Province Province of La Rioja Population 317,053 (2016) Major settlements Logroño Region La Rioja Major settlement Logroño | Autonomous community La Rioja Electorate 247,670 (2016) Seats 4 (1977–) Date formed 1977 Seat 4 (1977–) | |
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Created Spanish general election, 1977 | ||
La Rioja is one of the 52 electoral districts (Spanish: circunscripciones) used for the Congress of Deputies—the lower chamber of the Spanish Parliament, the Cortes Generales. The electoral system uses the D'Hondt method and a closed-list proportional representation, with a minimum threshold of 3%. Until the 1982 election, the district name was Logroño.
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Logroño is the largest town accounting for nearly half the electorate. Calahorra (16,000 voters at the time of the 2008 election) and Arnedo (10,400 voters) were the only other municipalities with electorates over 10,000. The constituency, like the province, was originally called Logroño but this was changed in 1980.
Boundaries and electoral system
Under Article 68 of the Spanish constitution the boundaries must be the same as the autonomous community of La Rioja and under Article 140 this can only be altered with the approval of congress. Voting is on the basis of universal suffrage in a secret ballot. The electoral system used is closed list proportional representation with seats allocated using the D'Hondt method. Only lists which poll 3% or more of all valid votes cast, including votes "en blanco" i.e. for "none of the above" can be considered for seats. Under article 12 of the constitution, the minimum voting age is 18.
Eligibility
Article 67.3 of the Spanish Constitution prohibits dual membership of the Cortes and regional assemblies, meaning that candidates must resign from Regional Assemblies if elected. Article 70 also makes active judges, magistrates, public defenders, serving military personnel, active police officers and members of constitutional and electoral tribunals ineligible.
Number of members
La Rioja has returned four members at every election since the restoration of democracy.
Under Spanish electoral law, all provinces are entitled to a minimum of two seats with a remaining 248 seats apportioned according to population. These laws are laid out in detail in the 1985 electoral law. (Ley Orgánica del Régimen Electoral General) The practical effect of this has been to over-represent smaller provinces like La Rioja at the expense of larger provinces. La Rioja had a ratio of 58,694 voters per deputy in 2004 a figure below the Spanish average of 98,777 voters per deputy.