1983 Spanish local elections
1983 Spanish local elections Registered 27,474,920 3.3% Turnout 18,370,300 (66.9%) 4.4 pp
First party
Second party
Third party
Leader
Felipe González
Manuel Fraga
Gerardo Iglesias
Party
PSOE
AP–PDP–PL
PCE
Leader since
13 October 1974
9 October 1976
10 December 1982
Last election
12,069 c., 28.2%
2,383 c., 3.1%[ a]
3,725 c., 13.0%
Seats won
23,729
21,076
2,495
Seat change
11,660
18,693
1,230
Popular vote
7,883,502
4,843,665
1,513,023
Percentage
43.0%
26.4%
8.2%
Swing
14.8 pp
23.3 pp
4.8 pp
Fourth party
Fifth party
Sixth party
Leader
Jordi Pujol
Xabier Arzalluz
Adolfo Suárez
Party
CiU
EAJ/PNV
CDS
Leader since
19 September 1978
18 January 1980
29 July 1982
Last election
1,782 c., 3.1%
1,093 c., 2.2%
Did not contest
Seats won
3,329
1,322
658
Seat change
1,547
229
658
Popular vote
763,758
407,908
333,001
Percentage
4.2%
2.2%
1.8%
Swing
1.1 pp
0.0 pp
New party
The 1983 Spanish local elections were held on Sunday, 8 May 1983, to elect all 67,505 councillors in the 7,781 municipalities of Spain and all 1,024 seats in 38 provincial deputations .[ 1] [ 2] The elections were held simultaneously with regional elections in thirteen autonomous communities , as well as local elections in the three foral deputations of the Basque Country and the ten island councils in the Balearic and Canary Islands .
Electoral system
Municipal elections
Municipalities in Spain were local corporations with independent legal personality . They had a governing body, the municipal council or corporation , composed of a mayor , deputy mayors and a plenary assembly of councillors. Voting for the local assemblies was on the basis of universal suffrage , with all nationals over eighteen, registered in the corresponding municipality and in full enjoyment of all political rights entitled to vote. The mayor was in turn elected by the plenary assembly, with a legal clause providing for the candidate of the most-voted party to be automatically elected to the post in the event no other candidate was to gather an absolute majority of votes.
Local councillors were elected using the D'Hondt method and a closed list proportional representation , with an electoral threshold of five percent of valid votes—which included blank ballots—being applied in each local council. Councillors were allocated to municipal councils based on the following scale:
Population
Councillors
<250
5
251–1,000
7
1,001–2,000
9
2,001–5,000
11
5,001–10,000
13
10,001–20,000
17
20,001–50,000
21
50,001–100,000
25
>100,001
+1 per each 100,000 inhabitants or fraction +1 if total is an even number
Councillors of municipalities with populations between 25 and 250 inhabitants were elected under an open list partial block voting , with electors voting for individual candidates instead of parties and for up to four candidates. Additionally, municipalities below 25 inhabitants, as well as those having traditionally adopted it, were to be organized through the open council system (Spanish : régimen de concejo abierto ), in which electors would directly vote for the local major.[ 3] [ 4]
The electoral law provided that parties, federations, coalitions and groupings of electors were allowed to present lists of candidates. However, groupings of electors were required to secure the signature of at least 0.1 percent of the electors registered in the municipality for which they sought election—needing to secure, in any case, the signature of 500 electors—. Electors were barred from signing for more than one list of candidates.[ 5] Concurrently, parties and federations intending to enter in coalition to take part jointly at an election were required to inform the relevant Electoral Commission within ten days of the election being called.[ 3]
Deputations and island councils
Provincial deputations were the governing bodies of provinces in Spain , having an administration role of municipal activities and composed of a provincial president, an administrative body, and a plenary. Basque provinces had foral deputations instead—called Juntas Generales —, whereas deputations for single-province autonomous communities were abolished: their functions transferred to the corresponding regional parliaments. For insular provinces, such as the Balearic and Canary Islands , deputations were replaced by island councils in each of the islands or group of islands. For Majorca , Menorca and Ibiza –Formentera this figure was referred to in Spanish as consejo insular (Catalan : consell insular ), whereas for Gran Canaria , Tenerife , Fuerteventura , La Gomera , El Hierro , Lanzarote and La Palma its name was cabildo insular .
Most deputations were indirectly elected by local councillors from municipalities in each judicial district . Seats were allocated to provincial deputations based on the following scale:
Population
Seats
<500,000
25
500,001–1,000,000
27
>1,000,001
31
Barcelona
51
Island councils and foral deputations were elected directly by electors under their own, specific electoral regulations.[ 3] [ 4]
Opinion polls
Polling firm/Commissioner
Fieldwork date
Sample size
Turnout
PNV
Ind.
