The role of Correos y Telégrafos in the electoral process

The participation of a postal operator is also essential for the smooth running of the electoral process.

Sociedad Estatal Correos y Telégrafos, S.A. is the State-designated operator for the provision of the universal postal service and the Government may impose other public service obligations upon it whenever necessary to safeguard the smooth running of electoral processes.

These have been imposed in recent processes by virtue of an Agreement of the Council of Ministers.

The obligations imposed in these Agreements are actions that have to be carried out once the electoral process has been called. They are particularly transcendental for their development due to the urgency and characteristics of the consignments and the importance of safeguarding electoral documentation.

These obligations and actions relate to:

  • Postal voting by voters residing in Spain, absent residents and voters who are temporarily absent,
  • the votes of personnel on board vessels, the personnel of the Armed Forces on board vessels or those in exceptional situations linked to national defence,
  • voting by inmates of penitentiary centres,
  • consignments sent by the Electoral Census Office,
  • mailings of electoral propaganda sent by the political parties,
  • collection of the electoral documentation at the polling stations.

The imposition of these obligations must be subject to compensation, that is, no costs should be directly incurred by those involved in the electoral process who use the postal services. This does not mean that they don’t entail any costs, but rather these are borne by the electoral budget.

Explanatory video Postal Service

Agreement of the Council of Ministers of 11 April 2014 establishing public service obligations for the universal postal service provider during the 2019 elections to the European Parliament

Law 43/2010 of 30 December on the universal postal service, users’ rights and the postal market link to Law 43/2010(A new window will open)

Law 43/2010(A new window will open),of 30 December on the universal postal service, users’ rights and the postal market.

Order PCM/337/2023 (PDF) (A new window will open) publishing the Agreement of the Council of Ministers of March 14, 2023, establishing public service obligations for the universal postal service provider in the elections to be called during 2023.