BALEARICS GET READY FOR THE BIG VOTE

THE census of non-Spanish European residents in the Balearics has risen by 66 percent since 1999, to a total of 9'648, who form part of the 696'324 people on the islands who have the right to vote in Sunday's European elections. A further 9'571 Balearic residents are registered as living abroad.
The figures were revealed yesterday by central government representative Ramon Socias, who announced details of the security precautions which will be in operation on the day. There will be more than 1'300 police officers (660 Guardia Civils, 492 National Police Officers and 149 members of the Local Police forces) on duty during the voting. Socias thanked the town councils of Palma, Manacor, Ciutadella, Mahon and Ibiza for their collaboration in the operation.
As to the foreign vote, 7'413 foreigners in Majorca, 821 in Minorca, 1'202 in Ibiza and 212 in Formentera will have the right to vote.
They represent 1.3 percent of the total number of people eligible to vote in the islands.
A total of 5'878 Balearic residents requested permission to vote by post and 5'830 have been accepted.
The rejections were based on errors in form or submissions outside the time limit, according to Socias.
Supervising the urns where votes are deposited will be a total of 3'186 persons, while there will be 1'032 representatives of the Administration and 103 workers from the government's information centre. The voting is to elect 54 Spanish members of the European Parliament (which has 732 seats), from 31 lists of different candidates representing mainstream political parities and coalitions. Available at the polling booths will be more than 17 million voting slips in Majorca, 2.2 million in Minorca and 1.9 million in Ibiza and Formentera.
Socias went on to say that there will be 300 polling stations with 861 tables where votes can be deposited in Majorca, 38 booths and 85 tables in Minorca, 38 booths and 110 tables in Ibiza and three booths and six tables in Formentera. Majorcan residents who are sick or have mobility problems, but wish to vote, should contact the government representative's office, Socías said.
The polling booths will be open from 9am to 8pm. Information on participation will be provided at 2.30 and 6pm, and the results in the Balearics will be announced as soon as the scrutiny is completed in Madrid.