Voting in Germany: Who Can Vote and How Postal Ballots Work

Germany holds elections at federal, state, local, and European level. Who may vote depends on citizenship and registration. German citizens can vote in all of them. The national minimum is 18; a few states allow 16+ for state and local elections (for example Brandenburg, Berlin, Bremen, Hamburg, and Schleswig-Holstein). Saxony, including Dresden, keeps 18 for state and local votes. EU citizens may vote in local and European Parliament elections if they register. Non-EU residents generally cannot vote, but some cities offer advisory councils for international residents.

You must be registered at an address in Germany to vote there. See Address Registration (Anmeldung) if you are new.

Who can vote

German citizens

• All election types: federal (Bundestagswahl), state (Landtagswahl), local (Kommunalwahl), and European (Europawahl)
• 18+ for federal elections; some states allow 16+ for state and local elections (for example Brandenburg, Berlin, Bremen, Hamburg, and Schleswig-Holstein). Saxony keeps 18 for state and local votes

EU citizens living in Germany

• Local elections and European Parliament elections
• Not federal (Bundestag) or state (Landtag) elections
• Must register to vote; it is not automatic. For European elections, submit the official EU voter registration form to your local Wahlamt (election office). See the Federal Returning Officer’s Union citizens page for details
• For European elections, choose whether to vote in Germany or your home country (one only)

Non-EU residents

• No voting rights in standard elections
• Some cities have an integration advisory council (Integrationsbeirat) with a non-binding role. Check whether your municipality holds elections for it.

How voting works

When and where. Elections are on a Sunday. Polling stations are usually open 08:00 to 18:00. Your polling card (Wahlbenachrichtigung) names your station. Bring it and ID.

Postal voting (Briefwahl). Very common. No excuse needed. Request documents online or at the local election office (Wahlamt) early and return your ballot so it arrives before election day.

Federal ballot (two votes). For the Bundestag you cast:

• First vote (Erststimme): a direct candidate in your constituency
• Second vote (Zweitstimme): a party list

Local rules vary by state; local ballots often let you vote for several offices at once.

Election types and timing

Registration deadlines are usually three to four weeks before election day. Exact dates are set for each election.

The federal president is not on your ballot. Germans do not elect the Bundespräsident directly. A special assembly (Bundesversammlung) of federal and state parliament members chooses them. The role is largely ceremonial; the Chancellor and cabinet govern day to day.

Registering and postal voting

1. Confirm you are registered at your current address (Anmeldung).
2. Check eligibility for the upcoming election on bundeswahlleiter.de.
3. Register to vote if required (especially EU citizens for local or European elections).
4. Request postal voting documents as early as possible if you will not go to the polling station.
5. Use tools such as Wahl-O-Mat to compare party positions (German-language quiz).

Useful links

• Federal Returning Officer (English)