The constituency was created as per the [[1977 Political Reform Act|Political Reform Act 1977]] and was first contested in the [[1977 Spanish general election|1977 general election]]. The Act provided for the [[provinces of Spain]] to be established as multi-member districts in the [[Congress of Deputies]],<ref name="PRA77">{{cite act |title=[[1977 Political Reform Act|Ley 1/1977, de 4 de enero, para la Reforma Política]] |type=Law |number=1 |language=es |date=4 January 1977 |url=https://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-1977-165 |access-date=27 December 2016}}</ref> with this regulation being maintained under the [[Spanish Constitution of 1978]]. Additionally, the Constitution requires for any modification of the provincial limits to be approved under an [[Organic Law (Spain)|organic law]], needing an [[absolute majority]] in the [[Cortes Generales]].<ref name="SpaCons">{{cite act |title=[[Spanish Constitution of 1978|Constitución Española]] |language=es |date=29 December 1978 |url=http://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1978-31229&p=20110927 |access-date=27 December 2016}}</ref>
The constituency was created as per the [[1977 Political Reform Act|Political Reform Act 1977]] and was first contested in the [[1977 Spanish general election|1977 general election]]. The Act provided for the [[provinces of Spain]] to be established as multi-member districts in the [[Congress of Deputies]],<ref name="PRA77">{{cite act |title=[[1977 Political Reform Act|Ley 1/1977, de 4 de enero, para la Reforma Política]] |type=Law |number=1 |language=es |date=4 January 1977 |url=https://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-1977-165 |access-date=27 December 2016}}</ref> with this regulation being maintained under the [[Spanish Constitution of 1978]]. Additionally, the Constitution requires for any modification of the provincial limits to be approved under an [[Organic Law (Spain)|organic law]], needing an [[absolute majority]] in the [[Cortes Generales]].<ref name="SpaCons">{{cite act |title=[[Spanish Constitution of 1978|Constitución Española]] |language=es |date=29 December 1978 |url=http://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1978-31229&p=20110927 |access-date=27 December 2016}}</ref>
Voting is on the basis of [[universal suffrage]], which comprises all nationals over eighteen and in full enjoyment of their political rights. The only exception was in 1977, when this was limited to nationals ''over twenty-one'' and in full enjoyment of their political ''and'' civil rights. Amendments to the electoral law in 2011 required for [[Spanish diaspora|Spaniards abroad]] to [[Voter registration|apply for voting]] before being permitted to vote, a system known as "begged" or expat vote ({{lang-es|Voto rogado}}).<ref>{{cite web |last=Reig Pellicer |first=Naiara |date=16 December 2015 |url=http://www.cafebabel.co.uk/politics/article/spanish-elections-begging-for-the-right-to-vote.html |title=Spanish elections: Begging for the right to vote |website=cafebabel.co.uk |access-date=17 July 2017}}</ref> 348 seats are elected using the [[D'Hondt method]] and a [[closed list]] [[proportional representation]], with an [[electoral threshold]] of three percent of valid votes—which includes blank ballots—being applied in each constituency. Each provincial constituency is entitled to an initial minimum of two seats, with the remaining 248 being distributed in proportion to their populations. [[Ceuta]] and [[Melilla]] are allocated the two remaining seats, which are elected using [[plurality voting]].<ref name="SpaCons"/><ref name="SpaELaw77">{{cite act |title=Real Decreto-ley 20/1977, de 18 de marzo, sobre Normas Electorales |type=Royal Decree-Law |number=20 |language=es |date=18 March 1977 |url=https://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-1977-7445 |access-date=14 December 2019}}</ref><ref name="SpaELaw85">{{cite act |title=Ley Orgánica 5/1985, de 19 de junio, del Régimen Electoral General |type=Organic Law |number=5 |language=es |date=19 June 1985 |url=https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1985-11672&tn=1&p=20190625 |access-date=30 January 2020}}</ref> The use of the D'Hondt method may result in a higher effective threshold, depending on the [[district magnitude]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Gallagher |first=Michael |date=30 July 2012 |url=http://www.tcd.ie/Political_Science/staff/michael_gallagher/ElSystems/Docts/effthresh.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170730092518/http://www.tcd.ie/Political_Science/staff/michael_gallagher/ElSystems/Docts/effthresh.php |url-status=dead |archive-date=30 July 2017 |title=Effective threshold in electoral systems |publisher=Trinity College, Dublin |access-date=22 July 2017}}</ref>
Voting is on the basis of [[universal suffrage]], which comprises all nationals over eighteen and in full enjoyment of their political rights. The only exception was in 1977, when this was limited to nationals ''over twenty-one'' and in full enjoyment of their political ''and'' civil rights. Amendments to the electoral law in 2011 required for [[Spanish diaspora|Spaniards abroad]] to [[Voter registration|apply for voting]] before being permitted to vote, a system known as "begged" or expat vote ({{lang-es|Voto rogado}}) which was abolished in 2022.<ref>{{cite web |last=Reig Pellicer |first=Naiara |date=16 December 2015 |url=http://www.cafebabel.co.uk/politics/article/spanish-elections-begging-for-the-right-to-vote.html |title=Spanish elections: Begging for the right to vote |website=cafebabel.co.uk |access-date=17 July 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Araque Conde |first=Pilar |date=8 June 2022 |title=El Congreso acaba con el voto rogado: diez años de trabas burocráticas para los residentes en el extranjero |url=https://www.publico.es/politica/congreso-acaba-voto-rogado-diez-anos-trabas-burocraticas-residentes-extranjero.html |language=es |newspaper=Público |location=Madrid |access-date=31 July 2022}}</ref> 348 seats are elected using the [[D'Hondt method]] and a [[closed list]] [[proportional representation]], with an [[electoral threshold]] of three percent of valid votes—which includes blank ballots—being applied in each constituency. Each provincial constituency is entitled to an initial minimum of two seats, with the remaining 248 being distributed in proportion to their populations. [[Ceuta]] and [[Melilla]] are allocated the two remaining seats, which are elected using [[plurality voting]].