Register of voters (European elections) - applying for registration of Germans living in Germany

You can only exercise your right to vote if you are entered in the electoral roll.
An official electoral roll is kept for each electoral district.

The basis for entry in the electoral roll is the municipality's population register. If you have your main place of residence in a municipality on the 42nd day before the European elections, i.e. 28 April 2024 , you will automatically be entered on the electoral roll there. The municipality will send you a polling card at least three weeks before election day.

If you have not received a polling card, you should immediately check with your municipality whether you are on the electoral roll. If this is not the case, you can apply to be entered.

If you move or move into a new home after this deadline, you will not automatically be entered in the electoral roll for your new place of residence.
You can apply to be entered in the electoral roll of your new place of residence or you can apply for a polling card from the municipal administration of your old place of residence and cast your vote by post.

Please note: Such an application can also be made by persons without a home who usually reside in Germany.

Prerequisite

You assume that you are entitled to vote in the European elections.

You are entitled to vote if you

  • Are German or German within the meaning of Article 116 paragraph 1 of the Basic Law,
  • are at least 16 years old on election day,
  • are not excluded from the right to vote and
  • have been registered for at least three months
    • have a residence or otherwise habitually reside in Germany
    • have a residence or otherwise habitually reside in the other EU member states.

Responsible department

the new municipality in which you have your home (if you have more than one home, your main home)

Note: For persons without a home, the municipality in which the person submits the application is responsible.

Procedure

Apply for entry in the electoral roll in writing.

Your application must be signed by hand and contain at least the following information:

  • First name and surname
  • Date and place of birth
  • Your exact address
  • The wording "Application for entry in the electoral roll"

The municipality will then check your eligibility to vote. If you appear in person, you will be added to the electoral roll immediately if the check of the requirements is successful.

Please note: Persons who are unable to submit the application themselves can be assisted by another person. This may be necessary, for example, if the applicant cannot read or is physically impaired. The assisting person must then also sign the application.

Deadlines

by 19 May 2024at the latest (21 days before the election)

Required documents

none

Costs

If the application for entry in the electoral roll is sent to the municipality by post, the corresponding postage will be charged.

Miscellaneous

You can inspect the electoral roll from 20 May 2024 to 24 May 2024 (20th to 16th day before the election) during the opening hours of your municipality. Please note that 20 May 2024 (Whit Monday) is not a working day and it is not possible to inspect the electoral roll on this day.

Appeal

If you were not included in the electoral roll, you can lodge an objection within the inspection period, i.e. from 20 May 2024 to 24 May 2024 (20th to 16th day before the election). You can lodge your objection in writing or in person (for recording). You must enclose evidence with your objection that the electoral roll is obviously incorrect.

You will receive the decision on your objection no later than 10 days before the election, i.e. no later than 30 May 2024.

Legal basis

Grundgesetz (GG)

  • Artikel 116 Absatz 1 Grundgesetz (GG) (Deutsche Staatsangehörigkeit)

Bundeswahlgesetz (BWG)

  • § 14 Bundeswahlgesetz (BWG) (Ausübung des Wahlrechts)
  • § 17 Bundeswahlgesetz (BWG) (Wählerverzeichnis und Wahlschein)

Europawahlordnung

  • §§ 14 - 23 Europawahlordnung (EuWO) (Wählerverzeichnis)

Release note

machine generated, based on the German release by: 26.02.2024 Innenministerium Baden-Württemberg