Canarian regional election, 1983

Electoral system

The Parliament of the Canary Islands was the devolved, unicameral legislature of the autonomous community of the Canary Islands, having legislative power in regional matters as defined by the Spanish Constitution and the Canarian Statute of Autonomy, as well as the ability to vote confidence in or withdraw it from a President of the Government.^[1] Voting for the Parliament was on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprised all nationals over eighteen, registered in the Canary Islands and in full enjoyment of their political rights.

The 60 members of the Parliament of the Canary Islands were elected using the D'Hondt method and a closed list proportional representation, with a threshold of 20 percent of valid votes—which included blank ballots—being applied in each constituency. Parties not reaching the threshold were not taken into consideration for seat distribution. Alternatively, parties could also enter the seat distribution as long as they reached 3 percent regionally. Seats were allocated to constituencies, corresponding to the islands of El Hierro, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, La Gomera, La Palma, Lanzarote and Tenerife. Each constituency was allocated a fixed number of seats: 3 for El Hierro, 7 for Fuerteventura, 15 for Gran Canaria, 4 for La Gomera, 8 for La Palma, 8 for Lanzarote and 15 for Tenerife.^[1]

The electoral law provided that parties, federations, coalitions and groupings of electors were allowed to present lists of candidates. However, groupings of electors were required to secure the signature of at least 0.1 percent of the electors registered in the constituency for which they sought election—needing to secure, in any case, the signature of 500 electors—. Electors were barred from signing for more than one list of candidates. Concurrently, parties and federations intending to enter in coalition to take part jointly at an election were required to inform the relevant Electoral Commission within fifteen days of the election being called.^[2]

Election date

The Government of Spain, in coordination with the Junta of the Canary Islands, was required to call an election to the Parliament of the Canary Islands within from 1 February to 31 May 1983. In the event of an investiture process failing to elect a regional President within a two-month period from the first ballot, the Parliament was to be automatically dissolved and a snap election called, with elected deputies merely serving out what remained of their four-year terms.^[1]

Overall

Summary of the 8 May 1983 Parliament of the Canary Islands election results →

Parties and coalitions		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)	233,991	41.18	n/a	27	n/a
	People's Coalition (AP–PDP–UL)	163,419	28.76	n/a	17	n/a
	Canarian People's Union–Canarian Assembly (UPC–AC)	46,784	8.23	n/a	2	n/a
	Democratic and Social Centre (CDS)	40,789	7.18	n/a	6	n/a
	Communist Party of the Canaries (PCC)	24,868	4.38	n/a	1	n/a
	Canarian Nationalist Convergence (CNC)	24,376	4.29	n/a	1	n/a
	Party of the Canarian Country (PPC)	7,676	1.35	n/a	0	n/a
	Majorera Assembly (AM)	5,551	0.98	n/a	3	n/a
	Workers' Socialist Party (PST)	3,909	0.69	n/a	0	n/a
	Gomera Group of Independents (AGI)	3,294	0.58	n/a	2	n/a
	Independents from Lanzarote Group (AIL)	2,718	0.48	n/a	0	n/a
	Seven Green Stars (SEV)	2,709	0.48	n/a	0	n/a
	Revolutionary Communist League (LCR)	1,784	0.31	n/a	0	n/a
	Popular Struggle Coalition (CLP)	1,010	0.18	n/a	0	n/a
	Independent Herrenian Group (AHI)	944	0.17	n/a	1	n/a
Blank ballots		4,418	0.78	n/a
Total		568,240			60	n/a
Valid votes		568,240	98.21	n/a
Invalid votes		10,330	1.79	n/a
Votes cast / turnout		578,570	62.51	n/a
Abstentions		347,002	37.49	n/a
Registered voters		925,572
Sources[3][4][5]

Distribution by constituency