Gran Canaria (Senate constituency)

For the Parliament of the Canary Islands constituency, see Gran Canaria (Parliament of the Canary Islands constituency).

Gran Canaria is one of the 59 constituencies (Spanish: circunscripciones) represented in the Senate of Spain, the upper chamber of the Spanish parliament, the Cortes Generales. The constituency elects three senators. Its boundaries correspond to those of the island of Gran Canaria. The electoral system uses an open list partial block voting, with electors voting for individual candidates instead of parties. Electors can vote for up to two candidates.

Gran Canaria
Senate of Spain Electoral constituency
Location of Gran Canaria within Spain
Island	Gran Canaria
Autonomous community	Canary Islands
Population	863,943 (2024)[1]
Electorate	721,994 (2023)
Major settlements	Las Palmas, Telde, Santa Lucía de Tirajana, San Bartolomé de Tirajana
Current constituency
Created	1977
Seats	3
Member(s)	PSOE (2)   PP (1)

Electoral system

The constituency was created as per the Political Reform Act 1977 and was first contested in the 1977 general election. The Act provided for the provinces of Spain to be established as multi-member districts in the Senate of Spain,^[2] with this regulation being maintained under the Spanish Constitution of 1978.^[3] 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.^[4]

Voting is on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprises all nationals over 18 years of age and in full enjoyment of their political rights.^[5] 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.^[6][7] Amendments to the electoral law in 2011 required for Spaniards abroad to apply for voting before being permitted to vote, a system known as "begged" or expat vote (Spanish: Voto rogado),^[8][9] which was abolished in 2022.^[10] 208 seats are elected using an open list partial block voting system, with electors voting for individual candidates instead of parties. In constituencies electing four seats, electors can vote for up to three candidates; in those with two or three seats, for up to two candidates; and for one candidate in single-member districts. Each of the 47 peninsular provinces is allocated four seats, whereas for insular provinces, such as the Balearic and Canary Islands, districts are the islands themselves, with the larger—Mallorca, Gran Canaria and Tenerife—being allocated three seats each, and the smaller—Menorca, Ibiza–Formentera, Fuerteventura, La Gomera and El Hierro (which comprised a single constituency only for the 1977 election), Lanzarote and La Palma—one each. Ceuta and Melilla elect two seats each.^{[2][3][11][12]} Until 1985, the law also provided for by-elections to fill Senate seats vacated up to two years into the legislature.^[13]

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 permille of the electorate, with a compulsory minimum of 500 signatures, until 1985—disallowing electors from signing for more than one list of candidates. Also since 2011, parties, federations or coalitions that have not obtained a mandate in either chamber of the Cortes at the preceding election are required to secure the signature of at least 0.1 percent of electors in the aforementioned constituencies.^[14][15]

Senators

Senators for Gran Canaria 1977–
Key to parties   Podemos   PSOE   CCa   UCD   PP   CP   AP
Legislature	Election	Distribution
Constituent	1977	3
1st	1979	3
2nd	1982	2 1
3rd	1986	2 1
4th	1989	2 1
5th	1993	1 2
6th	1996	1 2
7th	2000	1 2
8th	2004	1 2
9th	2008	2 1
10th	2011	1 2
11th	2015	1 2
12th	2016	1 2
13th	2019 (Apr)	2 1
14th	2019 (Nov)	2 1
15th	2023	2 1

