Álava (Basque Parliament constituency)

Álava (Basque: Araba) is one of the three constituencies (Spanish: 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.

For the Congress of Deputies constituency, see Álava (Congress of Deputies constituency). For the Senate constituency, see Álava (Senate constituency).

Álava
Basque Parliament Electoral Constituency
Location of Álava within the Basque Country
Province	Álava
Autonomous community	Basque Country
Population	331,549 (2019)[1]
Electorate	258,845 (2020)[2]
Major settlements	Vitoria-Gasteiz
Current constituency
Created	1980
Seats	20 (1980–1984) 25 (1984–present)
Member(s)	PNV (9)      EH Bildu (6)      PSE–EE (4)      PP (2)      Cs (1)      Podemos (1)      EzAn–IU (1)      Vox (1)

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—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.[3][4][5]

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 (Spanish: Voto rogado).[6] Seats are elected using the D'Hondt method and a closed list proportional representation, with a 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. Parties not reaching the threshold are not taken into consideration for seat distribution.[3][4][5] The use of the D'Hondt method may result in a higher effective threshold, depending on the district magnitude.[7]

The electoral law allows for parties and federations registered in the interior 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.[4][5][8][9]

Deputies

Deputies 1980–present
Parliament	Election	Distribution
1st	1980	3 2 3 7 4 1
2nd	1984	3 2 7 9 4
3rd	1986	3 3 7 4 5 2 1
4th	1990	3 2 6 2 6 3 3
5th	1994	2 2 4 2 6 4 5
6th	1998	3 1 5 1 6 7 2
7th	2001	1 1 5 9 9
8th	2005	2 1 7 8 7
9th	2009	1 9 8 1 6
10th	2012	6 6 7 1 5
11th	2016	5 4 3 8 5
12th	2020	6 2 4 9 3 1

Elections

2020 regional election

Summary of the 12 July 2020 Basque Parliament election results in Álava

Parties and coalitions		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV)	40,067	31.92	+3.91	9	+1
	Basque Country Gather (EH Bildu)	30,934	24.64	+6.84	6	+1
	Socialist Party of the Basque Country–Basque Country Left (PSE–EE (PSOE))	19,452	15.50	+2.60	4	+1
	People's Party+Citizens (PP+Cs)^1	14,316	11.40	–10.22	3	–2
	United We Can–United Left (Podemos/Ahal Dugu, Ezker Anitza–IU)	10,092	8.04	–8.07	2	–2
	Vox (Vox)	4,734	3.77	+3.26	1	+1
	Equo Greens–Greens of the Basque Country (Equo Berdeak–Verdes)	2,746	2.19	New	0	±0
	Animalist Party Against Mistreatment of Animals (PACMA/ATTKAA)	741	0.59	–0.40	0	±0
	Blank Seats (EB/AZ)	475	0.38	+0.13	0	±0
	For a Fairer World (PUM+J)	282	0.22	New	0	±0
	Zero Cuts–The Greens–Municipalists (Recortes Cero–LV–M)	266	0.21	–0.23	0	±0
	Free for the Basque Country (LxE/EaL)	169	0.13	New	0	±0
	Welcome (Ongi Etorri)	64	0.05	–0.03	0	±0
	Foralist League (LFF)	51	0.04	New	0	±0
Blank ballots		1,142	0.91	+0.20
Total		125,531			25	±0
Valid votes		125,531	98.98	–0.29
Invalid votes		1,300	1.02	+0.29
Votes cast / turnout		126,831	49.00	–10.74
Abstentions		132,015	51.00	+10.74
Registered voters		258,846
Sources[10]

