Many voters in these CCAAs have opted to go to the polls early in the morning to avoid the heat of central hours
MADRID, 23 Jul. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The heat has been felt in the polling stations in the southern, central and eastern provinces of the country – where the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) had already forecast the highest temperatures for this Sunday of the general elections -, so fans, water and fans have accompanied members of the polling station and voters who, for the most part, have opted to go early in the morning to avoid the central hours of the day.
In Madrid, almost at the end of electoral day, at the Doctor Conde de Arruga de Moratalaz College, the president of one of the tables, Pedro, has told Europa Press that they have handled it “well”. “Between the water and the fans, the guy has remained,” he joked.
Benito has also attended this school, who wanted to downplay the high temperatures. “The same as if it were cold. And the children come to school every day. You don’t have to make as much noise as it has been done,” he assured while his wife, Josefa, argued that going to vote “is an obligation that must be done.” “And we comply with it,” he added.
In Castilla-La Mancha, temperatures have reached 39ºC in several points, which has been noted both by members of the polling stations and by voters who have complained about the heat. This is the case of a member of a table from Albacete who has pointed out to Europa Press that in the electoral college where he was there was between 36 and 37ºC. “It is very hot,” he lamented.
Likewise, one of the voters who have come to exercise their right to the Albacete capital has stated that “they do not want to leave home at all” although she has resigned herself to affirm that “it is what it is”. “They should have done them another day,” she has complained. “Very hot, coming here to vote… too much”, declared another voter from Albacete, who did not understand how the members of the months could only be with fans, that another voter regretted that they were “very few”.
Another girl from a table in Albacete has indicated that since shortly before 12:00 p.m. it has been “quite hot” in the institute where she has had to be and it has been stated that there was not “much supply” of fans. “The only thing we have is fresh water”, she has pointed out with resignation.
At the polling stations in Aragon, at the polling stations in the Aragonese capital, the presidents and members have also stated that as the morning progressed it was “warmer.” Precisely, many of the voters entered the schools to the voice of: “How hot it is here!”. In many cases, they have specified that they would spend the rest of the day in the pool to “bear better” the high temperatures of this Sunday.
In La Rioja, the distribution of water and portable air conditioning systems have been the main methods used, although in Logroño, with around 20 to 25ºC at the beginning of the day and a breeze that brought some coolness to the environment, the polling stations have been lively, with many people who wanted to take advantage of the first hours to exercise their right to vote without suffering the extreme temperatures of midday.
In any case, in the capital of La Rioja, the City Council has installed ventilation devices in four sports centers: Madre de Dios, Vélez de Guevara, Madrid-Manila and Las Gaunas, since it has been determined by the technicians and the Central Electoral Board that this is where the worst heat conditions could occur on this day. Water has also been distributed to the members of the tables.
In the case of Calahorra, one of the towns in La Rioja where the highest temperatures could be reached, portable air conditioning systems have also been installed in four pavilions and in the Music School, among other spaces. In addition, the Consistory has distributed refrigerated chambers and fresh water to the members of the polling stations at the different polling stations.
In Andalusia, voters are going to their appointment with the polls with high temperatures and active warnings in the provinces of Seville, Córdoba, Jaén and Granada, where values ??of up to 40ºC are expected. In addition, most have had to take a break on their vacations to escape to their hometowns to exercise their right to vote.
This has been verified in the La Salle school in Seville, which has registered a large influx of voters early in the day, mostly elderly people who have taken advantage of the morning to vote and who have agreed that, “regardless of the heat”, they usually go to vote at that time.
Other voters have exercised their right to vote once the tables have been set up to be able to take advantage of the day at the beach or the pool. “We are going to vote and then we are going to the beach. If you have to come, you come, it is an important moment and it does not matter if it is July 23 or December. You have to vote,” one of these voters told Europa Press.
Another Sevillian has traveled with her family to the Andalusian capital early this morning, interrupting her days off to vote. “We come from the beach, precisely the four of us – the entire family – come from Matalascañas (Huelva) to vote and there is a lot of traffic on the road and a queue here, who believed that people were not going to come to vote and people are coming because these elections have to be voted for,” he stated.
Likewise, this mother of a family has pointed out, in statements to Europa Press, that it is “very hot”, but she has insisted that “you have to vote”. “It is a right that we have and we must exercise it, fan in hand,” added another young woman, while other people used their own ballot papers to combat the rise in mercury while waiting their turn in line to get to the polls.
For his part, a resident of the capital has complained about the high temperatures that some polling stations are enduring despite their exceptional air conditioning, as well as the scarcity of tables to vote “being such a populated district.” “We are enduring the pull and there are many older people,” she lamented.
In the same sense, several members of a polling station have pointed out that they have been lucky to have the fan next to them but “it is a bit hot at this time and there are many people.” “It’s hot because in Seville it always does,” they concluded.
The high temperatures have also been felt in the electoral colleges of Catalonia and, in those that do not have air conditioning, fans, fans and bottles of cold water have helped to get through the day. In Barcelona, ??in addition to the ballots and the ballot boxes, the City Council already announced this week the distribution of up to 18,000 bottles of water -9,000 liters- for members of the tables and fans for voting centers without air conditioning.
THERMAL RELIEF IN THE NORTH OF THE COUNTRY
On the contrary, the situation in the north of the country did not contemplate extraordinary protocols in this regard, as has happened in Galicia, where electoral day has passed between clouds and clearings and, at the end of the day, already for the recount, some precipitation derived from the entry of a front is expected.
Thus, the Galicians who have not chosen to vote by mail, which exceeds 6 percent of the total census, are attending the polling stations with a pleasant temperature that, except in Ourense that will reach 28ºC, will be located at 24ºC on average or even somewhat cooler.
The early risers, even, have had to get hold of a sweatshirt or jacket because the minimums have been around 14ºC in Santiago de Compostela, accompanied by a feeling of freshness.
