Before a state election, political parties choose members who will run for seats in the state parliament. These candidates are then placed on the party’s state list.

If a party wins more seats in parliament than it has successful direct candidates, additional candidates enter parliament according to their position on the list. If a member of parliament leaves office before the end of the legislative term, the next person on the list moves up.

The order of candidates on the list is determined during a party convention before the election. To run for office, a person must be at least 18 years old and hold German citizenship. However, people may vote from the age of 16 in Berlin state elections, provided they have had their main residence registered in Berlin for more than three months before the election.

Instead of a statewide list, parties may also submit district lists. In this case, parties send candidates into parliament proportionally to the votes they receive in each district.

With the exception of established parties, parties must also collect supporting signatures in order to register their candidates for the election.