2003 Seville municipal election

2003 Seville municipal election

←  1999 25 May 2003 2007  →
All 33 seats in the City Council of Seville 17 seats needed for a majority
Opinion polls
Registered	581,939 0.7%
Turnout	340,726 (58.6%) 2.1 pp
First party Second party Third party   Leader Alfredo Sánchez Monteseirín Jaime Raynaud José Núñez Party PSOE–A PP PA Leader since 27 June 1998 24 September 2002 29 August 1986 Last election 12 seats, 35.4% [a] 13 seats, 35.8% 6 seats, 17.6% Seats won 14 12 4 Seat change 2 1 2 Popular vote 130,958 119,395 41,805 Percentage 38.6% 35.2% 12.3% Swing 3.2 pp 0.6 pp 5.3 pp   Fourth party   Leader Paula Garvín Party IULV–CA Leader since 30 October 2002 Last election 2 seats, 7.8% Seats won 3 Seat change 1 Popular vote 30,443 Percentage 9.0% Swing 1.2 pp
Mayor before election Alfredo Sánchez Monteseirín PSOE Elected mayor Alfredo Sánchez Monteseirín PSOE

A municipal election was held in Seville on Sunday, 25 May 2003, to elect the 7th City Council of the municipality. All 33 seats in the City Council were up for election. It was held concurrently with regional elections in thirteen autonomous communities and local elections all throughout Spain.

Overview

Under the 1978 Constitution, the governance of municipalities in Spain—part of the country's local government system—was centered on the figure of city councils (Spanish : ayuntamientos), local corporations with independent legal personality composed of a mayor, a government council and an elected legislative assembly. ^{[1] [2]} In the case of Seville, the top-tier administrative and governing body was the City Council of Seville. ^[3]

Electoral system

Voting for local assemblies was on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprised all nationals over 18 years of age, registered and residing in the municipality of Seville and in full enjoyment of their political rights (provided that they were not sentenced—by a final court ruling—to deprivation of the right to vote), as well as resident non-national European citizens and those whose country of origin allowed Spanish nationals to vote in their own elections by virtue of a treaty. ^{[2] [4] [5]}

Local councillors were elected using the D'Hondt method and a closed list proportional voting system, with an electoral threshold of five percent of valid votes (which included blank ballots) being applied in each municipality. ^[6] Each municipality constituted a multi-member constituency, entitled a number of seats based on the following scale: ^[7]

Population	Councillors
<250	5
251–1,000	7
1,001–2,000	9
2,001–5,000	11
5,001–10,000	13
10,001–20,000	17
20,001–50,000	21
50,001–100,000	25
>100,001	+1 per each 100,000 inhabitants or fraction +1 if total is an even number

The law did not provide for by-elections to fill vacated seats; instead, any vacancies that occurred after the proclamation of candidates and into the legislative term were to be covered by the successive candidates in the list and, when required, by the designated substitutes. ^[8]

The mayor was indirectly elected by the local assembly. ^[2] A legal clause required candidates to earn the vote of an absolute majority of councillors, or else the candidate of the most-voted party was to be automatically appointed to the post. In the event of a tie, the appointee was to be determined by lot. ^[9]

Election date

The term of city councils in Spain expired four years after the date of their previous election, with election day being fixed for the fourth Sunday of May every four years (as of 2025, this has been the year before a leap year). The election decree was required to be issued no later than the twenty-fifth day prior to the scheduled election date and published on the following day in the Official State Gazette (BOE). ^[10] The previous election was held on 13 June 1999, setting the date for election day on Sunday, 25 May 2003.

Local councils could not be dissolved before the expiry of their term, except in cases of mismanagement that seriously harmed the public interest and implied a breach of constitutional obligations, in which case the Council of Ministers could—optionally—agree to call a by-election. ^[11]

Elections to local councils not bound to the open council system were officially called on 1 April 2003 with the publication of the corresponding decree in the BOE, setting election day for 25 May. ^[12]

Opinion polls

The tables below list opinion polling results in reverse chronological order, showing the most recent first and using the dates when the survey fieldwork was done, as opposed to the date of publication. Where the fieldwork dates are unknown, the date of publication is given instead. The highest percentage figure in each polling survey is displayed with its background shaded in the leading party's colour. If a tie ensues, this is applied to the figures with the highest percentages. The "Lead" column on the right shows the percentage-point difference between the parties with the highest percentages in a poll.

