District Four (Regional Assembly of Murcia constituency)

District Four was one of the five constituencies (Spanish: circunscripciones) represented in the Regional Assembly of Murcia, the regional legislature of the Region of Murcia. The constituency last elected four deputies in 2015. It comprised the municipalities of Caravaca, Cehegín, Calasparra, Moratalla, Bullas, Pliego, Mula, Albudeite and Campos del Río. The electoral system used the D'Hondt method and a closed-list proportional representation, with a minimum threshold of five percent regionally.

District Four
Former Regional Assembly of Murcia Electoral Constituency
Location of the District Four within the Region of Murcia
Province	Murcia
Autonomous community	Region of Murcia
Former constituency
Created	1983
Abolished	2015
Seats	4 (1983–1987) 5 (1987–1991) 4 (1991–2015)

Electoral system

The constituency was created as per the Statute of Autonomy for the Region of Murcia of 1982 and was first contested in the 1983 regional election. The Statute provided for sub-provincial divisions of the Principality's territory to be established as multi-member districts in the Regional Assembly of Murcia, with this regulation being maintained under the 1986 regional electoral law. Each constituency was entitled to an initial minimum of one seat, with the remaining 40 being distributed in proportion to their populations. The exception was the 1983 election, when constituencies were allocated one fixed member and one additional member per each 25,000 inhabitants or fraction greater than 12,500.[1][2]

Voting was on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprised all nationals over eighteen, registered in the Region of Murcia and in full enjoyment of their political rights. Amendments to the electoral law in 2011 required for Murcians abroad to apply for voting before being permitted to vote, a system known as "begged" or expat vote (Spanish: Voto rogado).[3] Seats were elected using the D'Hondt method and a closed list proportional representation, with a threshold of five percent of valid votes—which included blank ballots—being applied regionally. Parties not reaching the threshold were not taken into consideration for seat distribution.[1][2] The use of the D'Hondt method might result in a higher effective threshold, depending on the district magnitude.[4]

The electoral law allowed 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 were required to inform the relevant Electoral Commission within ten days of the election call—fifteen before 1985—whereas groupings of electors needed to secure the signature of at least two percent of the electorate in the constituencies for which they sought 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.[2][5][6]

A 2015 legal amendment saw the abolition of the five constituencies and their replacement by a single multi-member district comprising all the municipalities in the autonomous community. The electoral threshold was also lowered from five to three percent.[7]

Deputies

Deputies 1983–2015
Assembly	Election	Distribution
1st	1983	3 1
2nd	1987	4 1
3rd	1991	3 1
4th	1995	2 2
5th	1999	2 2
6th	2003	2 2
7th	2007	2 2
8th	2011	1 3
9th	2015	2 2

Elections

2015 regional election

Summary of the 24 May 2015 Regional Assembly of Murcia election results in District Four

Parties and coalitions		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)	19,758	38.86	+4.98	2	+1
	People's Party (PP)	17,518	34.46	–18.70	2	–1
	Citizens–Party of the Citizenry (C's)	4,787	9.42	New	0	±0
	We Can (Podemos)	4,211	8.28	New	0	±0
	Winning the Region of Murcia: Plural Left (IU–V–RM–CLI–AS)^1	2,699	5.31	–3.22	0	±0
	Animalist Party Against Mistreatment of Animals (PACMA)	298	0.59	New	0	±0
	Union, Progress and Democracy (UPyD)	245	0.48	–1.69	0	±0
	Citizens of Democratic Centre (CCD)	243	0.48	New	0	±0
	Vox (Vox)	131	0.26	New	0	±0
	Blank Seats (EB)	74	0.15	New	0	±0
	Zero Cuts (Recortes Cero)	58	0.11	New	0	±0
	Centre and Democracy Forum (CyD)	37	0.07	+0.03	0	±0
	Citizens' Democratic Renewal Movement (RED)	24	0.05	New	0	±0
Blank ballots		758	1.49	–0.13
Total		50,841			4	±0
Valid votes		50,841	97.96	–0.69
Invalid votes		1,057	2.04	+0.69
Votes cast / turnout		51,898	70.18	–4.80
Abstentions			29.82	+4.80
Registered voters
Sources[8][9][10]

