The constituency was created as per the
Political Reform Law and was first contested in the
1977 general election. The Law provided for the
provinces of Spain to be established as multi-member districts in the
Senate, with this regulation being maintained under the
Spanish Constitution of 1978. Additionally, the Constitution requires for any modification of the provincial limits to be approved under an
organic law, needing an
absolute majority in the
Cortes Generales. Voting is on the basis of
universal suffrage, which comprises all nationals over 18 years of age and in full enjoyment of their political rights. The only exception was in 1977, when this was limited to nationals
over 21 years of age and in full enjoyment of their political
and civil rights. Amendments to the electoral law in 2011 required for
Spaniards abroad to
apply for voting before being permitted to vote, a system known as "begged" or expat vote (), which was abolished in 2022. 208 seats are elected using an
open list partial block voting system, with electors voting for individual candidates instead of parties. In constituencies electing four seats, electors can vote for up to three candidates; in those with two or three seats, for up to two candidates; and for one candidate in single-member districts. Each of the 47 peninsular provinces is allocated four seats, whereas for insular provinces, such as the
Balearic and
Canary Islands, districts are the islands themselves, with the larger—
Mallorca,
Gran Canaria and
Tenerife—being allocated three seats each, and the smaller—
Menorca,
Ibiza–
Formentera,
Fuerteventura,
La Gomera and
El Hierro (which comprised a single constituency only for the 1977 election),
Lanzarote and
La Palma—one each.
Ceuta and
Melilla elect two seats each. Until 1985, the law also provided for
by-elections to fill Senate seats vacated up to two years into the legislature. The electoral law allows 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 are required to inform the relevant Electoral Commission within ten days of the election call—fifteen before 1985—whereas groupings of electors need to secure the signature of at least one percent of the electorate in the constituencies for which they seek election—one permille of the electorate, with a compulsory minimum of 500 signatures, until 1985—disallowing electors from signing for more than one list of candidates. Also since 2011, parties, federations or coalitions that have not obtained a mandate in either chamber of the Cortes at the preceding election are required to secure the signature of at least 0.1 percent of electors in the aforementioned constituencies. ==Senators==