Election in Berlin: 18 parties, 2.4 million voters

There is another election in Berlin. On February 23, the capital will hold its fifth election day in three and a half years. What is important for the general election? The most important questions and answers.

How many parties are running?

In Berlin, 18 parties are running with their own state lists. The lists of seven smaller parties such as the Pirate Party, the Ecological Democratic Party (ÖDP) and the conservative Werteunion were not admitted. Among other things, several of these parties had not reached the required number of 2,000 supporting signatures from eligible voters in Berlin.

How many Berliners are allowed to vote?

According to the electoral administration, 2.43 million people are eligible to vote in the federal capital on 23 February - the number may still change slightly before the electoral roll closes. In the 2021 election, including the partial rerun in 2024, there were 2.46 million eligible voters and voter turnout was 69.5 per cent. Berlin's state election director Stephan Bröchler considers a figure of "80 per cent plus x" to be realistic this time.

How many polling stations are there in Berlin?

On election day, 2,200 polling stations will be open from 8.00 am to 6.00 pm. Voters can fill in their ballot paper and drop it into a ballot box at these polling stations. There are also 1,205 postal polling stations where votes cast by post before election day are counted after 6.00 pm.

How many votes do the voters have?

Two. You can give your first vote to a direct candidate in the constituency. There are 299 Bundestag constituencies nationwide, 12 of which are in Berlin. Voters can use their second vote to tick a party's state list. This vote is decisive for the distribution of seats in the Bundestag.

How much time is available for postal voting?

Due to the early Bundestag elections, the period available to postal voters has also been reduced. There are only two weeks instead of the usual six. If the postal voting documents are not returned in time and do not arrive by election day, the vote will not be taken into account. The electoral offices advise against requesting postal voting documents by post or sending them back by post now. Alternatively, you can vote by post at the postal voting centres in the districts. So far, according to the electoral administration, around a third of those entitled to vote have requested postal voting documents.

Are there enough poll workers?

According to their own estimates, the twelve Berlin districts need a total of around 36,600 electoral assistants. According to the state electoral officer, this number was not only reached, but even exceeded. The poll workers receive up to 120 euros in "refreshment money" for their commitment.

When will the results of the Bundestag elections be known?

Forecasts and projections of the parties' nationwide performance will be available from 6.00 pm, but no data for Berlin yet. The provisional results for Berlin should be available at around 01.30 according to the state electoral officer. The question of which direct candidates were elected in the twelve constituencies will be complicated. Following a reform of electoral law, not all candidates who win the first vote in their constituency are automatically elected to the Bundestag, which is limited to 630 deputies.