Voting intention estimates

The table below lists weighted voting intention estimates. Refusals are generally excluded from the party vote percentages, while question wording and the treatment of "don't know" responses and those not intending to vote may vary between polling organisations. When available, seat projections determined by the polling organisations are displayed below (or in place of) the percentages in a smaller font; 17 seats were required for an absolute majority in the City Council of Seville.

Color key:

  Exit poll

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size	Turnout				IULV	Lead
2003 municipal election	25 May 2003	—	58.6	35.2 12	38.6 14	12.3 4	9.0 3	3.4
Sigma Dos/Antena 3 [p 1]	25 May 2003	?	?	? 12	? 13	? 5	? 3	?
Ipsos–Eco/RTVE [p 2]	25 May 2003	?	?	? 11/12	? 14/15	–	–	?
Demoscopia/Tele 5 [p 3] [p 4]	25 May 2003	?	?	? 12	? 13	? 5	? 3	?
Opina/El País [p 5] [p 6]	18 May 2003	?	?	35.0 12	38.0 14	14.0 5	7.0 2	3.0
Sigma Dos/El Mundo [p 7]	8–13 May 2003	400	?	31.4 11	41.3 14/15	16.4 5/6	7.5 2	9.9
Vox Pública/El Periódico [p 8] [p 9] [p 10]	9 May 2003	?	?	32.0– 33.0 11/12	35.5– 36.5 12/13	18.5– 19.5 6/7	7.0– 8.0 2	3.5
Ipsos–Eco/ABC [p 11]	28 Apr 2003	?	?	30.4 10/11	33.2 11/12	23.5 8	9.3 2/3	2.8
CIS [p 12] [p 13]	22 Mar–28 Apr 2003	549	60.4	31.4 11	41.7 14	14.8 5	8.9 3	10.3
Opina/CES [p 14]	8–9 Apr 2003	800	55–60	32.0 11	39.0 13/14	? 5/6	? 3	7.0
Idea Consultores/PP [p 15] [p 16]	20–23 Jan 2003	800	?	? 13/14	? 11/12	? 6	? 3	?
PSOE [p 17]	9–15 Dec 2002	813	?	34.0– 36.0 11/12	44.0– 46.0 15	13.0– 14.0 4/5	6.0– 7.0 2	10.0
Ipsos–Eco/ABC [p 18]	3–5 Dec 2002	502	?	32.9 11/12	35.7 12/13	19.5 7	6.8 2	2.8
Demoscopia/PP [p 19] [p 20]	6 Jun 2002	?	?	? 14/15	? 12/13	? 3/4	? 2	?
Opina/CES [p 21] [p 22]	27–29 May 2002	800	?	38.4 13	38.7 14	13.4 4	7.5 2	0.3
Inner Line/PSOE [p 23]	30 Apr–5 May 2002	800	?	35.0	40.0	14.0	8.0	5.0
Metra Seis/PA [p 24]	13–20 Mar 2001	600	?	? 12	? 12	? 7	? 2	Tie
2000 regional election	12 Mar 2000	—	68.4	39.0 (13)	43.3 (15)	7.3 (2)	7.5 (3)	4.3
2000 general election	12 Mar 2000	—	68.4	41.5 (15)	43.2 (15)	4.8 (0)	7.1 (3)	1.7
1999 municipal election	13 Jun 1999	—	56.5	35.8 13	35.2 12	17.6 6	7.8 2	0.6

Voting preferences

The table below lists raw, unweighted voting preferences.

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size				IULV	?	N	Lead
2003 municipal election	25 May 2003	—	20.5	22.5	7.2	5.2	—	41.4	2.0
CIS [p 12]	22 Mar–28 Apr 2003	549	12.8	28.8	3.1	3.5	41.9	7.1	16.0
Idea Consultores/PP [p 16]	20–23 Jan 2003	800	26.2	20.2	5.8	4.9	27.0	–	6.0
Opina/CES [p 21]	27–29 May 2002	800	19.8	24.9	5.4	3.9	33.9	–	5.1
2000 regional election	12 Mar 2000	—	26.5	29.5	4.9	5.1	—	31.6	3.0
2000 general election	12 Mar 2000	—	28.3	29.4	3.3	4.9	—	31.6	1.1
1999 municipal election	13 Jun 1999	—	20.1	19.8	9.9	4.4	—	43.5	0.3

Victory preferences

The table below lists opinion polling on the victory preferences for each party in the event of a municipal election taking place.

