Regional elections were held in Spain during 2003 to elect the regional parliaments of fourteen of the seventeen autonomous communities: Aragon, Asturias, the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, Cantabria, Castile and León, Castilla–La Mancha, Catalonia, Extremadura, La Rioja, Madrid, Murcia, Navarre, the Valencian Community. 927 of 1,186 seats in the regional parliaments were up for election. The elections were held on 25 May for most regions (concurrently with local elections all across the country), on 26 October for a repeat election in Madrid, and on 16 November in Catalonia.
Election date Determination of election day varied depending on the autonomous community. Typically, most autonomous communities held their elections on the fourth Sunday of May every four years, concurrently with nationwide local elections, while others had their own, separate electoral cycles. In some cases, regional presidents had the prerogative to dissolve parliament and call for extra elections at a different time, but newly elected assemblies were restricted to serving out what remained of their previous four year-terms without altering the period to their next ordinary election. In other cases—Andalusia (since 1994), the Basque Country (1981), Catalonia (1985) and Galicia (1985)—the law granted regional presidents the power to call snap elections resulting in fresh four-year parliamentary terms..
Regional governments The following table lists party control in autonomous communities. Gains for a party are highlighted in that party's colour.
Election day Region Previous control New control 25 May Aragon Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) Asturias Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) Balearic Islands Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) People's Party (PP) Canary Islands Canarian Coalition (CC) Canarian Coalition (CC) Cantabria People's Party (PP) Regionalist Party of Cantabria (PRC) Castile and León People's Party (PP) People's Party (PP) Castilla–La Mancha Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) Extremadura Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) La Rioja People's Party (PP) People's Party (PP) Madrid People's Party (PP) Inconclusive Murcia People's Party (PP) People's Party (PP) Navarre Navarrese People's Union (UPN) Navarrese People's Union (UPN) Valencian Community People's Party (PP) People's Party (PP) 26 October Madrid People's Party (PP) People's Party (PP) 16 November Catalonia Convergence and Union (CiU) Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC)
Summary by region May (13 regions) Aragon
Parties and alliances Votes % ±pp Seats +/− PSOE 270,468 37.94 +7.13 27 +4 PP 219,058 30.73 −7.48 22 −6 CHA 97,763 13.71 +2.67 9 +4 PAR 79,670 11.18 −2.07 8 −2 IU 21,795 3.06 −0.80 1 ±0 Others 9,216 1.29 0 ±0 Blank ballots 14,874 2.09 +0.01 Valid votes 712,844 99.36 +0.07 Invalid votes 4,613 0.64 −0.07 Votes cast / turnout 717,457 70.36 +5.76 Registered voters 1,019,644
