Roderich Egeler
President of the Federal Statistical Office
Press release June 18, 2009
19 June 2009: 100 days until the Bundestag election
C O R R E C T I O N :
WIESBADEN – Tomorrow, 19 June 2009, is exactly the 100th day before the Bundestag Election. On that occasion, the Federal Returning Officer has compiled some figures relating to the 2009 Bundestag Election, the “Election in Figures”.
Counting the days before the Bundestag Election is of special importance in terms of electoral legislation: for every election there is a schedule precisely specifying for each day the terms and dates determined by law which have to be observed by all concerned. For example, all Germans permanently living abroad who wish to vote in the Bundestag Election have to apply for entry in the voters’ register by the 21st day before the election (6 September 2009). Those wishing to cast their votes by postal ballot may apply for the necessary polling card until the second day before the Bundestag Election (25 September 2009).
For the complete time schedule, further information on the 2009 Bundestag Election and statistics of all former Bundestag elections please refer to the website of the Federal Returning Officer (www.bundeswahlleiter.de).
Election in Figures
1 Federal Returning Officer organises the Bundestag Election in Germany.
2 is the number of constituencies of Bremen, the smallest Land in terms of population figures.
4.2 % of those entitled to vote are 18 to 20 years old.
5 % -hurdle: parties have to obtain at least five per cent of the valid votes cast in all of Germany to win seats in the Bundestag.
16 Land returning officers hold the Bundestag Election in the Länder.
17 – the 17th German Bundestag will be elected on 27 September 2009.
18 h: polling stations close, the counting of the votes begins.
21 Euro of refreshment allowance will be paid to the members of the electoral boards on election day.
27 September 2009 – election day.
48 days before the election, at the latest, that is on 10 August 2009, the Land and district returning officers will announce the admitted Land lists of the parties and the candidates admitted for direct election in the constituencies.
32.3 % of those entitled to vote are 60 years or older.
51.8 % of those entitled to vote in the Bundestag Election are women.
64 is the number of constituencies in the Land with the largest population, Nordrhein-Westfalen.
66 days before the election – by 23 July 2009 – Land lists and district nominations must have been received by the Land and district returning officers.
70 cent will be paid to parties for each valid vote won.
72 days before the election – on 17 July 2009 – the Federal Electoral Committee in Berlin will decide which of the associations that have given notice of their participation have to be recognized as parties for the election.
90 days before the election – by 29 June 2009 – parties which are not represented in the German Bundestag or in a Land parliament by at least five deputies have to notify the Federal Returning Officer of their participation in the election.
299 is the number of constituencies at the Bundestag Election, with direct candidates standing for parliament; 299 district returning officers organise the Bundestag election in the constituencies.
598 is the number of seats in the 17th German Bundestag (excluding excess mandates).
In 1949 the 1st German Bundestag was elected, that was precisely 60 years ago.
Some 10 000
postal ballot districts will be set up for the Bundestag Election.
Some 80 000 polling stations will be open to the voters on 27 September 2009 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
More than 600 000 volunteers will help at the polling stations and with the postal ballot on election day.
3.5 million
first-time voters are entitled to cast their votes in the Bundestag Election.
62.2 million
people are entitled to vote in the 2009 Bundestag Election.
For further information please contact: Karina Schorn,
tel: (+49-611) 75-2317,
e-mail: bundeswahlleiter@destatis.de