Absentee voting forms can already be requested

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Residents of Berlin can already apply for absentee ballot materials for the election to the House of Representatives and the district councils.

However, they will not be mailed out until August 10, as State Election Commissioner Stephan Bröchler explained in response to a dpa inquiry. "The voter registry must first be compiled." The deadline for this is August 7. Starting on August 10, election notices will be mailed out, along with the necessary documents to those who have already applied for an absentee ballot.

State Election Commissioner expects 45 percent of votes to be cast by mail

The percentage of voters casting ballots by mail has risen significantly over the past ten years, both nationwide and in Berlin. "I expect the percentage to be around 45 percent this time," said Bröchler. "Voting by mail is becoming less of an exception and more of the norm." There is no central Berlin-wide office for applying for a mail-in ballot. Each district is responsible for this. Mail-in ballot materials are issued by the relevant district election office. The addresses can be found on the websites of the district offices. 

Applying for an absentee ballot by mail

According to the State Election Commission, the materials include a voter registration card, the official ballots, a white ballot envelope, a red mail-in ballot envelope and a guide for voting by mail. Election Day is September 20. For the Berlin House of Representatives election, there is now only one ballot for first and second votes - no longer two as in the past. Applications for absentee voting cannot be submitted by phone. However, they can be submitted by mail starting immediately, and as of August 10, they can also be submitted by email or in person at a district absentee voting office.

Voting application on the back of the election notice

The application must include the applicant's last name and first name, date of birth, address in Berlin, and, if necessary, the address to which the documents should be sent if it differs from the Berlin address. Applications submitted by mail must be signed. A mail-in ballot application form is also included on the back of the election notification. The mail-in ballot documents can be requested electronically using a QR code.

Documents must be mailed on time

In general, applications for absentee ballots can be submitted until September 18 (3 p.m.), the Friday before the election. However, it is crucial that the election materials, including the ballots, have actually been received by 6 p.m. on Election Day. Anyone returning the materials by mail should do so no later than September 17, Bröchler said. It is also possible to vote by mail at a local absentee voting center - in that case, there is no uncertainty regarding mail delivery.