Four paid hours to vote on 11/29 in Castilla y León

Employees and personnel serving the public administrations of Castilla y León may have up to four paid free hours within their working schedule to exercise their right to vote next Sunday, November 29. This is established by Order IEM/1175/2026, of November 4, from the Department of Industry, Universities, Employment, and Trade, published in the Official Gazette of Castilla y León no. 216, of November 9, 2026, with reference BOCYL-D-09112026-216-2.

The order implements, at the regional level, Article 13 of Royal Decree 605/1999, of April 16, on the complementary regulation of electoral processes, which requires autonomous communities with labor competencies to adopt the necessary measures so that voters who work on voting day can avail themselves of this leave. The Community exercises this faculty in accordance with Article 76.1 of the Statute of Autonomy of Castilla y León and with the agreement of the Government Delegation in Castilla y León.

The text is issued ahead of the elections to the Congress of Deputies and the Senate to be held on November 29, 2026, called by Royal Decree 806/2026, of October 5. The regulation enters into force the day following its publication in the gazette, that is, November 10, 2026, and bears the signature of the regional minister Juan Carlos Suárez-Quiñones Fernández.

Up to four hours, also for part-time shifts

Article 1 recognizes for those providing services on the day of the elections up to four free hours within their working schedule to vote, without loss of pay. In cases of reduced working hours, the leave is applied with the corresponding proportional reduction.

Article 2 extends this margin to those performing duties far from their habitual residence or in circumstances that hinder voting. In such cases, the four hours serve to personally submit the request for certification proving registration in the census, pursuant to Article 72 of Organic Law 5/1985, of June 19, on the General Electoral Regime, and to send the vote by mail.

Full-day leave for polling stations and proxies

The order also regulates the exemptions for those directly participating in the organization of the vote, in accordance with Articles 28.1 and 78.4 of Organic Law 5/1985:

• President or member of a Polling Station and accredited scrutineers: full-day paid leave on voting day, provided that they do not have their weekly rest day on that date.
• The same groups: a five-hour reduction of their workday on the day immediately following the elections.
• Accredited proxies, according to article 76.4 of Organic Law 5/1985: paid leave during the electoral day, also conditional on it not being their weekly rest day.

Precedent for State personnel

The regional specification comes after the Government Delegation in Castilla y León published a circular on October 20, 2026, in the Official Gazette of Castilla y León no. 203, with equivalent rules for public employees of the General State Administration in the community. That text recognized the same four paid hours and established the service exemption for candidates during the electoral campaign, from November 13 to 27, and was communicated to the Government sub-delegations of Ávila, Burgos, León, Palencia, Salamanca, Segovia, Soria, Valladolid, and Zamora.

With both regulations, the applicable framework in Castilla y León is finalized less than three weeks before the electoral date and covers both private employment and the staff of the regional and state administrations.

The order has a direct effect on companies and organizations operating on November 29, a Sunday on which a large part of the hospitality, health, security, and emergency services activity maintains active shifts. Internal labor agreements and calendars must adapt the schedules to guarantee the leave, and personnel working that day may claim up to four paid hours or the proportional part if they have a reduced workday.

Source: Official Gazette of Castilla y León, no. 216, of November 9, 2026, I. Community of Castilla y León, A. General Provisions, pages 13-14 (official reference: BOCYL-D-09112026-216-2).