2016 regional election

Summary of the 25 September 2016 Basque Parliament election results in Álava

Parties and coalitions		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV)	42,327	28.01	+2.50	8	+1
	People's Party (PP)	27,877	18.45	–0.23	5	±0
	Basque Country Gather (EH Bildu)	26,899	17.80	–3.94	5	–1
	United We Can (Podemos, Ezker Anitza–IU, Equo)^1	24,339	16.11	+10.47	4	+4
	Socialist Party of the Basque Country–Basque Country Left (PSE–EE (PSOE))	19,489	12.90	–6.13	3	–3
	Citizens–Party of the Citizenry (C's)	4,784	3.17	New	0	±0
	Animalist Party Against Mistreatment of Animals (PACMA/ATTKAA)	1,498	0.99	+0.56	0	±0
	Let's Win the Basque Country: Yes We Can (Ganemos Irabazi)	856	0.57	New	0	±0
	Vox (Vox)	771	0.51	New	0	±0
	Zero Cuts–Green Group (Recortes Cero–GV)	664	0.44	New	0	±0
	Blank Seats (EB/AZ)	385	0.25	–1.22	0	±0
	Welcome (Ongi Etorri)	124	0.08	+0.02	0	±0
	Union, Progress and Democracy (UPyD)	n/a	n/a	–3.47	0	–1
Blank ballots		1,078	0.71	–0.73
Total		151,091			25	±0
Valid votes		151,091	99.27	–0.74
Invalid votes		1,113	0.73	+0.74
Votes cast / turnout		152,204	59.74	–3.85
Abstentions		102,557	40.26	+3.85
Registered voters		254,761
Sources[10][11]

2012 regional election

Summary of the 21 October 2012 Basque Parliament election results in Álava

Parties and coalitions		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV)	40,116	25.51	–4.51	7	–1
	Basque Country Gather (EH Bildu)^1	34,193	21.74	+13.94	6	+5
	Socialist Party of the Basque Country–Basque Country Left (PSE–EE (PSOE))	30,358	19.30	–11.87	6	–3
	People's Party (PP)	29,374	18.68	–2.43	5	–1
	Union, Progress and Democracy (UPyD)	5,453	3.47	–0.46	1	±0
	United Left–The Greens: Plural Left (IU–LV)	4,579	2.91	New	0	±0
	Equo Greens–Basque Ecologists (Equo)^2	4,287	2.73	+1.91	0	±0
	United Left–Greens (EB–B)	2,488	1.58	–1.73	0	±0
	Blank Seats (EB/AZ)	2,309	1.47	New	0	±0
	Animalist Party Against Mistreatment of Animals (PACMA/ATTKAA)	669	0.43	New	0	±0
	For a Fairer World (PUM+J)	638	0.41	–0.11	0	±0
	Humanist Party (PH)	223	0.14	New	0	±0
	Communist Unification of Spain (UCE)	154	0.10	New	0	±0
	Welcome (Ongi Etorri)	101	0.06	New	0	±0
	Community Integration Party (PYC)	59	0.04	New	0	±0
Blank ballots		2,270	1.44	+0.26
Total		157,271			25	±0
Valid votes		157,271	98.53	+4.14
Invalid votes		2,348	1.47	–4.14
Votes cast / turnout		159,619	63.59	–1.48
Abstentions		91,375	36.41	+1.48
Registered voters		250,994
Sources[10][11]

2009 regional election

Summary of the 1 March 2009 Basque Parliament election results in Álava

Parties and coalitions		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	Socialist Party of the Basque Country–Basque Country Left (PSE–EE (PSOE))	47,523	31.17	+5.87	9	+2
	Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV)^1	45,767	30.02	n/a	8	+2
	People's Party (PP)	32,188	21.11	–4.64	6	–1
	Aralar (Aralar)	6,613	4.34	+2.85	1	+1
	Union, Progress and Democracy (UPyD)	5,990	3.93	New	1	+1
	Basque Solidarity (EA)^1	5,280	3.46	n/a	0	–2
	United Left–Greens (EB–B)	5,053	3.31	–1.61	0	–1
	The Greens (B/LV)	1,246	0.82	New	0	±0
	For a Fairer World (PUM+J)	792	0.52	New	0	±0
	Internationalist Socialist Workers' Party (POSI)	209	0.14	±0.00	0	±0
	Communist Party of the Basque Homelands (PCTV/EHAK)	n/a	n/a	–13.16	0	–2
Blank ballots		1,797	1.18	+0.43
Total		152,458			25	±0
Valid votes		152,458	94.39	–5.21
Invalid votes		9,060	5.61	+5.21
Votes cast / turnout		161,518	65.07	–4.18
Abstentions		86,713	34.93	+4.18
Registered voters		248,231
Sources[10][11]

