Can Foreigners Vote In Argentina? Yes! I Did And Here’s How in 2023
Yes! Foreigners (over 18) can vote in Argentina, as long as they’re permanent residents of Argentina (and have been for 2 years), have a DNI (national ID card) and are on the Padron de Extranjeros (foreigners’ register).
In fact, it’s “mandatory for foreign residents in Argentina”, according to Politics and Human Rights reporter Martina Jaureguy.
I’ve been living in Argentina for over 7 years and visiting for over a decade and I can finally vote even though I’m still only a resident and not a citizen.
Are there some restrictions? Yes of course! I can’t vote for the president in the presidential elections (yet) but I can vote for my local and provincial authorities like the Mayor and governor.
Another exception are foreign citizens who have their address in Formosa – no foreigners are allowed to vote there. But as I’m a resident of the Buenos Aires province, my right to vote as a foreigner is enshrined in article 62 of Buenos Aires’ Constitution!
Article 6 of law 11700 also states that:
“The same provisions will apply to foreign voters as to Argentine citizens”
https://normas.gba.gob.ar/documentos/xAmpLtox.html (translated from Spanish in Google Chrome)
Bring on citizenship so I can vote for the president next time!
Read on for my experience as a foreign resident voting in Argentina.
Table of Contents
How To Vote In Argentina As A Foreigner
Step 1: Become a legal resident
Step 2: Get your DNI (national ID card)
Step 3: Check to see if you’re on the foreigners’ register for the elections
Step 4: On the day, go to the polling station you’ve been assigned to
Step 5: Find the table you’ve been assigned to
Step 6: Line up at the table you’ve been assigned to
Step 7: Hand over your DNI to the Presidente de Mesa (the table’s “president”) for them to check that you’re on the list
Step 8: Once they’ve confirmed you’re on the list, they’ll give you an envelope signed by each of the people at the table
Step 9: Go into the voting booth – this could be a room – mine was a bathroom! My husband’s was a classroom (we voted at different locations)
Step 10: Choose who you want to vote for (if you want to split your vote between parties – i.e the Mayor is from one political party and the Governor is from another, you have to carefully rip or cut the “boleta” (voting paper) according to who you want to vote for
Step 11: fold up your voting paper(s) and put it/them in the envelope
Step 12: leave the booth, go back to your table, the table’s president will check to make sure the envelope you have is the one they gave you (it has their signatures on it)
Step 13: Put your envelope in the ballot box
Step 14: get your DNI and proof of voting “receipt” back from the electoral volunteers and you’re done!
My Personal Experience Voting As A Foreigner In Argentina
Beforehand, I was apprehensive about voting here as the process in Argentina is different to what I’m used to. In New Zealand, you can vote from any voting location you want to.
In Argentina, you have to go to a specific location and even a specific table! It never changes unless you move AND update your address on your DNI. Despite moving many times in her life, my Mother-in-law always voted in the same place until this year.
It was very, very easy for me to vote here in Argentina (in the Buenos Aires province). I just made sure I was on the Foreigners’ Voting Register, grabbed my DNI, and headed to my assigned voting location and table.
Foreigners get their own table to vote at, and luckily for me there was no queue. I headed straight to my table, handed over my DNI, got my envelope, headed to the “voting booth” (a bathroom in my case!). I chose who I wanted to vote for, folded up my “boleta” (voting papers), put it in my envelope and sealed it shut.
Once I left the booth and headed back to my table, the election volunteers asked to see the envelope (to make sure it was the one they’d given me), then I stuck it in the ballot box. Job done!
I feel very happy to be able to participate in elections here (as much as I was able to). I also feel sad that I can’t vote for the president yet. I’ll make sure I can in the next elections, that’s for sure!
Can Foreigners Vote in Argentina?: FAQ
What Is A Boleta?
A boleta is the Argentine voting paper. Every political party has their own one.
Each boleta is divided into sections, with one section per role: Governor and Vice Governor, provincial senators, the Mayor.
If you’re a citizen, there’s also a section for the President.
Each section has the candidate(s) photo and name on it along with other relevant info.
What Is A Presidente De Mesa
A President De Mesa (Table President), is the person in charge of a specific table, where people are assigned to vote.
They make sure you’re eligible to vote. They can’t see who you vote for, but they make sure the envelope they give you is the one you put in the ballot box.
They count up all the votes once the elections close.
It’s a loooog day! My husband did it once and he was there from 7am until 11pm at night.
What Is The Padron De Extranjeros?
The Padron de Extranjeros is a register of foreign voters who are eligible to vote in the Argentine Elections. You plug in your DNI (national ID number), the security code and you’ll instantly be told if you’re registered to vote or not.
You don’t need to register, as since 2021 Buenos Aires started registering foreigners automatically. So as long as you’ve COMPLETED your residency paperwork, you should be on the register.
According to the head of the Buenos Aires’ Electoral Management Institute, Leandro Querido, there are almost 500,000 foreign residents registered in the city of Buenos Aires alone and almost a million in the province of Buenos Aires.
How Do I Find Out If I Can Vote In Argentina?
To find out if you’re eligible to vote in Argentina, go to the Padron de Extranjeros, type in your DNI (national ID number) and the security code you see on the screen and you’ll instantly be told if you’re registered to vote or not.
It will also tell you where you’re registered to vote and what table (you don’t get to choose, it’s based on where you live).
Can I Vote Anywhere In Argentina?
No, you can’t vote anywhere in Argentina. You are assigned a location (usually a school or another type of community center) and a table to vote at. You can’t choose this. It stays the same for your whole life unless you move and update your address on your DN
Can Foreigners Vote In The Argentine Elections? Wrap Up
I hope this summary of voting as a foreigner in Argentina has been helpful for you. If there’s anything else you’d like to know about my experience voting here or if you have any other questions about voting in Argentina as an immigrant (I don’t like the word “expat”), leave me a comment below and I’ll answer you the best I can.
Now I want to hear from you… Did you know foreigners could vote in Argentina? Are you surprised? Does this happen in your country? What do you think about it?