Register of voters (municipal elections) - Apply for registration as a returnee
An official electoral roll is kept by the municipality for each electoral district. All citizens who are entitled to vote on election day are entered in this register.
However, people who are entitled to vote as returnees are not automatically entered by the municipality. They must apply to be entered on the electoral roll.
Responsible authority
the town or municipality in which you have your home
If you have more than one home, your main home is decisive.
Details
Prerequisite
You are a returnee if you
- have had your main place of residence in the electoral area for less than three months,
- Have lost your right to vote because you
- have moved away from the electoral area or
- Have moved your main place of residence, and
- return to the electoral area within three years and re-establish your main place of residence.
Electoral area is
- for municipal elections (election to municipal council, local council, mayor): the town or municipality,
- for district elections: the entire district
- for regional elections: the entire area of the Verband Region Stuttgart (city of Stuttgart and the districts of Böblingen, Esslingen, Göppingen, Ludwigsburg and Rems-Murr-Kreis)
Procedure
You can apply for entry in the electoral roll in writing to the relevant office. Applicants who are unable to complete and submit the application themselves, for example due to a disability, can be assisted by another person.
Please note: Some municipalities provide application forms, which can also be downloaded from the Internet, depending on the municipality.
If it is possible to register, you will receive a polling card as soon as possible. You can also apply for a polling card.
If your application is unsuccessful, you will be notified as soon as possible.
Deadlines
You can submit the application up to 21 days before the election at the latest.
Required documents
Proof confirming the following:
- The date of your departure or transfer of your main place of residence from the electoral area and
- Your right to vote at this time
Note: The municipality from which you moved away or from which you moved your main residence to another municipality will provide you with such confirmation free of charge.
If you have returned to the same municipality, you do not usually need confirmation.
Costs
none
Processing time
Your application will be processed as quickly as possible.
Miscellaneous
If you fulfil the requirements as a returnee but only move back to the electoral area after the application deadline (21 days before the election), you can apply for a polling card from the municipality.
Legal basis
Kommunalwahlordnung (KomWO):
- § 3 Absatz 2 und 3 Führung des Wählerverzeichnisses
Release note
machine generated, based on the German release by: Innenministerium Baden-Württemberg, 01.08.2025