Álava ( eu, Araba) is one of the three constituencies ( es, link=no, circunscripciones) represented in the
Basque Parliament, the regional legislature of the
Basque Autonomous Community. The constituency currently elects 25
deputies. Its boundaries correspond to those of the Spanish
province of Álava. The
electoral system uses the
D'Hondt method and a
closed-list proportional representation, with a minimum threshold of three percent.
Electoral system
The constituency was created as per the
Statute of Autonomy for the Basque Country of 1979 and was first contested in the
1980 regional election. The Statute provided for the three
provinces in the
Basque Country
Basque Country may refer to:
* Basque Country (autonomous community), as used in Spain ( es, País Vasco, link=no), also called , an Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Spain (shown in pink on the map)
* French Basque Country o ...
—
Álava,
Biscay and
Gipuzkoa—to be established as multi-member districts in the
Basque Parliament, with this regulation being maintained under the 1983 and 1990 regional electoral laws. Each constituency is allocated a fixed number of 25 seats each, to provide for an equal representation of the three provinces in Parliament as required under the regional Statute. The exception was the 1980 election, when this number was 60.
Voting is on the basis of
universal suffrage, which comprises all nationals over eighteen, registered in the Basque Country and in full enjoyment of their political rights. Amendments to the electoral law in 2011 required for
Basques abroad to
apply for voting before being permitted to vote, a system known as "begged" or expat vote ( es, Voto rogado). Seats are elected using the
D'Hondt method and a
closed list
Closed list describes the variant of party-list systems where voters can effectively only vote for political parties as a whole; thus they have no influence on the party-supplied order in which party candidates are elected. If voters had some inf ...
proportional representation, with an
electoral threshold of three percent of valid votes—which, until 1983 and from 1990 includes blank ballots; also and until a 2000 reform, the threshold was set at five percent—being applied in each constituency.
The use of the D'Hondt method may result in a higher effective threshold, depending on the
district magnitude.
The electoral law allows for
parties and
federations
A federation (also known as a federal state) is a political entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a central federal government ( federalism). In a federation, the self-governi ...
registered in the
interior ministry
An interior ministry (sometimes called a ministry of internal affairs or ministry of home affairs) is a government department that is responsible for internal affairs.
Lists of current ministries of internal affairs
Named "ministry"
* Ministry ...
,
coalitions and
groupings of electors to present lists of candidates. Parties and federations intending to form a coalition ahead of an election are required to inform the relevant Electoral Commission within ten days of the election call—fifteen before 1985—whereas groupings of electors need to secure the signature of at least one percent of the electorate in the constituencies for which they seek election—one-thousandth of the electorate, with a compulsory minimum of 500 signatures, until 1983; and only the signature of 500 electors from 1983 to 1990—disallowing electors from signing for more than one list of candidates.
Deputies
Elections
2020 regional election
2016 regional election
2012 regional election
2009 regional election
2005 regional election
2001 regional election
1998 regional election
1994 regional election
1990 regional election
1986 regional election
1984 regional election
1980 regional election
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Álava (Basque Parliament electoral district)
Basque Parliament constituencies
Álava
Constituencies established in 1980
1980 establishments in Spain