Roderich Egeler
President of the Federal Statistical Office
Press release May 27, 2009
2009 European Election: information for postal voters – file your application now
WIESBADEN – It is a good democratic tradition that voters cast their votes personally at the polling station on election day. The Federal Returning Officer points out that voters may also cast their vote by postal ballot if they apply for it. From the European election on 7 June 2009, voters no longer have to claim an important reason for not being able to go to their polling station on election day. To make sure that the documents are received in time, an application for postal voting should be filed as soon as possible.
Those wishing to cast their votes by postal ballot in the 2009 European Election have to apply to their local municipality in writing or orally for a polling card to be issued. The application may be filed also by telegram, teletype message, fax or e-mail, however not by phone. Those submitting an application for another person have to present a written authorisation. On the back of the notification of the persons eligible to vote, which has already been received by all persons listed in a voters’ register, there is a form for the application for a polling card and postal ballot documents.
You may apply for a polling card and the documents required for postal voting until Friday before the election, that is 5 June 2009, 6 p.m., and in specific exceptional cases (e.g. sudden illness) until election day, 7 June 2009, 3 p.m. Those who personally deliver their application at the electoral office will be given the postal voting documents immediately and may cast their votes there and then.
The completed postal voting documents in the red ballot letter envelope have to be received at the municipality indicated on the envelope by election day, 7 June 2009, 6 p.m. at the latest. Postal ballot letters which arrive later cannot be considered when the votes are counted. To make sure the postal ballot letter is received in time, it should be posted in Germany on the third working day before the election at the latest, that is on Thursday, 4 June 2009. Postal voters may also deliver the postal ballot letter personally to the address indicated on the ballot letter envelope or have it delivered by another person; in such cases, too, the voter bears the risk of the postal ballot letter not arriving in time.
The right to vote must be exercised only personally and secretly also when the vote is cast by by postal ballot. Voters who are illiterate or prevented by a physical handicap from marking the ballot paper, folding it, placing it in the envelope or from posting it themselves may ask another person for help, provided that certain requirements are met which are stated on the polling card and in the leaflet informing about the postal ballot.
For further information on the postal ballot please refer to the information leaflet which comes with the postal ballot documents and to the “Wahl-ABC” (Elections A-Z) under “Briefwahl” (postal ballot) – presently only available in German – on the website of the Federal Returning Officer.
For further information please contact:
Karina Schorn,
tel: (+49-611) 75-2317,
email: bundeswahlleiter@destatis.de