How to vote in Poland

The European elections in Poland will be held on 6 to 9 June 2024. Anyone aged 18 or over can cast a vote. It’s also possible to vote abroad if certain conditions are met.

What is the date of the elections?

The European elections in Poland will be held on 6 to 9 June 2024.

How many members are elected?

In 2024 voters will elect 53 Members of the European Parliament in Poland.

How are the members 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. Poland uses preferential voting, which gives voters the option to indicate their preferences within the party list they choose. Candidates who receive the most preferences are more likely to be elected. In these elections the number of seats in individual constituencies are not fixed in advance. The turnout affects the distribution of seats in constituencies. It may happen that no mandate will be granted in a given constituency due to the low turnout.

How are the members 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. Poland uses preferential voting, which gives voters the option to indicate their preferences within the party list they choose. Candidates who receive the most preferences are more likely to be elected. In these elections the number of seats in individual constituencies are not fixed in advance. The turnout affects the distribution of seats in constituencies. It may happen that no mandate will be granted in a given constituency due to the low turnout.

Who is eligible to vote?

In Poland, people who are 18 years old on the day of voting can vote.

Where can I vote?

Polish citizen voting in Poland
Voters in Poland vote in district electoral commissions at their place of permanent residence. You are entered into the electoral register ex officio based on your place of permanent residence. However, if your address has recently changed, you should check with the relevant municipal office whether you have been added to the voter register. On the basis of the voter register, a list of voters is prepared, i.e. a list of people who have the right to vote at a given district electoral commission. If you want to vote outside your place of residence, you have two options: you can download a certificate of voting rights - the application is submitted to the office of the commune where you are included in the voter roll no later than the 3rd day before election day. You can submit your application in writing, by fax or electronically. With such a certificate, you can vote in any voting district in the country. You can also submit a written request to be added to the voter roll in the commune where you will be staying on election day. The application must be submitted to the municipal office no later than the 3rd day before election day.

EU-citizen voting in Poland
Every EU citizen who fulfils certain conditions has the right to vote in European Parliament elections in all European Union countries. In Poland, non-Polish EU citizens permanently residing in the area of the commune are entered on the register of voters, part B. Non-Polish EU citizens must be registered in the register of voters at the municipality of where they live. The regulations do not indicate the date by which the request for entry in the register of voters must be submitted. However, you have to take into account that the mayor has three days to process the application. Based on the register of voters, an electoral roll is created. EU citizens who are not Polish citizens (the same as Polish citizens) may vote at a chosen polling station provided that they submit a request in writing for entry on the electoral roll. The written request have to be made to the municipality no later than three days prior to the election.

Polish citizen voting from abroad
If you are on the electoral register and live in another EU country (the so-called host country), you can: vote for candidates standing for election in Poland or take part in elections in the host country and vote for candidates standing for election in that country. You can only vote once in European elections. A voter staying in another EU country, holding a valid Polish passport or identity card (or an EU citizen who is not a Polish citizen but holds a valid passport or other document confirming identity) may vote for candidates running in the elections in Poland if they entered in the register of electors drawn up by the territorially competent consul. The entry is made on the basis of a personal application submitted orally, in writing, by telephone, telegraph, telefax or in electronic form (in Polish). The application should contain: surname and first name(s), father's name, date of birth, PESEL identification number, indication of the voter's place of residence abroad, number of a valid Polish passport or identity card as well as the place and date of its issue (in the case of European Union citizens who are not Polish citizens - number of another valid identity document as well as the place and date of its issue), place of entry of the voter into the register of electors (in the case of Polish citizens temporarily residing abroad). The application can be made no later than on the 3rd day before election day. List of Polish posts abroad can be found on the website of Ministry of Foreign Affairs (in Polish). For detailed information on how to take part in elections in the host country and how to vote for candidates running in that country, see the webpage of "Your Europe" regarding your right to vote.

Polish citizens residing abroad can vote if there is a district created in this sense. The condition is the existence of at least 15 voters in the area of the district and if it is possible to communicate the results of the vote to the competent electoral commission immediately after its completion. Information on the establishment of voting districts abroad is provided by the consuls at the latest on the 21st day before election day. A voter staying abroad, holding a valid Polish passport (or a non-Polish citizen of the European Union holding a valid passport or other identity document) may vote in elections to the European Parliament in Poland if they entered in the register of electors drawn up by the territorially competent consul. The entry is made on the basis of a personal application submitted orally, in writing, by telephone, telegraph, telefax or electronically. The application should contain: surname and first name(s), father's name, date of birth, PESEL identification number, indication of the voter's place of residence abroad, number of a valid Polish passport, as well as the place and date of its issue (in the case of European Union citizens who are not Polish citizens - number of another valid identity document, as well as the place and date of its issue) the place of entry of the voter in the electoral register (in the case of Polish citizens temporarily residing abroad). The application can be made at the latest on the 3rd day before election day.

Where should I register to vote?