2005 regional election

Summary of the 17 April 2005 Basque Parliament election results in Álava

Parties and coalitions		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	Basque Nationalist Party–Basque Solidarity (PNV–EA)	51,986	30.44	–3.11	8	–1
	People's Party (PP)	43,989	25.75	–6.72	7	–2
	Socialist Party of the Basque Country–Basque Country Left (PSE–EE (PSOE))	43,216	25.30	+4.87	7	+2
	Communist Party of the Basque Homelands (PCTV/EHAK)^1	14,187	13.16	+7.03	2	+1
	United Left–Greens (EB–B)^2	8,409	4.92	–1.00	1	±0
	Alavese Unity (UA)	3,765	2.20	New	0	±0
	Aralar (Aralar)	2,542	1.49	New	0	±0
	Greens–Anti-Bullfighting Party Against Mistreatment of Animals (B–PACMA)	851	0.50	New	0	±0
	Humanist Party (PH)	340	0.20	–0.37	0	±0
	Internationalist Socialist Workers' Party (POSI)	234	0.14	New	0	±0
Blank ballots		1,284	0.75	–0.13
Total		170,803			25	±0
Valid votes		170,803	99.60	+0.15
Invalid votes		689	0.40	–0.15
Votes cast / turnout		171,492	69.25	–9.79
Abstentions		76,153	30.75	+9.79
Registered voters		247,645
Sources[10][11]

2001 regional election

Summary of the 13 May 2001 Basque Parliament election results in Álava

Parties and coalitions		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	Basque Nationalist Party–Basque Solidarity (PNV–EA)^1	64,832	33.55	+5.62	9	+2
	People's Party (PP)^1	62,737	32.47	–2.58	9	±0
	Socialist Party of the Basque Country–Basque Country Left (PSE–EE (PSOE))	39,469	20.43	+3.62	5	±0
	Basque Citizens (EH)	11,836	6.13	–5.93	1	–2
	United Left (IU/EB)	11,430	5.92	+0.29	1	±0
	Humanist Party (PH)	1,095	0.57	+0.34	0	±0
	Freedom (Askatasuna)	137	0.07	New	0	±0
Blank ballots		1,694	0.88	–0.48
Total		193,230			25	±0
Valid votes		193,230	99.45	+0.04
Invalid votes		1,070	0.55	–0.04
Votes cast / turnout		194,300	79.04	+8.77
Abstentions		51,503	20.96	–8.77
Registered voters		245,830
Sources[10][11]

1998 regional election

Summary of the 25 October 1998 Basque Parliament election results in Álava

Parties and coalitions		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	People's Party (PP)	45,470	26.66	+10.74	7	+3
	Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV)	36,923	21.65	–0.10	6	±0
	Socialist Party of the Basque Country–Basque Country Left (PSE–EE (PSOE))	28,670	16.81	+1.22	5	+1
	Basque Citizens (EH)^1	20,567	12.06	+1.98	3	+1
	Alavese Unity (UA)	14,305	8.39	–10.13	2	–3
	Basque Solidarity (EA)	10,718	6.28	–0.96	1	–1
	United Left (IU/EB)	9,606	5.63	–3.45	1	–1
	Basque Country Greens (EHB)	864	0.51	New	0	±0
	Natural Law Party (PLN/LNA)	750	0.44	New	0	±0
	Humanist Party (PH)	387	0.23	New	0	±0
Blank ballots		2,315	1.36	–0.25
Total		170,575			25	±0
Valid votes		170,575	99.41	+0.06
Invalid votes		1,005	0.59	–0.06
Votes cast / turnout		171,580	70.27	+9.58
Abstentions		72,604	29.73	–9.58
Registered voters		244,184
Sources[10][11]

