HOW TO VOTE in Austria

The European elections take place in Austria on 26 May 2019. Anyone aged 16 or over can cast a vote. It’s also possible to vote by mail or abroad if certain conditions are met.

The elections take place on 26 May 2019 in Austria.

Voters in Austria usually have to vote in a polling station at their principal place of residence. However, they can also cast their vote in a different polling station provided they have a ballot.

In Austria you have to be at least 16 to vote in the European elections.

EU citizens and Austrian citizens living abroad have to register to vote in the European elections in Austria. Austrian citizens on the other hand who are principally resident in Austria don’t need to register in advance, as this is done automatically by the authorities. However, if you have changed your home address recently, we advise you to check with the national election authority whether your registration on the voting lists is correct.

To find out where to register, check out the following websites: https://www.help.gv.at/Portal.Node/hlpd/public/content/32/Seite.320321.html

Bring your ID as they might check it.

Yes, in Austria it’s possible to vote by mail. Get your ballot online here. You will receive it by mail. Fill in your ballot and send it by mail to the competent district elections authority.

No, online voting is not possible in Austria.

This is not possible in Austria.

Yes, you can, but you have to register to vote.

Voters will elect 19 MEPs in 2019, one more than in the 2014 elections. Of the 19 elected, 18 will take their seats after the election, and the remaining one following the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the EU.

In Austria there is just one national constituency, which means people across the country choose from the same list of candidates.

Political parties have to clear at least 4% of the votes in order to be elected to the Parliament. In practice, as there will be 19 Members of the European Parliament from Austria, each political party will need to get at least 5.26% of the votes to secure one seat in Parliament.

Under EU law, all countries must use voting systems that ensure proportional representation, which means that the number of elected members from each party depends on the share of electoral votes obtained by the party.

Austria uses preferential voting, which gives voters the option to indicate their preferences within the party list they choose. Candidates who receive the most preferences are more likely to be elected.

Political parties or individual people who wish to stand for the elections should register with the national election authority 44 days prior to election day. You should be able to find a complete list of all candidates online once the registration period expires.

Voters with disability have the possibility to vote by mail or request a visit from a mobile electoral commission (“special voting authority”). Persons with physical or sensory disabilities, who can not be expected to fill in the ballot without outside help, may be assisted by a person of their choice. Blind and visually impaired people can cast their votes using ballot paper templates.

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