Visit by the "flying electoral commission" (mobile electoral board)

General information

The "flying electoral commission", or "mobile electoral board", visits eligible voters upon application directly at the place where they are located . It consists of a chairperson and three assessors. The visit of the "flying electoral commission" takes place on election day.

Please note that there may be different rules for provincial parliamentary elections, municipal council and mayoral elections. Therefore, please get to know about your province in good time on the website of the respective office of the state government.

Requirements

Anyone who is unable to reach the polling station on election day because he/she is

• unable to walk,
• not transportable
• or bedridden

(for reasons of illness, age or other reasons), but still wishes to vote before an electoral board, can apply to be visited by a "flying electoral commission" (mobile electoral board) on election day.

Prisoners - provided that no exclusion from the right to vote was pronounced in the judgement - can also cast their vote before a "flying electoral commission". If a separate electoral district has been set up in their local accommodation area, the vote can be cast in this polling station.

Deadlines

Please note the deadlines for issuing a voting card.

Competent authority

• The municipality, in which the person entitled to vote is entered in the electoral roll 
  • In Vienna: die election offices in the district in which the person entitled to vote is entered in the register of voters

Procedure

In order to be able to cast a vote before the "flying electoral commission", an voting card must be applied for. A visit by the electoral commission must also be requested. Here,

• the premises where the applicant is expecting the visit must be stated precisely (e.g. flat, room in a nursing home or hospital) and
• reasons must be given for requesting a visit by the flying electoral commission (e.g. inability to travel due to illness).

If the requirements for a visit by the "flying electoral commission" are met, it will visit the person entitled to vote on election day. It must ensure that the vote can be cast unobserved.

Costs and fees

A visit of the "flying electoral commission" is free of charge.

Further information

Persons who are unable to walk, cannot be transported or are bedridden for reasons of illness, age or other reasons, as well as prisoners who are not excluded from the right to vote, also have the option of casting their vote by postal voting. However, postal voting is not possible if a person is unable to sign the affidavit on the voting card themselves due to illness or disability. In addition, many eligible voters would like to cast their vote in front of an electoral board and enjoy the social contact with the members of the commission.

People other than the applicant (e.g. relatives) can also use the presence of the "flying electoral commission" and cast their vote if they have a voting card.

Legal basis

• sections 38 paragraph 2, 39 paragraph 1, 73 of the Nationalrats-Wahlordnung 1992 (NRWO)
• section 5a of the Bundespräsidentenwahlgesetz 1971 (BPräsWG)
• section 5 of the Volksabstimmungsgesetz 1972 (VAbstG)
• section 5a of the Volksbefragungsgesetz 1989 (VBefrG)

Link to form

Mobile electoral board – Application for a visit^{German text}