<ref name="SpaCons"/><ref name="SpaELaw77">{{cite act |title=Real Decreto-ley 20/1977, de 18 de marzo, sobre Normas Electorales |type=Royal Decree-Law |number=20 |language=es |date=18 March 1977 |url=https://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-1977-7445 |access-date=14 December 2019}}</ref><ref name="SpaELaw85">{{cite act |title=Ley Orgánica 5/1985, de 19 de junio, del Régimen Electoral General |type=Organic Law |number=5 |language=es |date=19 June 1985 |url=https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1985-11672&tn=1&p=20190625 |access-date=30 January 2020}}</ref> The use of the D'Hondt method may result in a higher effective threshold, depending on the [[district magnitude]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Gallagher |first=Michael |date=30 July 2012 |url=http://www.tcd.ie/Political_Science/staff/michael_gallagher/ElSystems/Docts/effthresh.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170730092518/http://www.tcd.ie/Political_Science/staff/michael_gallagher/ElSystems/Docts/effthresh.php |url-status=dead |archive-date=30 July 2017 |title=Effective threshold in electoral systems |publisher=Trinity College, Dublin |access-date=22 July 2017}}</ref>
The electoral law allows for [[Political party|parties]] and [[Political alliance|federations]] registered in the [[Ministry of the Interior (Spain)|interior ministry]], [[Electoral alliance|coalitions]] and [[Grouping of electors (Spain)|groupings of electors]] to present lists of candidates. Parties and federations intending to form a coalition ahead of an election are required to inform the relevant Electoral Commission within ten days of the election call—fifteen before 1985—whereas groupings of electors need to secure the signature of at least one percent of the electorate in the constituencies for which they seek election—one-thousandth of the electorate, with a compulsory minimum of 500 signatures, until 1985—disallowing electors from signing for more than one list of candidates. Also since 2011, parties, federations or coalitions that have not obtained a mandate in either chamber of the Cortes at the preceding election are required to secure the signature of at least 0.1 percent of electors in the aforementioned constituencies.<ref name="SpaELaw77"/><ref name="SpaELaw85"/>
The electoral law allows for [[Political party|parties]] and [[Political alliance|federations]] registered in the [[Ministry of the Interior (Spain)|interior ministry]], [[Electoral alliance|coalitions]] and [[Grouping of electors (Spain)|groupings of electors]] to present lists of candidates. Parties and federations intending to form a coalition ahead of an election are required to inform the relevant Electoral Commission within ten days of the election call—fifteen before 1985—whereas groupings of electors need to secure the signature of at least one percent of the electorate in the constituencies for which they seek election—one-thousandth of the electorate, with a compulsory minimum of 500 signatures, until 1985—disallowing electors from signing for more than one list of candidates. Also since 2011, parties, federations or coalitions that have not obtained a mandate in either chamber of the Cortes at the preceding election are required to secure the signature of at least 0.1 percent of electors in the aforementioned constituencies.<ref name="SpaELaw77"/><ref name="SpaELaw85"/>
Voting is on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprises all nationals over eighteen and in full enjoyment of their political rights. The only exception was in 1977, when this was limited to nationals over twenty-one and in full enjoyment of their political and civil rights. Amendments to the electoral law in 2011 required for Spaniards abroad to apply for voting before being permitted to vote, a system known as "begged" or expat vote (Spanish: Voto rogado) which was abolished in 2022.[4][5] 348 seats are elected using the D'Hondt method and a closed listproportional representation, with an electoral threshold of three percent of valid votes—which includes blank ballots—being applied in each constituency. Each provincial constituency is entitled to an initial minimum of two seats, with the remaining 248 being distributed in proportion to their populations. Ceuta and Melilla are allocated the two remaining seats, which are elected using plurality voting.[3][6][7] The use of the D'Hondt method may result in a higher effective threshold, depending on the district magnitude.[8]
The electoral law allows for parties and federations registered in the interior ministry, coalitions and groupings of electors to present lists of candidates. Parties and federations intending to form a coalition ahead of an election are required to inform the relevant Electoral Commission within ten days of the election call—fifteen before 1985—whereas groupings of electors need to secure the signature of at least one percent of the electorate in the constituencies for which they seek election—one-thousandth of the electorate, with a compulsory minimum of 500 signatures, until 1985—disallowing electors from signing for more than one list of candidates. Also since 2011, parties, federations or coalitions that have not obtained a mandate in either chamber of the Cortes at the preceding election are required to secure the signature of at least 0.1 percent of electors in the aforementioned constituencies.[6][7]