Voting is on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprises all nationals over eighteen, registered in the Canary Islands and in full enjoyment of their political rights. Amendments to the electoral law in 2011 required for Canarian citizens abroad to apply for voting before being permitted to vote, a system known as "begged" or expat vote (Spanish: Voto rogado).[4] Seats are elected using the D'Hondt method and a closed listproportional representation, with an electoral threshold of 15 percent of valid votes—which includes blank ballots; until a 1997 reform, the threshold was set at 20 percent; between 1997 and 2018, it was set at 30 percent—being applied in each constituency. Alternatively, parties can also enter the seat distribution as long as they reach four percent regionally—three percent until 1997, six percent between 1997 and 2018.[2][3]
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 1985—disallowing electors from signing for more than one list of candidates.[5][6][7][8]
^ ab"Ley Orgánica 1/2018, de 5 de noviembre, de reforma del Estatuto de Autonomía de Canarias". Organic Law No. 1 of 5 November 2018 (in Spanish). Retrieved 6 November 2018. ((cite book)): |work= ignored (help)
^"Ley 3/1987, de 3 de abril, de Medidas Urgentes en Materia Electoral". Law No. 3 of 3 April 1987 (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 September 2017. ((cite book)): |work= ignored (help)
^"Ley 7/2003, de 20 de marzo, de Elecciones al Parlamento de Canarias". Law No. 7 of 20 March 2003 (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 September 2017. ((cite book)): |work= ignored (help)