The vice-president of the Catalan government and Minister of Governance and Institutional Relations, Joana Ortega presented a detailed explanation regarding the arrangements to bring about the citizenry participation of November 9^th, allowing the citizens of Catalonia to manifest their opinion on the political future of the country. The vice-president presented the figures on the number of volunteers and polling stations which will be made available for the participation to take place, specifying who would be able to participate and how they would be able to do so.

 

Vice-president Ortega, convinced that there would be a large participation, highlighted the high number of volunteers, which now exceeds the 30,000 mark in terms of registered participants who intend to make the consultation process possible. This is an “example of community spirit and the Catalan people’s will to express themselves". The volunteer application form will remain available until October 27^th  and the tasks of these volunteers will be assigned as of October 30^th.

 

Joana Ortega also noted that 99.9% of the population will not have to move from their local municipality in order to carry out their participation.
 
The Vice-President announced the start of a new informative campaign on how to participate in the citizen’s consultation of November 9^th. Between October 30^th and November 8^th there will be a period aimed to stimulate participatory deliberation and encourage debate with the expression of plurality in possible options.

 

 

 

The main data on the arrangement to carry out citizen’s consultation is as follows:

 

·         1,259 participation locations

·         942 municipalities with participation locations

·         6,434 polling stations

·         30,231 volunteers (data correct as of 10.30 am of October 22^nd), of which 6,210 are civil servants

 

Territorial distribution of locations and polling stations:

 

 

  

 

 

Anyone can participate in the citizen’s participation process of November 9^th 2014 if they are over the age of 16 and have a national identity document (ID) stating their address and town of residence in Catalonia. To participate valid ID must be presented.

 

Catalans living abroad may also participate if they hold a national identity document (DNI or NIE) stating their Catalan residence or if they present their national identity document (DNI or NIE) or a valid Spanish passport jointly with either a registration certificate of the Register of Catalans Living Abroad or a certificate of the Register of Spaniards Living Abroad (PERE - Padrón de Españoles Residentes en el Extranjero) in which Catalonia is stated as their territorial allocation.

 

European Union member state nationals and citizens of the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland wanting to participate on November 9^th must present identification accompanied by a valid passport or a European Union citizen registration certificate which should states their foreign identity number and address of residence in Catalonia. 

 

Citizens of other countries, which have not been mentioned above, wanting to participate must present a valid passport along with a Foreigner ID card (TIE – Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero) stating an address of residence in Catalonia.  

                                                                                                                 

 

Participation will take place on November 9^th, between 09.00 and 20.00, at the location and polling station which will be assigned according to the address of residence and surname. By next Wednesday, October 29^th, you can consult the local citizenry participation committee at www.participa2014.cat, by calling 012 or consulting your local councils.

 

To participate you must enlist on the Participant Register. Registration will become effective moments before participating by signing your name on a numbered list of participants, where the name and number on your national identity document (DNI or NIE) must be indicated.

 

Catalans resident or who find themselves temporarily abroad may participate on November 9^th between 09.00 and 20.00 (local time), at authorized polling stations located abroad. 

 

Catalans living abroad who wish to vote in Catalonia and hold an ID card which does not state their Catalan residency can participate at an authorized polling station in Palau Robert on Paseo de Gracia, 107 (Barcelona).

 

Those who have been called to participate and are not able to do so on November 9^th can submit their contribution at the Generalitat of Catalonia’s territorial delegations Register between the 10^th and the 25^th of November 2014.

 

The procedure to participate requires the presentation of an application certificate at the Participant Register joint with copy of your national identity document (DNI or NIE) along with the filled out ballot in a sealed envelope. The person must enter this information into a second envelope and give it to the Generalitat of Catalonia’s territorial delegation official staff. All of the necessary equipment will be at the disposal of each participant of the mentioned locations.

 

 

The government has planned a participative deliberation period between October 30^th and November 8^th, during which the government will encourage debate and the expression of plurality in the available options within Catalan society.

 

To enable this, a civic network of 241 facilities made up civic centres, entity hotels, centres for the elderly and social welfare offices will be made available to interested organizations, associations and political parties.

 

There will also be 64 cultural facilities, mainly libraries, local archives and museums, which dispose of conference or meeting rooms.

 

In the same way, the Catalan Broadcasting Corporation, in accordance with Article 23.2 of Law 22/2005 of broadcasting in Catalonia, was asked to develop and distribute programs, content and audiovisual services with the objective of creating the necessary conditions for the full effect of fundamental rights of freedom of information and freedom of expression to facilitate the participation of citizens in Catalonia.

 

Local corporations have also been asked to promote the participation of individuals and associations in civic, social, cultural, economic and political areas, whilst fully respecting the principle of pluralism.

You can find more information on the citizenry participation process of November 9^th at www.participa2014.cat.