2011 regional election

Summary of the 22 May 2011 Regional Assembly of Murcia election results in District Four

Parties and coalitions		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	People's Party (PP)	28,638	53.16	+2.57	3	+1
	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)	18,253	33.88	–7.97	1	–1
	United Left–Greens of the Region of Murcia (IU–V–RM)	4,268	7.92	+1.61	0	±0
	Union, Progress and Democracy (UPyD)	1,169	2.17	New	0	±0
	The Greens of the Region of Murcia–Ecolo (LV–Ecolo)	275	0.51	New	0	±0
	Liberal Democratic Centre (CDL)	204	0.38	–0.39	0	±0
	Renewed United Democratic Centre (CDUR)	50	0.09	New	0	±0
	Employment Business Party (PEE)	42	0.08	New	0	±0
	Party for the Regeneration of Democracy in Spain (PRDE)	34	0.06	New	0	±0
	Communist Unification of Spain (UCE)	31	0.06	New	0	±0
	Centre and Democracy Forum (CyD)	22	0.04	New	0	±0
	State Reform of Nostradamus (REN)	19	0.04	New	0	±0
Blank ballots		871	1.62	+0.77
Total		53,876			4	±0
Valid votes		53,876	98.65	–0.62
Invalid votes		736	1.35	+0.62
Votes cast / turnout		54,612	74.98	–2.04
Abstentions			25.02	+2.04
Registered voters
Sources[8][9][11]

2007 regional election

Summary of the 27 May 2007 Regional Assembly of Murcia election results in District Four

Parties and coalitions		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	People's Party (PP)	27,621	50.59	–0.04	2	±0
	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)	22,850	41.85	–0.30	2	±0
	United Left–The Greens of the Region of Murcia (IU–LV–RM)^1	3,169	5.80	–0.28	0	±0
	Liberal Democratic Centre (CDL)	420	0.77	New	0	±0
	Regional Citizens' Coalition (CCR)	76	0.14	New	0	±0
Blank ballots		466	0.85	–0.09
Total		54,602			4	±0
Valid votes		54,602	99.27	–0.01
Invalid votes		400	0.73	+0.01
Votes cast / turnout		55,002	77.02	–0.59
Abstentions			22.98	+0.59
Registered voters
Sources[8][9][12]

2003 regional election

Summary of the 25 May 2003 Regional Assembly of Murcia election results in District Four

Parties and coalitions		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	People's Party (PP)	27,424	50.63	+3.73	2	±0
	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)	22,828	42.15	–2.06	2	±0
	United Left of the Region of Murcia (IURM)	3,037	5.61	–1.41	0	±0
	The Greens (LV)	257	0.47	+0.13	0	±0
	Democratic and Social Centre (CDS)	79	0.15	+0.01	0	±0
	Citizens' Convergence of the South-East (CCSE)	32	0.06	New	0	±0
Blank ballots		507	0.94	+0.02
Total		54,164			4	±0
Valid votes		54,164	99.28	–0.02
Invalid votes		395	0.72	+0.02
Votes cast / turnout		54,559	77.61	+1.31
Abstentions			22.39	–1.31
Registered voters
Sources[8][9][13]

1999 regional election

Summary of the 13 June 1999 Regional Assembly of Murcia election results in District Four

Parties and coalitions		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	People's Party (PP)	24,892	46.90	+3.74	2	±0
	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)	23,466	44.21	–0.18	2	±0
	United Left of the Region of Murcia (IURM)	3,728	7.02	–3.48	0	±0
	Spanish Democratic Party (PADE)	199	0.37	New	0	±0
	The Greens (LV)	182	0.34	New	0	±0
	Centrist Union–Democratic and Social Centre (UC–CDS)	73	0.14	–0.25	0	±0
	Union of the Peoples of Murcia (UPM)	51	0.10	New	0	±0
Blank ballots		487	0.92	+0.05
Total		53,078			4	±0
Valid votes		53,078	99.30	–0.03
Invalid votes		374	0.70	+0.03
Votes cast / turnout		53,452	76.30	–3.87
Abstentions			23.70	+3.87
Registered voters
Sources[8][9][14]

