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Where and how to vote?
Primary method.
Voters in Austria usually have to vote in a polling station at their principal place of residence.
Alternative methods.
If the voter cannot attend the polling station on polling day, postal voting is possible. It is necessary to register online in advance in order to vote by post. The application form is available online from about eight weeks before an election takes place. The ballot is sent to the voter by post and must then be filled out and returned by post. Another option is to get a ‘voting card’ that allows the voter to vote in any polling station in Austria. It is not possible to vote online or by proxy.
Polling day requirements.
Voters only need to bring their identity card to the polling station to identify themselves. The same requirements apply to both nationals and mobile EU citizens.
Who can vote?
General.
An individual must meet the following requirements to vote in EP elections in Austria :
- hold Austrian citizenship or be a citizen of another EU Member State;
- be at least 16 years of age; and
- not be excluded from voting.
Mobile EU citizens.
EU citizens must have their principal residence located in Austria.
Registration requirements.
Nationals. Austrian citizens who are principally resident in Austria do not need to register in advance, as registration is done automatically by the authorities.
Austrian citizens whose main residence is located abroad are entitled to vote in elections to the European Parliament. They must submit an application to be included in the European Electoral Register. Registration remains valid for ten years and must then be renewed. In addition to registering, it is also necessary to apply for a voting card for voting abroad
Mobile EU citizens. Mobile EU citizens have to carry out a one-time registration to vote in EP elections in Austria for inclusion in the separate European Electoral Register. When submitting a request for registration, EU citizens must provide a formal, signed declaration that they wish to vote for Austrian Members of the European Parliament.
Exclusions.
Austrians and mobile EU citizens can lose their right to vote in Austria if the person has been excluded from voting by a judicial decision following certain types of criminal offences (e.g. treason, electoral fraud, terrorism, etc.) or any premeditated offence leading to a sentence of 5 or more years of imprisonment. Mobile EU citizens