The Electoral Board is inclined to let the Supreme clarify the census scissors for the "law of grandchildren"

In Buenos Aires, 90 employees are sifting through 66 tonnes of paperwork to identify voters under Spain’s so-called "law of grandchildren." This effort involves reviewing approximately 30,000 cases related to individuals who have acquired Spanish nationality through this law, which grants citizenship to descendants of Spaniards exiled for political reasons during the Spanish Civil War and the subsequent dictatorship. The Supreme Court has temporarily suspended their voting rights, citing concerns raised by the far-right party Vox regarding alleged irregularities in the election process scheduled for November 29. The Consulate General of Spain in Buenos Aires, one of its largest overseas offices, serves around 360,000 Spanish residents. It handles tasks such as issuing IDs and passports, performing notarial services, registering births, marriages, deaths, and other civil records, legalizing documents, providing social services, and processing visas. Now, it faces the added challenge of identifying eligible voters affected by the court's decision before the electoral census closes on November 2. According to diplomatic sources, the consulate may not meet these deadlines, potentially affecting the upcoming elections. The workload is immense, especially with the organization of the elections already underway. Out of the 360,000 registered Spanish residents in Buenos Aires, 331,000 are listed in the electoral roll, which is currently displayed in the consulate's offices. Staff must ensure that voters receive proper documentation to cast their votes, handle mail-in ballots, set up polling stations, and install ballot boxes for those wishing to vote in person. Despite this, voter turnout among Spanish residents in Argentina has historically been low. During the 2023 general elections, only 21,000 of the 401,133 Spanish residents in Argentina voted, representing just 5.22 percent of the total Spanish electorate abroad. Meanwhile, the consulate continues to manage appointments for the 645,052 residents of Buenos Aires who applied for Spanish citizenship between October 2022 and October 2025 under the law of grandchildren. Handling applications, delivering documents, and resolving these cases will likely extend into 2030 or 2031, according to sources consulted. So far, the consulate has resolved 30,000 of these cases. However, only 18,000 have become Spanish citizens due to being descendants of parents or grandparents exiled for political reasons during the Civil War and the dictatorship, as outlined in the Law of Democratic Memory. The remaining applicants have used other provisions of the same legislation. Among them, 10,500 have requested registration in the Consular Registration Book, which grants access to consular services and, eventually, inclusion in the Electoral Register of Absent Residents (CERA) and thus the right to vote. Subtracting minors and those who registered after August 1, the date the electoral census closed for the November 29 election, the number of people who can actually vote in the coming weeks is estimated to be between 7,000 and 8,000. Based on previous participation rates, the consulate estimates that only around 600 of these individuals will exercise their right to vote. These 600 votes would be distributed across 52 provinces and all political parties. Considering the 24.6 million votes cast in the last general elections (both within Spain and abroad), the impact of these newly nationalized voters in Buenos Aires would be less than 0.002 percent. The Supreme Court has ordered a review of all cases involving individuals who obtained Spanish nationality through the law of grandchildren, with more than 163,000 people affected by the suspension of their voting rights. The Argentine association Centro de Descendientes de Españoles Unidos (Cedeu) has filed a petition against the suspension, arguing that it constitutes discrimination against other groups, including Sephardic Jews, international volunteers of the Spanish Civil War, and those who obtained citizenship through the law of grandchildren but reside in Spain. Eduardo Ranz, a lawyer for the association, stated that the affected individuals should not be discriminated against and that the measure should be annulled due to its impact on over 160,000 people. The Central Electoral Board (JEC) is considering whether to defer the interpretation of the Supreme Court's temporary suspension of voting rights to the Supreme Court itself. With the election approaching and the electoral calendar already in motion, the identities and circumstances of those affected remain unknown. The only known figure is that 163,020 potential voters could be impacted. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs faces a monumental task of verifying each case to determine if individuals can prove they are descendants of exiles. Only those who received nationality through the presumption of exile, established by a recent instruction from the Ministry of Justice, would face a temporary ban on voting until the court issues a ruling. The uncertainty introduced by the Supreme Court's decision has intensified with the election call. The electoral census was officially closed on August 1, as mandated by the Organic Law on the Electoral Regime (LOREG). Additionally, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has informed the court that more than 140,000 of these cases cannot be reviewed in time for the election, even with additional staff deployed to the busiest consulates. The temporary ban applies only to those living abroad, not to those who obtained citizenship while residing in Spain or moved there afterward. The Supreme Court's measure questions how some individuals became Spanish citizens, focusing solely on those registered in the Electoral Register of Absent Residents (CERA), excluding those registered in the Electoral Register (CER) for those residing in Spain. The uncertainty surrounding the affected individuals and the administrative body responsible for conducting the count is profound. Those registered in the CERA, including those whose voting rights are suspended pending consular certification, are expected to receive electoral materials, ballots, ballots, and registration certificates, at their homes between late October and early November. Before that, the Office of the Electoral Census must finalize preparations.