Asturias
Parties and alliances Votes % ±pp Seats +/− PSOE 250,474 40.48 −5.52 22 −2 PP 242,396 39.18 +6.87 19 +4 IU–BA 68,360 11.05 +2.05 4 +1 URAS 17,552 2.84 −4.30 0 −3 PAS 11,376 1.84 −0.74 0 ±0 LV–IVA 6,561 1.06 +0.52 0 ±0 Others 7,854 1.27 0 ±0 Blank ballots 14,143 2.29 +0.72 Valid votes 618,716 99.29 −0.11 Invalid votes 4,433 0.71 +0.11 Votes cast / turnout 623,149 63.84 +0.22 Registered voters 976,104
Balearic Islands
Parties and alliances Votes % ±pp Seats +/− PP 190,562 44.70 +0.69 29 +1 PSIB–PSOE 104,614 24.54 +2.52 15 +2 PSM–EN 33,920 7.95 −3.77 4 −1 UM 31,781 7.45 +0.14 3 ±0 EU–EV 20,797 4.88 −0.55 2 −1 Pacte+COP 16,811 3.94 −0.91 5 −2 ASI 6,707 1.57 +0.92 0 ±0 AIPF 1,647 0.39 +0.07 1 +1 Others 12,408 2.91 0 ±0 Blank ballots 7,093 1.66 −0.20 Valid votes 426,340 99.35 +0.13 Invalid votes 2,795 0.65 −0.13 Votes cast / turnout 429,135 62.84 +5.34 Registered voters 682,857
Canary Islands
Parties and alliances Votes % ±pp Seats +/− CC 304,413 32.90 −4.36 23 −3 PP 283,186 30.61 +3.48 17 +2 PSOE 235,234 25.42 +1.39 17 −2 FNC 44,703 4.83 +0.02 3 +3 LVC 18,340 1.98 +0.52 0 ±0 IUC 12,128 1.31 −1.43 0 ±0 Others 15,438 1.67 0 ±0 Blank ballots 11,806 1.28 −0.23 Valid votes 925,248 99.44 +0.02 Invalid votes 5,201 0.56 −0.02 Votes cast / turnout 930,449 64.59 +3.79 Registered voters 1,440,576
Cantabria
Parties and alliances Votes % ±pp Seats +/− PP 146,796 42.49 −0.01 18 −1 PSOE 103,608 29.99 −3.09 13 −1 PRC 66,480 19.24 +5.73 8 +2 IUC 12,770 3.70 +0.01 0 ±0 UCn 5,515 1.60 New 0 ±0 Others 3,147 0.91 0 ±0 Blank ballots 7,202 2.08 −0.35 Valid votes 345,518 99.18 −0.03 Invalid votes 2,859 0.82 +0.03 Votes cast / turnout 348,377 73.05 +4.27 Registered voters 476,924
Castile and León
Parties and alliances Votes % ±pp Seats +/− PP 760,510 48.49 −1.96 48 ±0 PSOE 576,769 36.77 +3.71 32 +2 UPL 60,331 3.85 +0.15 2 −1 IUCyL 54,085 3.45 −1.98 0 −1 TC–PNC 18,595 1.19 −0.20 0 −1 Others 62,109 3.96 0 ±0 Blank ballots 36,027 2.30 −0.37 Valid votes 1,568,426 99.14 +0.09 Invalid votes 13,557 0.86 −0.09 Votes cast / turnout 1,581,983 72.66 +5.08 Registered voters 2,177,222
Castilla–La Mancha
Parties and alliances Votes % ±pp Seats +/− PSOE 634,132 57.83 +4.41 29 +3 PP 402,047 36.66 −3.74 18 −3 IU–ICAM 33,413 3.05 −0.36 0 ±0 Others 12,438 1.13 0 ±0 Blank ballots 14,554 1.33 −0.09 Valid votes 1,096,584 99.32 ±0.00 Invalid votes 7,534 0.68 ±0.00 Votes cast / turnout 1,104,118 76.24 +1.39 Registered voters 1,448,289
Extremadura
Parties and alliances Votes % ±pp Seats +/− PSOE–p 341,522 51.66 +2.03 36 +2 PP 255,808 38.70 −1.31 26 −2 IU–SIEx 41,448 6.27 −0.74 3 ±0 EU 12,171 1.84 +0.17 0 ±0 PH 1,082 0.16 New 0 ±0 Blank ballots 9,033 1.37 +0.22 Valid votes 661,064 99.19 −0.19 Invalid votes 5,404 0.81 +0.19 Votes cast / turnout 666,468 75.63 +2.19 Registered voters 881,228
La Rioja
