How to vote in Germany

In Germany, the European elections will take place on Sunday 9 June 2024. German and EU citizens can cast their vote, provided they are aged 16 or over and are registered to vote in their home municipality. It is also possible to vote by postal vote or from abroad.

What is the date of the elections?

Sunday 9 June 2024 is the date of the European election in Germany.

How are the Members of European Parliament (MEPs) elected?

Under EU law, all countries must use voting systems that ensure proportional representation, which means that the number of elected members from each party depends on the share of electoral votes obtained by the party. In Germany, members are elected in accordance with the principles of proportional representation based on Land lists of candidates. There may be Land lists of candidates for individual Länder or one list for all Länder. Germany uses closed lists, which does not allow voters to change the order of candidates on the list.

Who is eligible to vote?

In Germany, your are eligigble to vote if you

• have reached the age of 16 (to stand for election, however, the minimum age is still 18);
• hold German or another EU citizenship;
• are resident in Germany and have also resided in the EU for at least three months;
• are entered in the electoral register (for EU citizens)

Where can I vote?

German or EU citizen voting in Germany
You vote at a specific polling station based on your home address. The location of the polling station is indicated on your notification. You can, however, apply for a polling card allowing you to vote by post or to go to another polling station of your administrative district or town (for example, in case your allocated polling station is not accessible).

German citizen voting abroad
You can vote by postal ballot subject to being registered in the electoral register.

Where should I register to vote?

German or EU citizen voting in Germany
If your primary residence in Germany is registered at least 42 days before the election date, you are automatically registered on the voters’ register of your municipality of residence.
Persons entitled to vote who register a new residence after the 42nd day and before the 21st day before the election will only be entered in the voters' register of the new place of residence upon application.
Anyone who is registered to vote must have received an election notification from the municipal authority by the 21st day before the election at the latest. Anyone who has not received an election notification by this date should contact the municipal authority immediately.

German citizen voting from abroad
If you have no registered domicile in Germany, you are not automatically entered into the voters’ register. You have to submit a formal application for entry into the voters’ register before each election. The municipality in charge is the one you were last registered with before moving abroad.

A municipal authority in Berlin (‘Bezirksamt Mitte’) is responsible for German expatriates who have never lived in the domestic territory for a minimum of three months.
Adult Germans permanently living abroad who are not disqualified from voting are entitled to go to the polls if, after reaching the age of 14 (which means from their 14th birthday), they were either resident in Germany for an uninterrupted period of at least three months and this stay dates back not more than 25 years or for other reasons, they have become familiar, personally and directly, with the political situation in Germany and are affected by it. 

You can find more information on Germans living abroad on this page of the website of the Federal Returning Officer.

What documents do I need to bring to the polling station?

Generally, voters can prove that they are entitled to vote at a specific polling station by presenting their voter's notifications there. Nevertheless, you should also have your identity card or passport ready to present it if required. However, the electoral board may ask you to present your identification. If you have forgotten your voter’s notification, you will have to show your identity card.

What support can I have as voter with a disability?

You have the possibility to autonomously exercise your right to vote through accessibility of voting.
There are accessible polling stations; your voter's notification states clearly whether your polling station is one of those. If not, you are entitled to request a voter's notification for a different, adapted station. You may also chose to be accompanied by an assistant.
Blind and visually impaired people can cast their votes by using ballot paper templates.
And last but not least, you can request to participate in the elections by postal vote, meaning you do not have to go to the polling station; you will find the instructions on the voter's notification.

Can I vote by mail?

Yes, you can vote by mail in Germany.
In order to do so, you have to apply to the municipality of your main residence for a polling card. Postal ballot documents will automatically be sent with the polling card. A polling card can be applied for until 18.00 CET on the Friday before election day, at the latest. In exceptional cases it is possible to apply for a polling card to be issued until 15.00 CET on the day of the election, for example if the voter finds it impossible or unreasonably difficult to go to the polling station due to provable sudden illness.

However, you cannot vote online or by proxy in Germany.

Disclaimer!

All information has been sourced from elections.europe.eu. if you would like to learn more, click here.