What it is
Bill to let 16-year-olds vote in Spain
It is a members’ bill. Introduced by parliamentary groups, the Senate, regional governments or citizens. It was introduced on 23 January 2020. Introduced by: Grupo Parlamentario Republicano.
Official title: Private member's bill to amend Organic Law 5/1985, of June 19, on the General Electoral Regime, to extend the right to active suffrage to those over 16 years of age.
Source: Congreso de los Diputados, file 122/000018· updated 11 Nov
Automatic summary, not yet reviewed
- The bill would change the electoral law so that Spanish citizens aged 16 or older could vote, as long as they are not in one of the situations that currently bar voting.
- It would also change the rules for polling station boards: members would be drawn by lot among registered people aged 16 to 65 who can read and write.
- It would adapt the electoral roll: city councils would report additions and removals of people who turn 16 or already are 16, and those listed as minors could vote if they have turned 16 by election day.
- If passed, the law would take effect three months after publication in the Official State Gazette (Boletín Oficial del Estado).
Who it affects
- Young people aged 16 and 17: They would be able to vote in elections, which they currently cannot do.
- Registered people aged 16 to 65: They could be drawn by lot to serve on polling station boards.
- City councils (Ayuntamientos): They would have to send the Electoral Roll Office data on people who turn 16 or are already 16.
Words worth knowing
- Sufragio activo
- The right to vote in elections.
- Mesa electoral
- The group of people who run the vote at each polling station and check the ballots.
- Censo electoral
- The list of people eligible to vote in each election.
- Proposición de Ley Orgánica
- A text proposing a change to a major law, introduced by members of parliament and not yet passed.
It summarizes the text as it was introduced. It is written by artificial intelligence and may contain mistakes: the official text is what counts. Read the official text · How we make summaries
Where it stands
How far did it get?
It took 2 of 7 steps. It reached Admitted, and today it is withdrawn.
- Introduced23 January 2020Someone registers the text in the Congreso.
- Admitted28 January 2020The Bureau of the Congreso accepts it and, for a members’ bill, the plenary decides whether to consider it.
- Amendmentsnot reachedGroups propose changes.
- Committeenot reachedA committee goes through the text in detail.
- Plenarynot reachedAll 350 deputies vote.
- Senatenot reachedThe Senate can pass it, amend it or veto it.
- BOEnot reachedIt is published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) and comes into force.
See the 6 official steps on a timeline
Was there a plenary vote?
We have no plenary vote linked to this law in the Congreso’s data.
What happens next
What happens now?
Whoever introduced it withdrew it, or it was merged into another one. It goes no further.
It was presented again:
- XV Legislature, Congreso de los Diputados· Withdrawn Proposal to let 16-year-olds vote in Spain
Sources
Where does all this come from?
- Congreso de los Diputados, file 122/000018
Official title, type, author, dates and stage.
Retrieved 11 November 2026
- The data comes from the open files of the Congreso, the Senate and the BOE, unaltered.
- Each deputy’s province is the one of their seat on the day of the vote.
- We only say “passed” or “rejected” when the majority needed is certain; otherwise we say which side had more votes.