Kommunalwahl: Bürgermeisterwahl/Landratswahl

The term of office of the mayor/county council in municipalities with full-time administration is at least seven and at most nine years. It is determined by the main statutes. In municipalities administered on a voluntary basis, the term of office of the honorary mayor corresponds to the election period of the municipal council. The election period is five years. In mayoral elections, Germans and citizens of the Union are entitled to vote and to be elected, provided that they meet the legal requirements for this.

In the municipality in which you are registered with sole residence or with main residence, you are automatically entered in the electoral roll.

All citizens entitled to vote who are registered with the registration office on the 37th day before the election are entered ex officio in the electoral roll and receive an election notification no later than three weeks before election day.

You can inspect the electoral roll from the 20th to the 16th day before the election on weekdays during the general opening hours of your municipality. Persons who are not entered in the electoral roll and who believe they are entitled to vote may apply for entry in the electoral roll until the 23rd day before the election or apply for a ballot paper with absentee ballot documents from the municipality no later than 12 noon on the second day before the election (Friday). In specially regulated exceptional cases, especially in the case of proven sudden illness, you can still apply for a ballot paper until 3 p.m. on election day.

You will need a ballot paper if you wish to vote in a polling place other than the one allocated to you or if you wish to cast your votes by absentee ballot.

If you have misplaced or lost your election notification, you can still vote in the polling room. In this case, however, do not forget to bring your identity card or passport (citizens of the Union their identity card).

You have one vote. Two to four weeks after the main election at the latest, a run-off election will be held if none of the candidates has achieved the majority required by law. Voters who had applied for a ballot for the main election will automatically receive a ballot and absentee ballot documents again for the runoff election.

The municipality informs with the election notification and by public announcement which voting rooms are handicapped accessible (barrier-free). If in doubt, enquire about this in good time.

If you cannot cast your vote alone or cannot read due to your physical impairment, you have the option of having someone you trust help you vote (in the polling room or also for the absentee ballot). In the voting room, you can also ask a member of the election committee for assistance. Blind or visually impaired voters may use a ballot template.

Voting can take place in the polling rooms from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on election day.

On the pages of the State Election Commissioner of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania you will find more information about the local elections. The Federal Agency for Civic Education provides information on various election topics.