Polish citizen voting in Poland
If you intend to vote at the district electoral commission of your permanent residence, you do not have to register your intention to vote in the elections. If you want to be added to the roll of voters in a given commune, you must report to the office of the commune where you want to vote, you can also download a certificate of voting rights and take it to the electoral commission of your choice.

EU-citizen voting in Poland
Non-Polish EU citizens must be registered in the register of voters at the municipality of where they live. The regulations do not indicate the date by which the request for entry in the register of voters must be submitted. However, you have to take into account that the mayor has three days to process the application. Based on the register of voters, an electoral roll is created. EU citizens who are not Polish citizens (the same as Polish citizens) may vote at a chosen polling station provided that they submit a request in writing for entry on the electoral roll. The written request have to be made to the municipality no later than three days prior to the election.

Polish citizen voting from abroad
The entry into the register of electors is made on the basis of a personal application submitted orally, in writing, by telephone, telegraph, telefax or in electronic form (in Polish). The application should contain: surname and first name(s), father's name, date of birth, PESEL identification number, indication of the voter's place of residence abroad, number of a valid Polish passport or identity card as well as the place and date of its issue (in the case of European Union citizens who are not Polish citizens - number of another valid identity document as well as the place and date of its issue), place of entry of the voter into the register of electors (in the case of Polish citizens temporarily residing abroad). 

What is the deadline for registering to vote?

Polish citizen voting in Poland
You do not need to register your intention to vote before the elections if you want to vote at your place of residence, because this is done automatically by the municipal office. You can check at the commune office at any time whether you are on a given voter register. You can check at the commune office whether you have been included in the voter roll, and if not, you can submit an application to be added no later than the 5th day before election day.

EU-citizen voting in Poland
Non-Polish EU citizens must be registered in the register of voters at the municipality of where they live. The regulations do not indicate the date by which the request for entry in the register of voters must be submitted. However, you have to take into account that the mayor has three days to process the application. Based on the register of voters, an electoral roll is created. EU citizens who are not Polish citizens (the same as Polish citizens) may vote at a chosen polling station provided that they submit a request in writing for entry on the electoral roll. The written request have to be made to the municipality no later than three days prior to the election.

Polish citizen voting from abroad
The application can be made no later than on the 3rd day before election day.

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

Members of the electoral commission are required to check your identity, hence you have to bring your ID card or passport with you.

What support can I have as voter with a disability?

People with disabilities willing to vote in the European elections in Poland have two additional forms of voting: postal voting and proxy voting. A voter with disabilities has the right to obtain full information in their commune about the location of the nearest polling stations adapted to their needs. The polling station should be specially prepared for the needs of individuals with disabilities. Election announcements and results must be placed in locations easily accessible to individuals with reduced mobility. At the request of a voter with disabilities, a member of a polling station shall be obliged to pass the content of specific electoral announcements orally. In addition, a voter with disabilities may vote by using overlays for voting cards made in Braille.

Where can I find easy-to-read information about the elections?

You may find easy-to-read information about elections on the easy-to-read page of this webpage.

Can I vote by mail?

Postal voting is only available to voters with confirmed significant or moderate degrees of disability (this right applies only to people voting in permanent district electoral commissions in Poland). The voter's intention to vote by correspondence must be communicated to the electoral commissioner no later than the 15th day before election day. The notification may be made orally, in writing, by fax, or electronically. The application should include: surname and first name(s), father's name, date of birth, PESEL registration number of the voter with disabilities, a statement on the voter's entry in the register of voters in a given commune, designation of the elections to which the application relates, indication of the address to which the electoral package is to be sent. The application must be accompanied by a copy of the current decision of the competent authority determining the degree of disability. In the application, a voter with disabilities may request that a ballot overlay prepared in Braille be attached to the electoral package. A voter who has declared their intention to vote by correspondence receives an electoral package no later than 7 days before election day. After completing the ballot, the voter places it in the ballot envelope, seals it, and then puts the envelope in the return envelope, together with the signed declaration of voting in person and in secret received in the electoral package, and sends it to the appropriate district commission.

Can I vote online?

No, online voting in the European elections is not possible in Poland.

Can I vote by proxy?

Voting by proxy is possible for voters with a confirmed severe or moderate disability and for voters who are 60 years of age or older on the voting day at the latest. A proxy may only be a person who is entered in the register of electors in the same municipality as the person granting the proxy to vote or who has a certificate of entitlement to vote. The power of attorney to vote is granted before the mayor (mayor, city president) or before another employee of the municipality office authorised by the mayor (mayor, city president) to draw up acts of proxy to vote. The instrument of proxy to vote is drawn up at the request of the voter submitted to the mayor (mayor, city president) of the municipality where the voter is entered in the register of electors, at the latest on the 9th day before election day. The application should contain: surname and forename(s), father's name, date of birth, PESEL registration number, address of residence of both the voter and the person to whom voting proxy is to be granted a clear designation of the election to which the voting proxy relates.

Disclaimer!!

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