The Governing Council of Andalusia has approved the decree establishing economic compensation for those participating in the electoral process for the regional elections on May 17, 2026. Citizens serving on electoral boards will receive an allowance of 70 euros, an increase of five euros compared to the previous elections in June 2022.

In the province of Almería, an estimated 2,500 people will be part of the electoral boards, from an electorate of approximately 535,472 voters. In total, 10,400 boards will be established across Andalusia, each comprising a president and two members, selected by lottery from those registered in the electoral census of each section.

To be an electoral board member, one must be of legal age, under 65 years old, and able to read and write. For the presidency, a high school diploma or vocational training equivalent is required, though exceptions are considered. Current legislation emphasizes the mandatory nature of these positions, and unjustified non-attendance or abandonment of duties can lead to prison sentences of between 14 and 30 days or fines ranging from two to ten months.

In addition to financial compensation, electoral board members are entitled to paid leave on election day if it falls on a working day, as well as a five-hour reduction in their working day the following day. They will also be covered by the Social Security system for any incidents arising from their participation.

The designation procedure allows a maximum of three days for notification to selected citizens, who then have seven days to submit appeals to the Zone Electoral Board if they cannot assume the role for a justified reason. The resolution must be issued within five days. The decree also regulates compensation for members of electoral boards, with remuneration ranging from 5,100 euros for the presidency of the Electoral Board of Andalusia to 3,246 euros for members, plus specific amounts for provincial and zone boards, and travel expenses.