La Palma is one of the 59 constituencies represented in the Senate of Spain, the upper chamber of the Spanish parliament, the . The constituency (whose boundaries correspond to those of the homonymous island) elects one senator. The electoral system uses open list partial block voting, with electors voting for individual candidates instead of parties.

Electoral system The constituency was created as per the Political Reform Law and was first contested in the 1977 general election. The Law provided for the provinces of Spain to be established as multi-member districts in the Senate,. with this regulation being maintained under the Spanish Constitution of 1978.. Additionally, the Constitution requires for any modification of the provincial limits to be approved under an organic law, needing an absolute majority in the Cortes Generales..

Voting is based on universal suffrage, comprising all Spanish nationals over 18 years of age with full political rights, provided that they have not been deprived of the right to vote by a final sentence.. The only exception was in 1977, when this was limited to nationals over 21 years of age and in full enjoyment of their political and civil rights.; . Amendments in 2011 required non-resident citizens to apply for voting, a system known as "begged" voting ().. which was abolished in 2022. Further, amendments in 2018 granted the right to vote to those legally incapacitated. 209 Senate seats (207 in 1977, 208 from 1978 to 2026) are elected using open-list partial block voting: voters in constituencies electing four seats can choose up to three candidates; in those with two or three seats, up to two; and in single-member districts, one. Each of the 47 peninsular provinces is allocated four seats, while in insular provinces—such as the Balearic and Canary Islands—the districts are the islands themselves, with the larger ones (Mallorca, Gran Canaria and Tenerife) being allocated three seats each, and the smaller ones (Menorca, Ibiza, Formentera, Fuerteventura, La Gomera, El Hierro, Lanzarote and La Palma) one each. Ceuta and Melilla elect two seats each.; ; . Until 1985, the law also provided for by-elections to fill Senate seats vacated up to two years into the legislature; subsequently, any vacancies arising after the proclamation of candidates and during the legislative term are filled by the next candidates on the party lists or, when required, by designated substitutes.; .

The electoral law allows for parties and federations registered in the interior ministry, alliances and groupings of electors to present lists of candidates. Parties and federations intending to form an alliance are required to inform the relevant electoral commission within 10 days of the election call—15 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 permille of the electorate, with a compulsory minimum of 500 signatures, until 1985—disallowing electors from signing for more than one list. Also since 2011, parties, federations or alliances that have not obtained a mandate in either chamber of the at the preceding election are required to secure the signature of at least 0.1 percent of electors in the aforementioned constituencies.; . Amendments in 2007 required a balanced composition of men and women in the electoral lists, so that candidates of either sex made up at least 40 percent of the total composition; further amendments in 2024 required the use of a zipper system..

Senators Senators for La Palma 1977– Legislature Election Distribution Constituent 1977 1 1st 1979 1 2nd 1982 1 3rd 1986 1 4th 1989 1 5th 1993 1 6th 1996 1 7th 2000 1 8th 2004 1 9th 2008 1 10th 2011 1 11th 2015 1 12th 2016 1 13th 2019 (Apr) 1 14th 2019 (Nov) 1 15th 2023 1

General elections 2023 + Summary of the 23 July 2023 Senate of Spain election results in La Palma Parties and alliances Popular vote Seats Votes % ±pp Total +/− Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) 12,912 30.59 −0.03 1 +1 People's Party (PP) 12,685 30.05 −3.50 0 −1 Canarian Coalition (CCa)1 11,090 26.27 n/a 0 ±0 Unite Canaries (Sumar Canarias)2 2,282 5.41 −1.96 0 ±0 Vox (Vox) 2,254 5.34 −0.05 0 ±0 Animalist Party with the Environment (PACMA)3 282 0.67 −0.64 0 ±0 New Canaries–Canarian Bloc (NC–BC)1 269 0.64 n/a 0 ±0 Canaries Now–Communist Party of the Canarian People (ANC–UP–PCPC) 52 0.12 −0.21 0 ±0 Zero Cuts (Recortes Cero) 32 0.08 −0.18 0 ±0 Blank ballots 358 0.85 −0.41 Total 42,215 1 ±0 Valid votes 42,215 97.50 +0.49 Invalid votes 1,082 2.50 −0.49 Votes cast / turnout 43,297 49.78 +3.94 Abstentions 43,681 50.22 −3.94 Registered voters 86,978 Sources

November 2019 + Summary of the 10 November 2019 Senate of Spain election results in La Palma Parties and alliances Popular vote Seats Votes % ±pp Total +/− People's Party (PP) 12,735 33.55 1 +1 Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) 11,621 30.62 0 −1 Canarian Coalition–New Canaries (CCa–PNC–NC)1 6,277 16.54 0 ±0 United We Can (Podemos–IU) 2,796 7.37 0 ±0 Vox (Vox) 2,046 5.39 0 ±0 Citizens–Party of the Citizenry (Cs) 1,279 3.37 0 ±0 Animalist Party Against Mistreatment of Animals (PACMA) 497 1.31 0 ±0 Canaries Now (ANC–UP) 125 0.33 0 ±0 Zero Cuts–Green Group (Recortes Cero–GV) 99 0.26 0 ±0 Blank ballots 478 1.26 Total 37,953 1 ±0 Valid votes 37,953 97.01 Invalid votes 1,169 2.99 Votes cast / turnout 39,122 45.84 Abstentions 46,226 54.16 Registered voters 85,348 Sources

April 2019

2016

2015

2011

2008

2004

2000

1996

1993

1989

1986

1982

1979

1977 + Summary of the 15 June 1977 Senate of Spain election results in La Palma Parties and alliances Popular vote Seats Votes % ±pp Total +/− Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD) 17,184 55.77 n/a 1 n/a People's Alliance (AP) 10,192 33.07 n/a 0 n/a Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) 3,439 11.16 n/a 0 n/a Blank ballots n/a Total 30,815 1 n/a Valid votes n/a Invalid votes n/a Votes cast / turnout n/a Abstentions n/a Registered voters 49,984 Sources

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