Lead
1983 local elections
8 May 1983
—
66.9
–
43.0
8.2
26.4
4.2
2.2
0.9
0.5
0.4
1.8
–
16.6
Metra Seis/Tiempo[ 6]
11–15 Apr 1983
?
?
–
49.9
4.2
17.6
6.4
1.3
2.1
32.3
1979 local elections
3 Apr 1979
—
62.5
30.9
28.2
13.0
3.1
3.1
2.2
1.0
0.6
0.4
–
–
2.7
Municipal elections
Overall
Councillor share for different parties in the elections.
BAR–PRE (0.31%)
Other (16.42%)
← Summary of the 8 May 1983 municipal election results in Spain →
Parties and coalitions
Popular vote
Councillors
Votes
%
±pp
Total
+/−
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
7,883,502
43.05
+14.90
23,729
+11,660
People's Coalition (AP –PDP –UL )1
4,843,665
26.45
+23.38
21,076
+18,693
Communist Party of Spain (PCE)
1,499,907
8.19
–4.86
2,495
–1,230
Convergence and Union (CiU)
763,758
4.17
+1.07
3,329
+1,547
Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV)
407,908
2.23
+0.03
1,322
+229
Democratic and Social Centre (CDS)
333,001
1.82
New
658
+658
Galicianist Party –Convergence of Independents of Galicia (PG–CIGA)2
169,711
0.93
+0.51
872
+731
Popular Unity (HB)
158,163
0.86
–0.14
385
+118
Liberal Democratic Party (PDL)
145,982
0.80
New
861
+861
Socialist Party of Andalusia–Andalusian Party (PSA–PA)
110,780
0.60
–0.90
146
–113
Regionalist Aragonese Party (PAR)
105,956
0.58
+0.22
1,120
+844
Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC)
85,198
0.47
–0.16
155
–55
Basque Country Left (EE)
76,950
0.42
+0.06
121
+37
Party of the Communists of Catalonia (PCC)
67,214
0.37
New
61
+61
Tenerife Group of Independents (ATI)
66,140
0.36
New
85
+85
Galician Nationalist Bloc (BNG)3
50,400
0.28
–0.20
118
–140
Canarian People's Union –Canarian Assembly (UPC–AC)
45,534
0.25
–0.09
51
+21
Majorcan Union (UM)
37,956
0.21
New
140
+140
Navarrese People's Union (UPN)
33,111
0.18
+0.11
79
+69
Valencian People's Union (UPV)4
29,389
0.16
+0.09
35
+23
Workers' Socialist Party (PST)
27,168
0.15
New
0
±0
Independent Provincial Group of Ciudad Real (APICR)
21,752
0.12
New
77
+77
United Extremadura (EU)
21,513
0.12
New
202
+202
Galician Left (EG)
19,173
0.10
New
22
+22
Valencian Independent Organization (OIV)
16,735
0.09
New
63
+63
Regionalist Party of Cantabria (PRC)
13,644
0.07
–0.08
63
–18
Independent Galician Party (PGI)
12,763
0.07
New
39
+39
Cantonal Party (PCAN)
12,363
0.07
–0.02
5
–2
Socialist Party of Majorca –Socialist Party of the Islands (PSM–PSI)
11,925
0.07
+0.02
32
+21
United Candidacy of Workers (CUT)
11,691
0.06
+0.03
51
+18
Agrarian Bloc–Spanish Ruralist Party (BAR–PRE)
10,298
0.06
+0.03
210
+102
Spanish Communist Workers' Party (PCOE)
10,098
0.06
+0.01
0
–1
Progressive Riojan Party (PRP)
9,788
0.05
New
97
+97
Independent Party of Almería (PIDA)
8,823
0.05
New
62
+62
Party of the Canarian Country (PPC)
8,338
0.05
+0.02
17
+9
Liberal Canarian Party (PCL)
7,530
0.04
New
3
+3
Spanish Phalanx of the CNSO (FE–JONS)
7,336
0.04
+0.02
13
+2
Others
1,082,823
5.91
—
9,518
–35,128
Blank ballots
84,973
0.46
+0.34
Total
18,312,959
100.00
67,312
–193
Valid votes
18,312,959
99.69
+0.93
Invalid votes
57,341
0.31
–0.93
Votes cast / turnout
18,370,300
66.86
+4.35
Abstentions
9,104,620
33.14
–4.35
Registered voters
27,474,920
Sources[ 7] [ 8]
City control
The following table lists party control in provincial capitals, as well as in municipalities above or around 75,000.[ 9] Gains for a party are highlighted in that party's colour.
