How homeless people can vote

In the election to the Berlin House of Representatives on 20 September, people who are homeless or living in temporary accommodation – and who do not have a permanent residence or registered address – are also eligible to vote. Stephan Bröchler, the State Returning Officer, has drawn attention to this aspect, which is generally little known. However, in order to exercise their right to vote, they must take the initiative themselves.

Register on the electoral roll by August 28

From this Monday (August 17), homeless people have just under two weeks to register on the electoral roll. To do so, they must go to the electoral office of the district where they were staying on the night of August 15 to 16, taking an official form of photo ID with them. According to Bröchler, people will receive assistance on site with filling in the application forms and with any other questions relating to the election. The polling card, which Berliners with a registered address receive automatically by post, can also be issued there. It contains details of the polling station. Finally, postal voting is also available at the electoral office. The deadline for registration on the electoral roll is August 28.

Pankow Electoral Office visits day centre for homeless people

The Pankow Electoral Office is going one step further on Monday. As part of a pilot project, staff will visit a day centre for homeless people to help them register on the electoral roll and, if necessary, to vote. The eligibility criteria for voting are the same for people without a permanent address as for those with a permanent address. They must be German nationals, aged at least 16, and have lived in Berlin for at least three months. For the district council elections, citizens of other EU countries living in Berlin are also eligible to vote.

Call to action: Exercise your right to vote

"We need to mobilise all eligible voters in Berlin to take part in the elections on 20 September 2026," State Returning Officer Bröchler told the German Press Agency. "People who are homeless or living in substandard accommodation are our fellow citizens. Elections are a good opportunity to express this understanding publicly." He, too, will reach out to people and encourage them to exercise their right to vote on 20 September. Plans also include an appeal in a street and homeless people’s newspaper, as well as the release of a video urging people to vote.

Homeless people are often unaware of their right to vote

In Berlin, thousands of people are living on the streets and tens of thousands are staying in shelters for people without their own homes or, for example, temporarily with friends or relatives. According to the Federal Working Group on Assistance for the Homeless, many are unaware that they are entitled to vote or what steps are required to do so. It is precisely policies at state and local level that have a direct impact on their living conditions. “This makes it all the more important that homeless people are also able to cast their votes,” said a spokesperson. It remains to be seen how many eligible voters from this group will actually exercise their right to vote. According to Bröchler, there have been no scientific or empirical studies on this subject to date.