The registry is the list of citizens authorized to vote.
Padrón is a term originating from the Latin patronus that allows you to name a list or payroll . The concept is usually used to refer to the registry in which citizens authorized to participate in elections are registered.
The electoral roll , therefore, can include all citizens who meet the necessary requirements to vote (when voting is mandatory) or those who have registered for this purpose (in cases of optional voting).
Function of the electoral roll
The main function of the electoral roll is to guarantee that each voter casts a single vote, preventing someone from voting more than once and preventing votes from being attributed to those who are not authorized to vote (such as deceased individuals). When the person goes to the polling place with their identity document, the electoral authority will check their registration in the registry and make a mark to record their participation in the elections.
For example: “I still haven't figured out in the registry where I have to vote this year,” “Scandal: they accuse the government of including deceased people in the registry,” “Juan said he was going to get on the registry to vote in the upcoming elections.”
The preparation of the electoral roll is essential before an electoral process.
Registration in Spain
Beyond the electoral sphere, in Spain the municipal register represents a record of each person who lives in a certain municipality , and the act of registering is mandatory according to the laws of the country. The usefulness of this procedure lies in the fact that it accredits the period of permanence on Spanish soil , regardless of the citizenship of the individual who registers. An Italian citizen who moves to Madrid , for example, has as much right to register as someone from Venezuela who simply possesses a foreign identity document; It should be reiterated that both are obliged to do so, preferably as soon as they arrive in the city.
In principle, the requirements are not many or complicated to meet. Regardless of the personal documentation, which can also be a residence card or a foreign passport, it is necessary to certify the address where the processor will remain until further notice. Unless it is an indigent individual, any person with a medium, or even minimal, level of income can rent a home or a room; and both options are valid, as long as the contract is legal . Needless to say, beyond the crisis, many prefer black leasing to avoid paying real estate commissions or to reduce the amount of the advance payment.
The building where the registration must be processed is the local town hall and in the case of small towns or cities, it is rare to encounter long lines or tense atmospheres. On the other hand, you must wait several weeks to receive a letter certifying that the result has been positive. It is important to mention that the usefulness of belonging to a registry is very great, especially for immigrants, since it is a minimum requirement in the case of applying for a residence and employment permit, or a health card or to register a child in the school.
Not everyone arrives to a country with citizenship inherited from their parents or grandparents; Many people work hard to obtain an extension of their visa, with the dream of one day achieving the right to reside permanently. In that case, getting a job and housing following all the rules established by law and registering represent the best way to take the first step towards that reality.
Other meanings of the term register
Padrón is also used in several Latin American countries to name the stallion equine (a male specimen intended for reproduction) or the father who usually acts with indulgence .
Padrón , finally, is a municipality of La Coruña , a province of the autonomous community of Galicia ( Spain ). The 2011 census reveals that its population is close to 9,000 inhabitants.