1994 regional election

Summary of the 23 October 1994 Basque Parliament election results in Álava

Parties and coalitions		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV)	29,911	21.75	–0.56	6	±0
	Alavese Unity (UA)	25,469	18.52	+7.47	5	+2
	People's Party (PP)	21,885	15.92	+5.09	4	+1
	Socialist Party of the Basque Country–Basque Country Left (PSE–EE (PSOE))^1	21,431	15.59	–12.29	4	–4
	Popular Unity (HB)	13,865	10.08	–2.62	2	–1
	United Left (IU/EB)	12,484	9.08	+7.94	2	+2
	Basque Solidarity (EA)	9,958	7.24	–0.89	2	±0
	Coalition for a New Socialist Party (NPS)^2	283	0.21	+0.07	0	±0
Blank ballots		2,214	1.61	+0.81
Total		137,500			25	±0
Valid votes		137,500	99.35	+0.03
Invalid votes		898	0.65	–0.03
Votes cast / turnout		138,398	60.69	+0.45
Abstentions		89,633	39.31	–0.45
Registered voters		228,031
Sources[10][11]

1990 regional election

Summary of the 28 October 1990 Basque Parliament election results in Álava

Parties and coalitions		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV)	28,341	22.31	+2.22	6	+1
	Socialist Party of the Basque Country (PSE–PSOE)	26,894	21.17	–3.71	6	–1
	Popular Unity (HB)	16,139	12.70	–0.10	3	±0
	Alavese Unity (UA)	14,034	11.05	New	3	+3
	People's Party (PP)^1	13,758	10.83	+3.98	3	+2
	Basque Solidarity (EA)	10,332	8.13	–6.41	2	–2
	Basque Country Left (EE)	8,526	6.71	–4.21	2	–1
	Democratic and Social Centre (CDS)	2,436	1.92	–6.08	0	–2
	United Left (IU/EB)	1,451	1.14	+0.83	0	±0
	Ruiz-Mateos Group–European Democratic Alliance (ARM–ADE)	1,213	0.95	New	0	±0
	Socialist Democracy (DS)	803	0.63	New	0	±0
	The Ecologist Greens (LVE)	676	0.53	New	0	±0
	Basque Country Greens (EHB)	542	0.43	New	0	±0
	Workers' Socialist Party (PST)	465	0.37	+0.03	0	±0
	Alliance for the Republic (AxR)^2	178	0.14	+0.01	0	±0
	Humanist Party (PH)	130	0.10	–0.07	0	±0
	Revolutionary Communist League–Communist Movement (LKI–EMK)	114	0.09	New	0	±0
Blank ballots		1,010	0.80	+0.23
Total		127,042			25	±0
Valid votes		127,042	99.32	–0.05
Invalid votes		868	0.68	+0.05
Votes cast / turnout		127,910	60.24	–10.04
Abstentions		84,441	39.76	+10.04
Registered voters		212,351
Sources[10][11]

1986 regional election

Summary of the 30 November 1986 Basque Parliament election results in Álava

Parties and coalitions		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	Socialist Party of the Basque Country (PSE–PSOE)	34,806	24.88	–0.18	7	±0
	Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV)	28,103	20.09	–15.40	5	–4
	Basque Solidarity (EA)	20,349	14.54	New	4	+4
	Popular Unity (HB)	17,912	12.80	+2.02	3	±0
	Basque Country Left (EE)	15,277	10.92	+3.25	3	+1
	Democratic and Social Centre (CDS)	11,195	8.00	New	2	+2
	People's Alliance–Liberal Party (AP–PL)^1	9,584	6.85	–9.37	1	–3
	Workers' Socialist Party (PST)	474	0.34	New	0	±0
	United Left (IU/EB)	429	0.31	New	0	±0
	Communist Party of the Basque Country (PCE/EPK)	389	0.28	–0.62	0	±0
	Humanist Party (PH)	237	0.17	New	0	±0
	Internationalist Socialist Workers' Party (POSI)	182	0.13	New	0	±0
	Republican Popular Unity (UPR)	126	0.09	New	0	±0
Blank ballots^2		799	0.57	–0.23
Total		139,905			25	±0
Valid votes		139,905	99.37	+0.17
Invalid votes		892	0.63	–0.17
Votes cast / turnout		140,797	70.28	+3.09
Abstentions		59,551	29.72	–3.09
Registered voters		200,348
Sources[10][11]