1995 regional election

Summary of the 28 May 1995 Regional Assembly of Murcia election results in District Four

Parties and coalitions		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)	23,367	44.39	–10.96	2	–1
	People's Party (PP)	22,719	43.16	+18.28	2	+1
	United Left–The Greens of the Region of Murcia (IU–LV–RM)^1	5,528	10.50	+2.62	0	±0
	Centrist Union–Democratic and Social Centre (UC–CDS)	204	0.39	–8.84	0	±0
	Spanish Confederation of Independents (CEDI)	156	0.30	New	0	±0
	Regional Murcianist Party (PMR)	112	0.21	New	0	±0
	New Region (NR)	56	0.11	New	0	±0
	Cantonal Party (PCAN)	39	0.07	–1.47	0	±0
Blank ballots		457	0.87	+0.20
Total		52,638			4	±0
Valid votes		52,638	99.33	–0.01
Invalid votes		357	0.67	+0.01
Votes cast / turnout		52,995	80.17	+5.28
Abstentions			19.83	–5.28
Registered voters
Sources[8][9][15]

1991 regional election

Summary of the 26 May 1991 Regional Assembly of Murcia election results in District Four

Parties and coalitions		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)	27,000	55.35	+0.84	3	–1
	People's Party (PP)^1	12,136	24.88	–0.33	1	±0
	Democratic and Social Centre (CDS)	4,505	9.23	–4.24	0	±0
	United Left (IU)	3,629	7.44	+1.52	0	±0
	Regional Electoral Coalition (PCAN–PRM)^2	751	1.54	+1.31	0	±0
	The Greens (LV)	215	0.44	New	0	±0
	The Greens Ecologist–Humanist List (LVLE–H)^3	120	0.25	+0.10	0	±0
	Rainbow (Arcoiris)	100	0.20	New	0	±0
Blank ballots		328	0.67	+0.15
Total		48,784			4	–1
Valid votes		48,784	99.34	–0.01
Invalid votes		322	0.66	+0.01
Votes cast / turnout		49,106	74.89	+0.07
Abstentions			25.11	–0.07
Registered voters
Sources[8][9][16][17]

1987 regional election

Summary of the 10 June 1987 Regional Assembly of Murcia election results in District Four

Parties and coalitions		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)	25,395	54.51	–3.35	4	+1
	People's Alliance (AP)^1	11,745	25.21	–7.25	1	±0
	Democratic and Social Centre (CDS)	6,277	13.47	New	0	±0
	United Left (IU)^2	2,758	5.92	–0.82	0	±0
	Humanist Platform (PH)	71	0.15	New	0	±0
	Murcian Regionalist Party (PRM)	59	0.13	New	0	±0
	Cantonal Party (PCAN)	46	0.10	–0.60	0	±0
Blank ballots		240	0.52	–0.26
Total		46,591			5	+1
Valid votes		46,591	99.35	+0.40
Invalid votes		305	0.65	–0.40
Votes cast / turnout		46,896	74.82	+3.93
Abstentions		15,786	25.18	–3.93
Registered voters		62,682
Sources[18][19]

1983 regional election

Summary of the 8 May 1983 Regional Assembly of Murcia election results in District Four

Parties and coalitions		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)	24,759	57.86	n/a	3	n/a
	People's Coalition (AP–PDP–UL)	13,890	32.46	n/a	1	n/a
	Communist Party of Spain (PCE)	2,884	6.74	n/a	0	n/a
	Liberal Democratic Party (PDL)	623	1.46	n/a	0	n/a
	Cantonal Party (PCAN)	300	0.70	n/a	0	n/a
Blank ballots		334	0.78	n/a
Total		42,790			4	n/a
Valid votes		42,790	98.95	n/a
Invalid votes		455	1.05	n/a
Votes cast / turnout		43,245	70.89	n/a
Abstentions		17,762	29.11	n/a
Registered voters		61,007
Sources[8][20][21]

