Electoral system The
Parliament of Cantabria was the
devolved,
unicameral legislature of the
autonomous community of
Cantabria, having legislative power in regional matters as defined by the
Spanish Constitution and the
Cantabrian Statute of Autonomy, as well as the ability to vote confidence in or withdraw it from a
President of the Autonomous Community. Voting for the Parliament was on the basis of
universal suffrage, which comprised all nationals over 18 years of age, registered in Cantabria and in full enjoyment of their political rights. Additionally,
Cantabrians abroad were required to
apply for voting before being permitted to vote, a system known as "begged" or expat vote (). The 35 members of the Parliament of Cantabria were elected using the
D'Hondt method and a
closed list proportional representation, with an
electoral threshold of five percent of valid votes—which included blank ballots—being applied regionally. 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 1 percent of the electors registered in Cantabria. 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 ten days of the election being called.
Election date The term of the Parliament of Cantabria expired four years after the date of its previous election. Elections to the Parliament were fixed for the fourth Sunday of May every four years. The
previous election was held on 22 May 2011, setting the election date for the Parliament on 24 May 2015. The President of the Autonomous Community had the prerogative to dissolve the Parliament of Cantabria and call a
snap election, provided that no
motion of no confidence was in process, no nationwide election was due and some time requirements were met: namely, that dissolution did not occur either during the first
legislative session or within the legislature's last year ahead of its scheduled expiry, nor before one year had elapsed since a previous dissolution. 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 fresh election called. Any snap election held as a result of these circumstances would not alter the period to the next ordinary election, with elected lawmakers serving the remainder of its original four-year term. ==Opinion polls==