Home > 1.3.2.2 Voting procedures > GERMANY - Federal Electoral Regulations
 
 
 
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Article 53
 

Opening of the Poll

(1) The Electoral Officer shall open the poll by commissioning his or her assistants to carry out their duties impartially and not to disclose any information to which they have become privy in the performance of their official functions.

(2) Prior to voting, the Electoral Officer shall amend the voters' register in accordance with the register, listing any polling cards issued after closure of the register (Article 28 (6), sentence 5) by recording the word "Wahlschein" (polling card) or the letter "W" in the column provided for remarks on voting. He or she shall accordingly amend the certificate of closure of the voters' register in the next column provided, adding written confirmation in the relevant space. If the Electoral Officer subsequently receives notice of the issue of polling cards pursuant to Article 27 (4), sentence 3, he or she shall proceed in accordance with sentences 1 and 2.

(3) Before the beginning of the poll, the Electoral Board shall see for itself that the ballot box is empty. The Electoral Officer shall lock the ballot box. It must not be opened again until the poll has been closed.