Combining/splitting votes
In Bundestag elections, every person entitled to vote has two votes. The first vote goes to the constituency candidate and the second vote to a party’s Land list. First and second votes are not linked with each other. The voter decides whether he or she votes for the same party’s constituency candidate and Land list.
If a voter casts first and second votes for the constituency candidate and Land list of different parties, the vote is split.
There is only one vote to be cast in European elections.
| Year | Splitting votes in percent |
|---|---|
| 1957 | 6.4 |
| 1961 1 | 4.3 |
| 1965 | 6.5 |
| 1969 | 7.8 |
| 1972 | 8.8 |
| 1976 | 6.0 |
| 1980 | 10.1 |
| 1983 | 10.9 |
| 1987 | 13.7 |
| 1990 | 15.6 |
| 1994 2 | – |
| 1998 2 | – |
| 2002 | 20.5 |
| 2005 | 23.9 |
| 2009 | 26.4 |
| 2013 | 23.0 |
| 2017 | 27.3 |
| 2021 | 24.9 |
1 1961 till 1990 without voters with polling card.
2 The compilation of representative electoral statistics was suspended this year.
Last update: 9 February 2023