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size				IULV	Other/ None	?	Lead
CIS [p 12]	22 Mar–28 Apr 2003	549	16.2	35.3	4.7	4.9	1.5	37.3	19.1
Opina/CES [p 14]	8–9 Apr 2003	800	19.4	34.0	7.5	–	39.1		14.6
Opina/CES [p 21]	27–29 May 2002	800	22.4	27.6	–	–	50.0		5.2

Victory likelihood

The table below lists opinion polling on the perceived likelihood of victory for each party in the event of a municipal election taking place.

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size				IULV	Other/ None	?	Lead
CIS [p 12]	22 Mar–28 Apr 2003	549	6.7	55.6	1.6	0.4	0.2	35.5	48.9
Opina/CES [p 14]	8–9 Apr 2003	800	5.0	67.8	2.4	–	2.5	22.3	62.8

Results

← Summary of the 25 May 2003 City Council of Seville election results →

Parties and alliances		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party of Andalusia (PSOE–A)1	130,958	38.60	+3.21	14	+2
	People's Party (PP)	119,395	35.20	−0.65	12	−1
	Andalusian Party (PA)	41,805	12.32	−5.32	4	−2
	United Left/The Greens–Assembly for Andalusia (IULV–CA)	30,443	8.97	+1.20	3	+1
	The Greens of Andalusia (LVA)2	4,535	1.34	+0.55	0	±0
	Socialist Party of Andalusia–Andalusian Left (PSA–IA)	1,823	0.54	New	0	±0
	Group of Independent Citizens (GCI)	1,056	0.31	New	0	±0
	Independent Spanish Phalanx–Phalanx 2000 (FEI–FE 2000)	309	0.09	+0.05	0	±0
	Humanist Party (PH)	296	0.09	+0.03	0	±0
	Democratic and Social Centre (CDS)	217	0.06	−0.01	0	±0
Blank ballots		8,395	2.47	+0.29
Total		339,232			33	±0
Valid votes		339,232	99.56	+0.07
Invalid votes		1,494	0.44	−0.07
Votes cast / turnout		340,726	58.55	+2.06
Abstentions		241,213	41.45	−2.06
Registered voters		581,939
Sources [13] [14] [15]
Footnotes: 1 Spanish Socialist Workers' Party of Andalusia results are compared to the combined totals of Spanish Socialist Workers' Party of Andalusia and Democratic Party of the New Left–Andalusia in the 1999 election. 2 The Greens of Andalusia results are compared to The Greens–Andalusian Left totals in the 1999 election.

Popular vote

PSOE–A			38.60%
PP			35.20%
PA			12.32%
IULV–CA			8.97%
LVA			1.34%
Others			1.09%
Blank ballots			2.47%

