- Francisco Martín has chaired the Security Board of coordination of the extraordinary device on the occasion of the electoral day on Sunday
- This is the most extensive device in an election to date, and will ensure the safety of citizens to make the May 28 “a safe election”
The Government delegate to the Community of Madrid, Francisco Martín, today chaired the Security Board of coordination of the extraordinary device on the occasion of the electoral day of May 28, which will be made up of more than 11,300 agents who will work to guarantee citizen security and the exercise of rights and freedoms during the voting day.
Of these, 5110 correspond to the National Police; another 3715 correspond to the Civil Guard; and around 2500 correspond to the Local Police. This figure places Madrid as the second autonomous community in terms of the number of troops deployed, only behind Andalusia. To these must also be added the 422 police deployed in IFEMA Madrid, where the National Data Dissemination Center will be established. These data represent the most extensive device deployed in an election so far.
In addition to staff from the Government Delegation, representatives of the National Police, the Civil Guard, the Community of Madrid, the City Council of the capital and the Madrid Federation of Municipalities and Provinces participated in the meeting.
Francisco Martín has highlighted that, in these elections, there will be 35 more polling stations —up to a total of 1,090—, as a result of the increase of about 100,000 voters in the census, despite the population loss of the Community of Madrid. “More than 10,000 agents will ensure the security of citizens on such an important day for democracy. It will be a safe election and the security forces and bodies will be fully involved so that the day passes normally,” he stressed.
For all these reasons, he wanted to convey to the people of Madrid the message that, next Sunday, they will be able to vote “normally and safely”, and that, from the Government Delegation, he is prepared “to face any eventuality”.
Specific cybersecurity protocol
Francisco Martín stressed that in these local and regional elections, “a specific and special emphasis” has been placed on cybersecurity, with a specific protocol on this matter, coordinated by the Secretary of State for Security.
To this end, an IT Security Operations Center has been established to monitor and manage the security and continuity of all information systems involved in the electoral process.
Secure choices
The government delegate also recalled that the mission of the National Police and the Civil Guard is not only to protect the polling stations, before and during the voting, as well as the headquarters of the electoral boards, but also includes “the escort of the presiding officers in the city of Madrid until they deposit the minutes on their district board; and of all the judges in charge of transferring the minutes to the corresponding electoral board, a fundamental role in the electoral process.” This process is carried out after the closure of schools and is extended practically all morning.
Likewise, during these final days of the campaign, the day of reflection and the day of voting, the surveillance and protection of critical infrastructures, and the devices of the electoral colleges and their surroundings are intensified.
Logistic and coordination challenge
Francisco Martín wanted to remember that on the day of the elections there will be in the Government Delegation “more than one hundred people” to coordinate the more than 4,800 people who will be in the polling stations making possible the celebration of the process, and with the Electoral Boards, and for the communication and resolution of incidents that may arise. “These can be logistical, for example, such as the lack of ballot papers in a school or others that have to do with the constitution of the tables,” he said.
In these cases, and “in close coordination with the electoral boards and the security forces and bodies, a quick response will be given to ensure that all Madrid citizens can exercise their right to vote.”
Postal vote in the Community of Madrid
Finally, he explained that, until May 23, 186,957 requests for postal votes had been processed in the Community of Madrid, 3.8% of the total census, which represents an increase of only 0.5% compared to the elections of 2019.