Estepona opens town hall on three Saturdays to boost padrón registration

Estepona town hall is making it easier to sign up to the municipal census, the padrón, with extra Saturday opening and no appointment needed. According to SUR in English, the council hopes some 20,000 people who live in the town but are not yet registered will come forward.

Key facts

• Dates: the town hall opens on Saturdays 14, 21 and 28 November.
• Hours: 10am to 2pm, with no appointment required.
• Location: the town hall on Avenida Juan Carlos I.
• Numbers: around 85,000 people are registered, while the council estimates about 20,000 more live in Estepona unregistered.
• Online option: registration can also be completed through the council's electronic portal, estepona.sedelectronica.es.

Closing the gap

The initiative targets the difference between the officially registered population and the number of residents the council estimates, based on their use of municipal services. SUR in English reported that Estepona has around 85,000 people on the padrón (the municipal census), but the council believes about 20,000 more are living in the town without being registered.

The council's stated aim is to raise the number of registered residents and bring the official figures closer to the demographic reality of Estepona.

No appointment needed on weekdays too

The council has also dropped the appointment requirement for administrative procedures on weekdays. Residents can keep using the appointment system, which gives a fixed time, or go straight to the council offices during opening hours and wait their turn.

According to SUR in English, the Saturday sessions are meant to help people who find it hard to visit during the week, and to speed up registration for those already living in the municipality.

Information for foreign residents

At the same time, the town hall is running an information campaign for residents of foreign nationality, both EU citizens and those from outside the EU. It explains the requirements and deadlines for exercising the right to vote, and runs alongside the voter registration campaign.

What to do next

Anyone living in Estepona who is not on the census can go to the town hall on one of the three Saturdays, visit the offices on a weekday without an appointment, or register online via the council's portal. Readers should check the requirements with the town hall directly.