Press release no. 22/17 of 13. September 2017
2017 Bundestag Election: important information for postal voters
WIESBADEN – The Federal Returning Officer recommends postal voters to strictly follow the instructions on the information leaflet they have received together with the postal ballot documents to ensure that the votes cast by post in the election to the 19th Bundestag on 24 September 2017 will be valid.
It is particularly important that the voters should
- insert only the ballot paper into the blue ballot paper envelope and
- seal the blue ballot paper envelope afterwards.
The blue ballot paper envelope has to be put into the red official return envelope together with the polling card, which must bear the date of signing and the voter's personal signature. The voter then has to seal the red official return envelope and send it in good time to the address printed on the envelope. The postal ballot letter must have been received there on 24 September 2017 by 6 p.m.
Postage is free of charge for ballot letters posted within the Federal Republic of Germany. Postal voters in Germany should post their postal ballot letter on the third working day before election day at the latest (Thursday, 21 September 2017) to ensure that it arrives in time. If they post it later, postal voters bear the risk of their postal ballot letter not arriving in time at the election authority, which means that their vote would not be counted in the election.
The postal ballot letter may also be handed in at the address printed on the official return envelope. In that case, the voter also bears the risk of the postal ballot letter not arriving in time.
For further information:
Office of the Federal Returning Officer
Tel: +49 611 75-4863
www.bundeswahlleiter.de/contact