Home > 1.3.2.2.1 Voting by proxy > GERMANY - Federal Electoral Regulations
 
 
 
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Section 65
 

Postal Ballot



(1) Anyone voting by postal ballot shall mark the ballot paper personally, put it in the official ballot paper envelope and seal the ballot paper envelope, sign the affidavit regarding the postal ballot printed on the polling card and enter the date of signature, insert the sealed official ballot paper envelope and the signed polling card into the official return envelope, seal the official return envelope, and dispatch the ballot letter via a postal company to the competent authority specified in subsection (2) and designated on the official return envelope in good time. The ballot letter may also be handed in to the authority in question. Once the ballot letter has been received by the competent authority, it may not be returned.


(2) The ballot letters must be received by the Constituency Returning Officer of the constituency for which the polling card is valid. If Electoral Boards are appointed for one or more municipalities within the constituency by virtue of an order pursuant to Section 8 subsection (3) of the Federal Elections Act, the ballot letters must be received by the local authority which has issued the polling cards; if Postal Ballot Boards are appointed for individual districts within a constituency, the ballot letters must be received by the administration of the district in which the municipalities that issued the polling cards are located.


(3) The voter shall mark the ballot paper and put it into the ballot paper envelope without being observed; Section 56 subsection (8) shall apply as appropriate. Section 57 shall apply as appropriate to voting by persons with disabilities. If the voter has had his or her ballot paper marked by a helper, the latter shall affirm that he or she has marked the ballot in accordance with the stated wish of the voter by signing the affidavit regarding the postal ballot; the helper must have completed the sixteenth year of age.


(4) In hospitals, nursing and residential homes for the elderly, nursing homes, conva-lescent homes and sociotherapeutic and penal institutions, as well as collective accommodation, care shall be taken to ensure that the ballot paper can be marked and placed in the ballot paper envelope without being observed. The management of the establishment shall designate a suitable room, have it furnished and equipped and advise the persons eligible to vote of the times at which the room is available for exercise of the postal vote. Section 56 subsection (8) shall apply as appropriate.


(5) The local authority of the municipality shall inform the managements of the establishments within its municipality of the provisions of subsection (4) above not later than the thirteenth day before the election.