Parties and alliances Votes % ±pp Seats +/− PP 84,533 48.60 −2.66 17 −1 PSOE 66,410 38.18 +2.90 14 +1 PR 11,842 6.81 +1.05 2 ±0 IU 4,729 2.72 −1.19 0 ±0 LV 2,858 1.64 +0.38 0 ±0 MASH 269 0.15 −0.12 0 ±0 Blank ballots 3,308 1.90 −0.36 Valid votes 173,949 99.17 +0.04 Invalid votes 1,452 0.83 −0.04 Votes cast / turnout 175,401 75.10 +6.44 Registered voters 233,553
Madrid
Parties and alliances Votes % ±pp Seats +/− PP 1,429,890 46.67 −4.40 55 ±0 PSOE 1,225,390 39.99 +3.56 47 +8 IUCM 235,428 7.68 −0.01 9 +1 LV 42,322 1.38 +0.69 0 ±0 Others 70,108 2.29 0 ±0 Blank ballots 60,942 1.99 −0.11 Valid votes 3,064,080 99.55 +0.04 Invalid votes 13,972 0.45 −0.04 Votes cast / turnout 3,078,052 69.27 +8.39 Registered voters 4,443,533
Murcia
Parties and alliances Votes % ±pp Seats +/− PP 367,710 56.66 +3.82 28 +2 PSOE 221,392 34.11 −1.80 16 −2 IURM 36,754 5.66 −1.34 1 ±0 LVRM 10,208 1.57 +0.64 0 ±0 Others 3,024 0.47 0 ±0 Blank ballots 9,941 1.53 +0.09 Valid votes 649,029 99.20 −0.10 Invalid votes 5,224 0.80 +0.10 Votes cast / turnout 654,253 69.98 +2.32 Registered voters 934,896
Navarre
Parties and alliances Votes % ±pp Seats +/− UPN 127,460 41.48 +0.11 23 +1 PSN–PSOE 65,003 21.15 +0.87 11 ±0 IUN/NEB 26,962 8.77 +1.89 4 +1 Aralar 24,068 7.83 New 4 +4 CDN 23,516 7.65 +0.79 4 +1 EA–PNV 22,824 7.43 +1.99 4 +1 Batzarre 7,873 2.56 New 0 ±0 EH n/a n/a −15.58 0 −8 Others 2,307 0.75 0 ±0 Blank ballots 7,304 2.38 +0.03 Valid votes 307,317 93.52 −5.65 Invalid votes 21,292 6.48 +5.65 Votes cast / turnout 328,609 70.70 +4.45 Registered voters 464,826
Valencian Community
Parties and alliances Votes % ±pp Seats +/− PP 1,146,780 47.17 −0.71 48 −1 PSPV–PSOE 874,288 35.96 +2.05 35 ±0 Entesa 154,494 6.35 +0.30 6 +1 Bloc–EV 114,011 4.69 +0.16 0 ±0 UV 72,557 2.98 −1.70 0 ±0 Others 31,468 1.29 0 ±0 Blank ballots 37,805 1.55 ±0.00 Valid votes 2,431,403 99.35 −0.06 Invalid votes 15,821 0.65 +0.06 Votes cast / turnout 2,447,224 71.49 +3.68 Registered voters 3,423,098
October (Madrid)
Parties and alliances Votes % ±pp Seats +/− PP 1,346,588 48.48 +1.81 57 +2 PSOE 1,083,205 39.00 −0.99 45 −2 IUCM 236,013 8.50 +0.82 9 ±0 Others 63,383 2.28 0 ±0 Blank ballots 48,433 1.74 −0.25 Valid votes 2,777,622 99.61 +0.06 Invalid votes 10,873 0.39 −0.06 Votes cast / turnout 2,788,495 62.58 −6.69 Registered voters 4,455,706
November (Catalonia)
Parties and alliances Votes % ±pp Seats +/− PSC–CpC 1,031,454 31.16 −6.69 42 −10 CiU 1,024,425 30.94 −6.76 46 −10 ERC 544,324 16.44 +7.77 23 +11 PP 393,499 11.89 +2.38 15 +3 ICV–EA 241,163 7.28 +3.35 9 +6 Others 45,406 1.37 0 ±0 Blank ballots 30,212 0.91 −0.02 Valid votes 3,310,483 99.74 −0.01 Invalid votes 8,793 0.26 +0.01 Votes cast / turnout 3,319,276 62.54 +3.34 Registered voters 5,307,837
Notes
References
Bibliography
External links Central Electoral Commission – Regional elections (in Spanish). Historia Electoral.com – Regional elections since 1980 (in Spanish and Catalan).