Anyone who is eligible to vote, is registered as a resident in a municipality and is listed in the electoral register, normally receives a voter notification by post in good time before elections. The voter notification is generally sent four to six weeks before the election by the municipalities or, in Berlin, by the district election offices.
The voter notification must be sent to eligible voters no later than the 21st day before the election. The document states which election is taking place and when it will be held. It also indicates the polling station and room where the voter can cast their ballot and whether the location is accessible. Ideally, the voter notification should be kept and brought to the polling station, but it is not mandatory; an official identification document (such as an identity card or passport) is sufficient.
The voter notification also contains an explanation of how to apply for a polling card, which allows a person either to vote by post or at another polling station within their own constituency.
If a voter notification has still not arrived several days after the legally prescribed mailing date, it may mean that the eligible voter is not entered in the electoral register. In that case, the person concerned should contact the municipality or, in Berlin, the responsible district election office. During a legally defined period before the election, it is possible to inspect the electoral register and file an objection if one’s name has been omitted by mistake; in federal elections, this is usually possible from the 20th to the 16th day before the election.