Municipality
Population
Previous control
New control
A Coruña
231,721
Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Albacete
116,484
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Alcalá de Henares
137,169
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Alcorcón
140,957
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Algeciras
85,390
Communist Party of Spain (PCE)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Alicante
245,963
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Almería
140,745
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Ávila
40,173
Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD)
People's Coalition (AP–PDP–UL)
Avilés
?
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Badajoz
111,456
Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Badalona
231,175
Unified Socialist Party of Catalonia (PSUC)
Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE)
Barakaldo
118,615
Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Barcelona
1,771,998
Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE)
Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE)
Bilbao
433,115
Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV)
Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV)
Burgos
152,545
Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD)
People's Coalition (AP–PDP–UL)
Cáceres
65,758
Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Cádiz
156,711
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Cartagena
167,936
Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) (PCAN in 1987)
Castellón de la Plana
124,487
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Ciudad Real
50,151
Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD)
People's Coalition (AP–PDP–UL) (AICR in 1987)
Córdoba
279,386
Communist Party of Spain (PCE)
Communist Party of Spain (PCE)
Cornellà de Llobregat
91,313
Unified Socialist Party of Catalonia (PSUC)
Unified Socialist Party of Catalonia (PSUC) (PSC–PSOE in 1985)
Cuenca
40,007
Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD)
People's Coalition (AP–PDP–UL) (PDP in 1987)
Elche
164,779
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Ferrol
87,691
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Fuenlabrada
78,096
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Getafe
126,558
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Gijón
?
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Girona
65,586
Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE)
Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE)
Granada
246,642
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Guadalajara
55,137
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Huelva
127,822
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Huesca
41,455
Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Jaén
95,783
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Jerez de la Frontera
175,653
Socialist Party of Andalusia–Andalusian Party (PSA–PA)
Socialist Party of Andalusia–Andalusian Party (PSA–PA)
L'Hospitalet de Llobregat
291,066
Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE)
Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE)
Las Palmas
360,098
Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Leganés
163,910
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
León
127,095
Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD)
Independent (INDEP)
Lleida
109,397
Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE)
Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE)
Logroño
109,536
Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Lugo
72,574
Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD)
People's Coalition (AP–PDP–UL) (CPG in 1987)
Madrid
3,158,818
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Málaga
502,232
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Mataró
98,589
Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE)
Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE)
Móstoles
150,259
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Murcia
284,585
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Ourense
94,346
Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD)
People's Coalition (AP–PDP–UL)
Oviedo
?
Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Palencia
71,716
Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD)
People's Coalition (AP–PDP–UL)
Palma
290,372
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Pamplona
177,906
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Pontevedra
64,184
Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD)
People's Coalition (AP–PDP–UL) (IG in 1987)
Reus
81,182
Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE)
Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE)
Sabadell
189,147
Unified Socialist Party of Catalonia (PSUC)
Unified Socialist Party of Catalonia (PSUC)
Salamanca
153,981
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
San Cristóbal de La Laguna
106,146
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
San Sebastián
172,303
Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV)
Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV)
Sant Boi de Llobregat
74,291
Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE)
Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE)
Santa Coloma de Gramenet
139,859
Unified Socialist Party of Catalonia (PSUC)
Unified Socialist Party of Catalonia (PSUC)
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
185,899
Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD)
Tenerife Group of Independents (ATI)
Santander
179,694
Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD)
People's Coalition (AP–PDP–UL)
Santiago de Compostela
82,404
Liberal Democratic Party (PDL)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) (AP in 1986)
Segovia
50,759
Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) (PDP in 1986)
Seville
645,817
Socialist Party of Andalusia–Andalusian Party (PSA–PA)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Soria
30,326
Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD)
People's Coalition (AP–PDP–UL) (PL in 1987)
Tarragona
112,238
Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE)
Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE)
Terrassa
164,218
Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE)
Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE)
Teruel
25,935
Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD)
Independent (INDEP) (PAR in 1986)
Toledo
54,335
Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Torrejón de Ardoz
75,599
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Valencia
744,748
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Valladolid
320,293
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Vigo
261,331
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Vitoria-Gasteiz
189,533
Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV)
Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV) (EA in 1986)
Zamora
58,560
Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Zaragoza
571,855
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Provincial deputations
Summary
Provincial deputy share for different parties in the elections.
ADEI (0.29%)
APICR (0.20%)
Other (1.07%)
Deputation control
The following table lists party control in provincial deputations.[ 2] Gains for a party are highlighted in that party's colour.
Notes
^ Data for CD in the 1979 elections.
References