Elections

2023 general election

Summary of the 23 July 2023 Senate of Spain election results

Candidates	Parties and coalitions		Popular vote
			Votes	%
Y Ramón Morales Quesada		PSOE	147,959	35.82
Y Marta Jorgina Saavedra Doménech		PSOE	142,125	34.41
Y Sergio Ramos Acosta		PP	123,057	29.79
• María del Mar Arévalo Araya		PP	114,213	27.65
• Yeray Antonio Suárez Salem		Vox	50,560	12.24
• Beatriz Calzada Ojeda		CC	30,382	7.35
• José María Santana Suárez (Txema)		NC	29,429	7.12
• María Celeste Martel Martínez		Sumar	27,243	6.59
• Minerva Carmen Alonso Santana		NC	26,317	6.37
• José Joaquín O'Shanahan Juan		Sumar	25,847	6.25
• Jafeth David Alonso Estupiñán		CC	23,639	5.72
• Hiurma Castejón Suárez		Sumar	7,429	1.79
• Carmen Nieves Martín Plata		PACMA	3,690	0.89
• Luis Alberto Pardillos Fraile		PACMA	1,565	0.37
• Raquel Díaz Santana		PACMA	1,251	0.30
• Luz Rodríguez Gangura (Lucy)		PCPC	1,042	0.25
• Javier Vázquez De la Torre Salinas		PUM+J	850	0.20
• Antonio F. Mata Gutiérrez		PCPC	529	0.12
• Francisca Dolores Artiles Hernández		Recortes Cero	523	0.12
Blank ballots			4,970	1.20
Total			762620
Valid votes			412,959	95.62
Invalid votes			18,876	4.37
Votes cast / turnout			431,835	64.46
Abstentions			237,990	35.53
Registered voters			669825
Sources[16]

November 2019 general election

Summary of the 10 November 2019 Senate of Spain election results in Gran Canaria

Candidates	Parties and coalitions		Popular vote
			Votes	%
Y Ramón Morales Quesada		PSOE	117,441	30.12
Y Saturnina Santana Dumpierrez		PSOE	111,576	28.62
Y Sergio Ramos Acosta		PP	97,298	24.96
• Rosa Faustina Viera Fernández		PP	88,644	22.74
• Carlos Carmelo Reyes Lima		Podemos–IU	49,864	12.79
• Laura Saz Almazán		Podemos–IU	49,085	12.59
• Carlos Manuel Ruiz de Galarreta Hernández		Vox	41,967	10.76
• Heriberto José Dávila Ojeda		NC–CCa–PNC	41,039	10.53
• María Ángeles Batista Perdomo		NC–CCa–PNC	38,917	9.98
• Rafael Juan Medina Jaber		Cs	23,449	6.01
• Alicia Esther Díaz Álamo		Cs	21,850	5.60
• Raquel Díaz Santana		PACMA	7,358	1.89
• Jesús Alberto Rosales Falcón		Más País–Equo	5,201	1.33
• María Teresa Bañobre Nebot		Más País–Equo	4,811	1.23
• Daniel Romero Vecino		PACMA	4,714	1.21
• Luz Carmen Rodríguez Gangura		ANC–UP	1,720	0.44
• Ramón Francisco González Hernández		Verdes	1,693	0.43
• José Echedey "CANARIONASOS" Santana Morán		ANC–UP	1,489	0.38
• Laura Rodríguez Álvarez		PUM+J	953	0.24
• Abisai Melián Ramírez		Recortes Cero–GV	884	0.23
• Juana María Ruiz Suárez		Recortes Cero–GV	662	0.17
• Javier Delgado Pérez		PCPC	537	0.14
• Judit Duque Suárez		PCPC	457	0.12
• Guayarmina Méndez Laguna		Contigo	211	0.05
• María Dolores Blanco López		PH	199	0.05
• Luis Bodoque Gómez		PH	181	0.05
• José Miguel Yánez Ramírez		Contigo	141	0.04
Blank ballots			6,765	1.74
Total			389,860
Valid votes			389,860	96.90
Invalid votes			12,471	3.10
Votes cast / turnout			402,331	57.11
Abstentions			302,175	42.89
Registered voters			704,506
Sources[17]

April 2019 general election

2016 general election

2015 general election

2011 general election

2008 general election

2004 general election

2000 general election

1996 general election

1993 general election

1989 general election

1986 general election

1982 general election

1979 general election

1977 general election