Electoral officer; appointment
Brief description
As honorary members of the electoral and postal ballot boards, electoral assistants are responsible for the proper conduct of elections and votes and for determining and establishing the results.
Description
Without a large number of volunteer electoral assistants, it would not be possible to hold elections and referendums (European, Bundestag, state and local elections, referendums at state level and referendums at local level). Being an electoral volunteer is therefore an honorable task for all citizens who are entitled to vote.
Between 100,000 and 150,000 volunteer electoral assistants are needed for nationwide elections and votes. These are members of the electoral bodies (electoral boards or postal ballot boards), which are formed in the municipalities for each voting district (polling station). Each electoral board or postal ballot board usually consists of five to nine members; there are various functions (chairperson, deputy chairperson, secretary and other assessors).
You have the following tasks:
- Ensure the proper conduct of the election
- Verification of eligibility to vote on the basis of the electoral roll
- Issue of ballot papers
- Note on participation in the electoral roll
- Release of the ballot box for insertion of the ballot paper
- Determination of the election result, which is reported to the municipality
- Preparation of minutes on the conduct of the election and the determination of the election result
The electoral boards must make preparations before the polling stations open at 8:00 am. The polling stations are open until 18:00. This is followed by the count. Depending on the size of the election, this can last until after midnight. In the case of municipal and district elections, the count continues on the Monday after the election if necessary.
The electoral boards and therefore the electoral assistants are appointed by the municipalities. They receive a letter of appointment with information material in good time before the election or vote. Training courses are usually held for election officers, secretaries and their deputies.
Working as an election assistant is a voluntary activity. If there are not enough volunteers, anyone who is eligible to vote can be obliged to take on an honorary electoral office. This can only be refused for good cause.
Important reasons include
- urgent professional or family reasons
- Illness or physical impairment
- another important reason that prevents the person entitled to vote from properly exercising the office.
The decision as to whether an important reason exists is made by the competent electoral authority. The person entitled to vote is obliged to provide evidence for this. Poll workers may be granted a refreshment allowance as compensation for expenses. The amount is determined by the respective municipality.
If you are interested in serving as an electoral officer, please contact your municipality in good time before an election or vote.
Prerequisites
Poll workers must always be eligible to vote in the respective election; as a rule, only those eligible to vote in the respective municipality are appointed as poll workers, even for supra-local (state-wide) elections.
To be eligible to vote, the following requirements must be met:
- Minimum age on election day: 18 years
- for European elections: 16 years
- for European, Bundestag, Landtag and district elections as well as referendums: generally registered for at least 3 months with main residence in the respective electoral area
- in municipal and district elections and referendums: Residence for at least 2 months with the focus of living relations in the electoral district
- in European elections, municipal and district elections: Germans and EU nationals (EU citizens)
- in federal, state and district elections and referendums: German
Legal basis
- Act on the Election of Members of the European Parliament from the Federal Republic of Germany (European Elections Act - EuWG)
- European Electoral Regulations (EuWO)
- Federal Election Act (BWG)
- Federal Electoral Regulations (BWO)
- Law on state elections, petitions for referendums and referendums (State Elections Act - LWG)
- Electoral regulations for state parliament elections, petitions for referendums and referendums (state electoral regulations - LWO)
- Law on the election of district councils (District Election Act - BezWG)
- Act on the Election of Municipal Councillors, Mayors, County Councils and District Councillors (Municipal and District Election Act - GLKrWG)
- Electoral regulations for municipal and district elections (municipal and district electoral regulations - GLKrWO)
- Art. 9 Municipal Code for the Free State of Bavaria (Gemeindeordnung - GO)
Responsibility of the independent municipalities
- Implementation of the Municipal and District Election Act and the Municipal and District Election Regulations (Municipal and District Election Announcement - GLKrWBek) - Announcement of the Bavarian State Ministry of the Interior, for Sport and Integration dated October 24, 2024