Pontevedra (Spanish Congress Electoral District)

Pontevedra
Congress of Deputies Electoral Constituency
Location of Pontevedra within Spain.
Province	Province of Pontevedra
Autonomous community	Galicia
Population	947,374 (2016)
Electorate	901,233 (2016)
Major settlements	Vigo, Pontevedra
Current constituency
Created	1977
Seats	8 (1977–2000) 7 (2004–)

Pontevedra 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%.

It is one of the four electoral districts which correspond to the provinces of Galicia. Vigo is the largest city with an electorate of nearly 250,000 while Pontevedra is the only other municipality with more than 50,000 voters.

Under Article 68 of the Spanish constitution the boundaries must be the same as the province of Pontevedra 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.

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.

Pontevedra returned eight members at every election from 1977 until 2000. For the 2004 election it lost a seat and now elects seven members.

Under Spanish electoral law, all provinces are entitled to a minimum of 2 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 overrepreseent smaller provinces at the expense of larger provinces like Pontevedra. Pontevedra had a ratio of 121,244 voters per deputy in 2004 a figure above the Spanish average of 98,777 voters per deputy.