References

1. "Ley 2/1987, de 24 de febrero, Electoral de la Región de Murcia". Organic Law No. 4 of 9 June 1982. Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 February 2017.
2. "Ley 2/1987, de 24 de febrero, Electoral de la Región de Murcia". Law No. 2 of 24 February 1987. Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 February 2017.
3. Reig Pellicer, Naiara (16 December 2015). "Spanish elections: Begging for the right to vote". cafebabel.co.uk. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
4. Gallagher, Michael (30 July 2012). "Effective threshold in electoral systems". Trinity College, Dublin. Archived from the original on 30 July 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
5. "Real Decreto-ley 20/1977, de 18 de marzo, sobre Normas Electorales". Royal Decree-Law No. 20 of 18 March 1977. Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 December 2019.
6. "Ley Orgánica 5/1985, de 19 de junio, del Régimen Electoral General". Organic Law No. 5 of 19 June 1985. Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 December 2016.
7. "Murcia cambia su ley electoral para pasar a ser una única circunscripción". El País (in Spanish). Cartagena. 23 July 2015. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
8. Sierra Rodríguez, Javier (2015). El Sistema Electoral de la Región de Murcia: Balance y Perspectivas (PDF) (in Spanish). Murcia: Universidad de Murcia. Facultad de Derecho. pp. 319–327. Retrieved 6 December 2019.
9. "Regional Elections. Evolution of Turnout and Votes from the Main Political Parties". econet.carm.es (in Spanish). Regional Statistics Center of Murcia. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
10. "2015 Statistical Yearbook of the Region of Murcia. Volume I" (PDF). econet.carm.es (in Spanish). Regional Statistics Center of Murcia. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
11. "2011 Statistical Yearbook of the Region of Murcia. Volume I" (PDF). econet.carm.es (in Spanish). Regional Statistics Center of Murcia. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
12. "2008 Statistical Yearbook of the Region of Murcia. Volume I" (PDF). econet.carm.es (in Spanish). Regional Statistics Center of Murcia. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
13. "2004 Statistical Yearbook of the Region of Murcia. Volume I" (PDF). econet.carm.es (in Spanish). Regional Statistics Center of Murcia. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
14. "Regional Assembly of Murcia election results, 13 June 1999" (PDF). www.juntaelectoralcentral.es (in Spanish). Electoral Commission of Murcia. 26 July 1999. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
15. "Regional Assembly of Murcia election results, 28 May 1995" (PDF). www.juntaelectoralcentral.es (in Spanish). Electoral Commission of Murcia. 21 November 1995. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
16. "Regional Assembly of Murcia election results, 26 May 1991" (PDF). www.juntaelectoralcentral.es (in Spanish). Electoral Commission of Murcia. 19 October 1991. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
17. "Number 150. Report-declaration of the Regional Assembly of Murcia election of 26 May 1991" (PDF). tcu.es (in Spanish). Court of Auditors. Retrieved 6 December 2019.
18. "Regional Assembly of Murcia election results, 10 June 1987" (PDF). www.juntaelectoralcentral.es (in Spanish). Electoral Commission of Murcia. 27 June 1987. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
19. "Number 75. Audit report on the regularity of electoral accounting derived from the elections held on June 10, 1987" (PDF). tcu.es (in Spanish). Court of Auditors. Retrieved 6 December 2019.
20. "1986 Statistical Yearbook of the Region of Murcia" (PDF). econet.carm.es (in Spanish). Regional Statistics Center of Murcia. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
21. "Regional Assembly of Murcia election results, 8 May 1983" (PDF). www.juntaelectoralcentral.es (in Spanish). Electoral Commission of Murcia. 28 October 1983. Retrieved 30 September 2017.