Seats

PSOE–A			42.42%
PP			36.36%
PA			12.12%
IULV–CA			9.09%

Notes

1. Results for PSOE–A (35.2%, 12 seats) and PDNI–A (0.2%, 0 seats) in the 1999 election.

References

Opinion poll sources

1. "El sondeo de Sigma Dos determina una lucha codo a codo entre populares y socialistas en Madrid". ABC (in Spanish). 25 May 2003. Archived from the original on 25 May 2019.
2. "Sondeo a pie de urna de Ipsos Eco Consulting para TVE". ABC (in Spanish). 25 May 2003. Archived from the original on 25 May 2019.
3. "El sondeo de Demoscopia da mayoría al PP en Madrid capital, Valencia y Málaga". ABC (in Spanish). 25 May 2003.
4. "Los sondeos pronostican una importante subida de los partidos de izquierda en toda España". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 25 May 2003.
5. "El Partido Andalucista decidirá la alcaldía de Sevilla". El País (in Spanish). 19 May 2003.
6. "La 'batalla' de Madrid, la más reñida en los comicios del 25-M". El Mundo (in Spanish). 20 May 2003.
7. "Una alianza PP-PSOE podría gobernar las tres capitales de provincia del País Vasco". El Mundo (in Spanish). 17 May 2003.(subscription required)
8. "Sevilla". El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). 9 May 2003.
9. "El PSOE y el PA podrán repetir su pacto en Sevilla". Diario de Córdoba (in Spanish). 9 May 2003.
10. "El PSOE y el PA podrán repetir su pacto en Sevilla". Mediterráneo (in Spanish). 9 May 2003.
11. "El PA se consolida en Sevilla como llave de la gobernabilidad tras el descenso de PSOE y PP". ABC (in Spanish). 28 April 2003.
12. "Preelectoral elecciones municipales 2003. Sevilla (Estudio nº 2503. Marzo-Abril 2003)". CIS (in Spanish). May 2003.
13. "Los candidatos reaccionan con cautela frente a las últimas encuestas antes del 25-M". El País (in Spanish). 19 May 2003.
14. "Un sondeo de la patronal da al PSOE entre uno y dos ediles más en Sevilla que en 1999". El País (in Spanish). 26 April 2003.
15. "Raynaud es el candidato a la Alcaldía mejor valorado por los sevillanos, según una encuesta del PP". ABC (in Spanish). 14 February 2003.
16. "Una encuesta del PP le da hasta tres ediles más que al PSOE en Sevilla". El País (in Spanish). 15 February 2003.
17. "Un sondeo del PSOE para las municipales otorga a los socialistas quince concejales". ABC (in Spanish). 23 January 2003.
18. "El descenso del PP permite al PSOE colocarse como la fuerza más votada en la ciudad". ABC (in Spanish). 20 December 2002.
19. "El PP pregunta en un sondeo por la popularidad de Gómez y Raynaud". El País (in Spanish). 3 May 2002.
20. "El PP opta por Jaime Raynaud como candidato a la Alcaldía de Sevilla". ABC (in Spanish). 6 June 2002.
21. "Un sondeo de la patronal sevillana prevé la victoria del PSOE en las municipales". El País (in Spanish). 15 June 2002.
22. "Una encuesta de la CES suspende al alcalde, pero lo sitúa como ganador de las elecciones". ABC (in Spanish). 15 June 2002.
23. "El desafío de ganar en Sevilla". El País (in Spanish). 13 October 2002.
24. "El 83 por cien de los sevillanos pide una "renovación profunda" del Gobierno municipal y la oposición". ABC (in Spanish). 18 April 2001.

Other

1. Constitution (1978) , art. 140.
2. LBRL (1985) , art. 19.
3. LBRL (1985) , add. prov. 6.
4. Constitution (1978) , art. 13.
5. LOREG (1985) , arts. 2–3 & 176.
6. LOREG (1985) , arts. 163 & 180.
7. LOREG (1985) , art. 179.
8. LOREG (1985) , arts. 46, 48 & 182.
9. LOREG (1985) , art. 196.
10. LOREG (1985) , arts. 42 & 194.
11. LBRL (1985) , art. 61.
12. Real Decreto 374/2003, de 31 de marzo, por el que se convocan elecciones locales y a las Asambleas de Ceuta y Melilla (PDF) (Royal Decree 374/2003). Official State Gazette (in Spanish). 31 March 2003. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
13. Lozano, Carles. "Elecciones municipales en Sevilla (desde 1979)". Historia Electoral.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 November 2025.
14. "Elecciones celebradas. Resultados electorales" (in Spanish). Ministry of the Interior . Retrieved 5 November 2025.
15. "Acuerdo de 20 de junio de 2003, de la Junta Electoral Central, por el que se procede a la publicación del resumen de los resultados de las elecciones locales convocadas por Real Decreto 374/2003, de 31 de marzo, y celebradas el 25 de mayo, según los datos que figuran en las actas de proclamación remitidas por cada una de las Juntas Electorales de Zona" (PDF). Official State Gazette (in Spanish) (158 (Supplement)): 1–700. 3 July 2003. ISSN   0212-033X . Retrieved 6 November 2025.

Bibliography

• Constitución Española (Constitution). Official State Gazette (in Spanish). 29 December 1978 [version as of 28 August 1992]. BOE-A-1978-31229. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
• Ley 7/1985, de 2 de abril, Reguladora de las Bases del Régimen Local (Law 7/1985). Official State Gazette (in Spanish). 2 April 1985 [version as of 11 March 2003]. BOE-A-1985-5392. Retrieved 4 November 2025.
• Ley Orgánica 5/1985, de 19 de junio, del Régimen Electoral General (Organic Law 5/1985). Official State Gazette (in Spanish). 19 June 1985 [version as of 11 March 2003]. BOE-A-1985-11672. Retrieved 4 November 2025.