1984 regional election

Summary of the 26 February 1984 Basque Parliament election results in Álava

Parties and coalitions		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV)	44,583	35.49	+5.43	9	+2
	Socialist Party of the Basque Country (PSE–PSOE)	31,485	25.06	+11.10	7	+4
	People's Coalition (AP–PDP–UL)^1	20,380	16.22	+10.49	4	+3
	Popular Unity (HB)	13,539	10.78	–3.28	3	±0
	Basque Country Left (EE)	9,633	7.67	–1.51	2	±0
	Left Socialist Candidacy (CSI)	2,507	2.00	New	0	±0
	Neighborhood Labor (Auzolan)^2	1,368	1.09	–0.09	0	±0
	Communist Party of the Basque Country (PCE/EPK)	1,127	0.90	–2.11	0	±0
	Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD)	n/a	n/a	–19.68	0	–4
Blank ballots^3		1,001	0.80	+0.22
Total		125,623			25	+5
Valid votes		125,623	99.20	+0.12
Invalid votes		1,011	0.80	–0.12
Votes cast / turnout		126,634	67.19	+8.12
Abstentions		61,832	32.81	–8.12
Registered voters		188,466
Sources[10][11]

1980 regional election

Summary of the 9 March 1980 Basque Parliament election results in Álava

Parties and coalitions		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV)	31,640	30.06	n/a	7	n/a
	Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD)	20,716	19.68	n/a	4	n/a
	People's Unity (HB)	14,804	14.06	n/a	3	n/a
	Socialist Party of the Basque Country (PSE–PSOE)	14,694	13.96	n/a	3	n/a
	Basque Country Left (EE)	9,658	9.18	n/a	2	n/a
	People's Alliance (AP)	6,029	5.73	n/a	1	n/a
	Communist Party of the Basque Country (PCE/EPK)	3,168	3.01	n/a	0	n/a
	Basque Socialists' Unity Force (ESEI)	1,366	1.30	n/a	0	n/a
	Communist Movement of the Basque Country (EMK/MCE)	797	0.76	n/a	0	n/a
	Workers' Party of the Basque Country (ORT–PTE)	726	0.69	n/a	0	n/a
	Carlist Party (EKA/PC)	461	0.44	n/a	0	n/a
	Revolutionary Communist League (LKI/LCR)	438	0.42	n/a	0	n/a
	Communist Unity (UC)	158	0.15	n/a	0	n/a
Blank ballots		609	0.58	n/a
Total		105,264			20	n/a
Valid votes		105,264	99.08	n/a
Invalid votes		975	0.92	n/a
Votes cast / turnout		106,239	59.07	n/a
Abstentions		73,605	40.93	n/a
Registered voters		179,844
Sources[10][11]

References

1. "Cifras oficiales de población resultantes de la revisión del Padrón municipal a 1 de enero. Población por provincias y por sexo". ine.es (in Spanish). National Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
2. "Elecciones al Parlamento del País Vasco y al Parlamento de Galicia del 12 de julio de 2020" (PDF). www.ine.es (in Spanish). National Institute of Statistics. 22 May 2020. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
3. "Ley Orgánica 3/1979, de 18 de diciembre, de Estatuto de Autonomía para el País Vasco". Organic Law No. 3 of 18 December 1979. Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 July 2017.
4. "Ley 28/1983, de 25 de noviembre, de Elecciones al Parlamento Vasco". Law No. 28 of 25 November 1983. Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 August 2017.
5. "Ley 5/1990, de 15 de junio, de Elecciones al Parlamento Vasco". Law No. 5 of 15 June 1990. Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 July 2017.
6. Reig Pellicer, Naiara (16 December 2015). "Spanish elections: Begging for the right to vote". cafebabel.co.uk. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
7. Gallagher, Michael (30 July 2012). "Effective threshold in electoral systems". Trinity College, Dublin. Archived from the original on 30 July 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
8. "Real Decreto-ley 20/1977, de 18 de marzo, sobre Normas Electorales". Royal Decree-Law No. 20 of 18 March 1977. Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 December 2019.
9. "Ley Orgánica 5/1985, de 19 de junio, del Régimen Electoral General". Organic Law No. 5 of 19 June 1985. Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 January 2020.
10. "Election Results Archive". euskadi.eus (in Spanish). Basque Government. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
11. "Basque Parliament elections since 1980". historiaelectoral.com (in Spanish). Electoral History. Retrieved 24 September 2017.