station or at its entrance when voting is due to close, they will be allowed to cast their ballots. No additional voters will be admitted after that point.

Voters will elect representatives to both chambers of the Spanish Parliament:

  • The Congress of Deputies, the lower house of the Spanish Parliament.

  • The Senate, the upper house.

The composition of the two chambers will determine the parliamentary representation and political balance following the election.

How Many Representatives Are Elected in the Balearic Islands?

The Balearic Islands have their own electoral representation in the Congress of Deputies and the Senate.

For the 2026 general election, the Balearic Islands constituency will elect eight deputies to the Congress of Deputies.

The Senate follows a different system, with representation organised by island constituencies.

Ibiza and Formentera each elect one senator. Mallorca elects three senators, as do Gran Canaria and Tenerife, while Menorca and the other smaller island constituencies also elect one each.

For residents of Ibiza and Formentera, this means that the election involves choosing representatives for the Congress through the Balearic Islands constituency, as well as a senator representing their respective island constituency.

What Happens After the Election?

Once voting concludes on 29 November, the counting process will begin.

The results will establish the distribution of seats in the Congress of Deputies and the Senate, determining the parliamentary composition for the next legislative term.

According to the electoral decree, the newly elected chambers are scheduled to hold their constitutive sessions on Wednesday, 23 December 2026, at 10:00.

These sessions will formally establish the new Parliament following the election.

Key Dates for Spain's 29 November 2026 General Election

For anyone following the electoral process, the following dates are particularly important:

Date What happens
13 November Official campaign begins at 00:00
23 November Final day for publishing electoral opinion polls
24 November Start of the five-day prohibition on publishing electoral polls
27 November Final day of the electoral campaign, ending at 24:00
28 November Day of reflection, with no electoral campaigning
29 November General election. Polling stations open from 09:00 to 20:00
23 December Constitutive sessions of the new Congress and Senate

Two Weeks for Candidates to Convince Voters

The start of the official campaign marks the beginning of an important period for Spain's political parties and the candidates seeking parliamentary representation.

In Ibiza and Formentera, housing affordability has already emerged as one of the most prominent issues, alongside tourism management, the cost of living, public services, taxation and the additional challenges associated with island life.

The different political organisations are now able to present their proposals, challenge the positions of their opponents and explain how they intend to address the concerns of residents.

For voters, the next two weeks offer an opportunity to compare programmes, follow the debates and learn more about the candidates before making their decision.

The campaign will conclude on Friday, 27 November, followed by the day of reflection on Saturday. On Sunday, 29 November, voters across Spain will decide the composition of the next Congress of Deputies and Senate.

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