The general elections of November 29, 2026 are now officially called. The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, announced the early election on October 5 and Royal Decree 806/2026 dissolved the Congress of Deputies and the Senate and called the elections for the last Sunday of November. The call was published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) on October 6.
On that day, Spaniards will elect the representatives of the two Chambers of the Cortes Generales: Congress of Deputies and Senate. Voting will take place between 09:00 and 20:00 hours.
For those planning to vote by mail, residing abroad, or simply wanting to know all the deadlines of the electoral process, these are the fundamental dates and issues of the 29-N general elections.
Calendar of the 29-N general elections: all key dates
The electoral process is already underway since the publication of the call decree. The electoral campaign will begin on Friday, November 13, and will end at 24:00 hours on Friday, November 27. Saturday, November 28, will be the day of reflection, and Sunday, November 29, will be the voting day.
The main dates that voters should keep in mind are:
- October 6: publication in the BOE of the decree calling the elections.
- November 19: last day to request to vote by mail from Spain.
- November 23: last day to publish and disseminate electoral polls.
- November 24: the legal prohibition to publish, disseminate, or reproduce electoral surveys begins.
- November 25: expected deadline to cast the vote by mail.
- November 27: electoral campaign ends.
- November 28: day of reflection.
- November 29: 29-N general elections. Polling stations will be open from 09:00 to 20:00 hours.
The electoral campaign will last 15 days, from 00:00 hours on November 13 to 24:00 hours on November 27.
How to vote by mail in the 2026 general elections
Voting by mail allows those who anticipate not being able to personally attend their polling station on November 29 to participate in the general elections.
The request can be made until November 19, inclusive. Correos has confirmed that the process can be done online or in person at any of its offices.
Where to request to vote by mail?
Voters residing in Spain have several options to initiate the procedure.
The request can be made online through Correos, using the admitted identification systems, among them the electronic certificate or the electronic DNI. It can also be requested in person at a Correos office, where the voter must identify themselves and complete the corresponding documentation.
The Electoral Census Office will then be responsible for sending the necessary documentation to be able to vote by mail.
Vote from abroad: CERA and ERTA
Spaniards who are outside Spain have different procedures depending on their situation.
Citizens registered in the Electoral Census of Absent Resident Spaniards (CERA) have a specific system to vote from abroad. For these elections, the vote can be sent by mail to the corresponding consulate until November 24, while in-person deposit at the ballot box will also be enabled between November 21 and 26, both included.
For their part, Spaniards residing in Spain who are temporarily abroad must carry out the procedure corresponding to the ERTA vote. In this case, the request must be made before the consular office within the established period, which ends on October 31, 2026.
Voters registered in the CERA who are temporarily in Spain can also request to vote by mail from national territory until November 19 and send their vote until November 25.
When can you vote and what documents do you need to bring?
On Sunday, November 29, polling stations will open at 09:00 and remain open until 20:00. The constitution of the tables will take place previously, at 08:00.
To vote in person, the voter must identify themselves before the Electoral Board. They can do so using their DNI, passport or driving license, provided that the document allows their identity to be accredited.
It is not essential to present the census card to be able to vote. This card mainly serves to inform the voter of their polling station, section and table.
In addition, the regulations contemplate assistance mechanisms to facilitate the exercise of the right to vote for people who need it.
What is chosen in the general elections of 29-N?
The general elections of November 29, 2026 will serve to renew the two Chambers of the Cortes Generales.
In the Congress of Deputies, 350 deputies will be elected, distributed among the different electoral constituencies. The call decree establishes, for example, that Madrid will elect 38 deputies, Barcelona 32, Valencia 16, Alicante 12, and Seville 12.
In the Senate, the distribution is carried out according to the rules established in electoral legislation. Each peninsular province elects four senators, while the island constituencies and the cities of Ceuta and Melilla have specific representation.
The absolute majority of the Congress stands at 176 deputies. If no candidacy or bloc achieves that majority, parliamentary agreements will be necessary for the investiture of the President of the Government.
When does the campaign end and what is the day of reflection?
The electoral campaign for the 29-N general elections will officially begin on Friday, November 13, and will conclude at 24:00 on Friday, November 27.
Saturday, November 28, will be the day of reflection, during which no campaign acts will take place.
There is also specific regulation regarding the publication of polls. Article 69.7 of the LOREG prohibits publishing, disseminating, or reproducing electoral polls during the five natural days prior to the vote. Therefore, the last day to publish polls will be Monday, November 23, while the prohibition will extend from November 24 to 28.
The dates you should remember for 29-N
If you only want to keep the fundamental dates of the 2026 general elections, they are these:
November 19: last day to request postal voting from Spain.
November 23: last day to publish electoral polls.
November 25: expected deadline for casting postal votes.
November 27: end of the electoral campaign.
November 28: day of reflection.
November 29: 2026 general elections and voting in polling stations from 09:00 to 20:00.
29-N will thus mark the renewal of the Congress and the Senate after the dissolution of the Cortes approved by Royal Decree 806/2026.
