Information for citizens of other EU members states on the conditions for voting in the European Parliamentary Elections in the Czech Republic
The European Parliamentary Elections in the Czech Republic are governed by Act No. 62/2003 Coll., on the European Parliamentary Elections and on the amendment of selected other acts, as amended (hereinafter referred to as the "Act").
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Members of EU member states casting their vote in the European Parliamentary Elections in the Czech Republic will vote for candidates registered in the CR. |
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When do the European Parliamentary Elections take place in the Czech Republic?
(Section 3 of the Act)
The European Parliamentary Elections take place in the Czech Republic:
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on Friday, 24 May 2019 from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m., and
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on Saturday, 25 May 2019 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Under what conditions may citizens of other EU member states vote in the elections in the Czech Republic?
(Section 5 of the Act)
Citizens of other EU member states have the right to vote in the European Parliamentary Elections in the Czech Republic provided they:
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have reached the age of 18 no later than 25 May 2019,
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have been registered as a permanent or temporary resident for at least 45 days in the Czech Republic on the second polling day (i.e. at least since 10 April 2019),
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have the legal capacity to exercise their right to vote and their personal freedom has not been curtailed for reasons of protecting public health, and
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are registered on the electoral roll for the European Parliamentary Elections kept by the local authorities at their place of residence.
What is the electoral roll for the European Parliamentary Elections and how does a citizen of another EU member state become registered on such an electoral roll?
(Section 27, 28 and 29 of the Act)
Electoral rolls for the European Parliamentary Elections are kept by local authorities (in administratively-divided statutory towns and cities by the municipal district office). A citizen of another EU member state can be registered on the electoral roll provided he/she:
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had already applied to register prior to the previous European Parliamentary Elections and has not since then requested to be removed from the electoral roll and continues to fulfil the conditions necessary to exercise the right to vote - see point A,
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is included in the appendix to the permanent electoral roll for the purposes of municipal elections and has applied to the local authorities at his/her place of permanent residence for his/her data to be transferred from the appendix to the permanent electoral roll for the municipal elections to the electoral roll for the European Parliamentary Elections - see point B below,
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applies to be registered in the electoral roll - see point C below.
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Citizens of other EU member states who voted in the European Parliamentary Elections in the Czech Republic in the past
Provided that a voter has not requested that he/she be removed from the electoral roll for the European Parliamentary Elections at the municipal office and continues to fulfil the requirements for eligibility to vote, he/she is automatically listed on the electoral roll. Such voters are not required to take any further action. The municipal office already has all the necessary data from the application submitted prior to the previous elections (these voters are encouraged to verify that they are registered with the local authorities at their place of residence).
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Citizens of other EU member states who voted in the municipal elections
Such voters are registered on the appendix to the permanent electoral roll and will merely request that their data be transferred from that electoral roll to the electoral roll for the European Parliamentary Elections. These voters will therefore be required to submit an application to transfer their data from the appendix to the permanent electoral roll to the electoral roll for the European Parliamentary Elections at the municipal office at their place of residence (tick the second window on the application form). This application form must be submitted not later than 40 days prior to polling day, i.e. no later than 14 April 2019 at 4 p.m.
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Citizens of other EU member states who have never voted in the Czech Republic neither in the European Parliamentary Elections nor in the municipal elections
Such voters must express their will to vote in the European Parliamentary Elections in the Czech Republic by submitting an application form for registration to the electoral roll for the European Parliamentary Elections to the municipal office of the administrative district of which he/she is a resident (tick the first box on the application form). This application form must be submitted not later than 40 days prior to polling day, i.e. no later than 14 April 2019 at 4 p.m.
How to apply and what to attach to the application form?
(Section 29 of the Act)
Downloadable specimen:
Applications under paragraphs B) and C) must be submitted in person. Upon filing the application, voters must provide proof of identify with a valid identity card. The applicant’s municipal office will inform the applicant on the outcome of their application no later than 9 May 2019.
The application in accordance with paragraphs B) and C) above shall include an affidavit in which the applicant states his/her:
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citizenship,
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place of residence in the Czech Republic,
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the address of the electoral district in which he/she been registered as voters for the European Parliamentary Elections thus far (i.e. the electoral district in which he/she voted in the previous European Parliamentary Elections), and
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a declaration that he/she will vote in the European Parliamentary Elections solely in the Czech Republic.
Where do you cast your vote?
(Section 36 of the Act)
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Voters will cast their vote at a polling station located in the municipality at whose municipal office they are registered on the electoral roll. If there is more than one electoral district in the given municipality, the voter will vote at the polling station to which he/she is assigned in accordance with his/her place of residence. The mayor of the municipality will publish information regarding which areas of the municipality fall under the individual electoral districts in the place customary for such information (typically on the official notice board of the municipality) no later than 9 May 2019. The mayor will also publish the addresses of the polling stations.
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In the case of serious, primarily health-related reasons, a voter may request the district election committee to facilitate him/her to vote outside the premises of the polling station on one of the election days. The district election committee is permitted to deploy its members with a portable ballot box within the electoral district only. Upon request, the district election committee will send two of its members to visit the voter with a portable ballot box, an official envelope, and ballot papers. During voting, the members of the district election committee will proceed in such a way as to maintain the secrecy of the vote.
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A voter may cast his/her vote at any polling station in the Czech Republic, but he/she must, in addition to presenting proof of identity and nationality, present his/her voter ID card (see below) to the district election committee at the polling station.
How to get a voter ID card?
(Section 30 of the Act)
A voter who cannot or does not intend to vote in his/her electoral district may apply for a voter ID card. A voter ID card holder may cast his/her vote in any electoral district in the Czech Republic. The voter ID card is issued by the local authorities at the place of residence of the voter (i.e. where the voter is registered on the electoral roll).
Voters may apply for a voter ID card from the date on which the election is announced as follows:
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In person, no later than 22 May 2019 at 4 p.m. or
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In writing so that the application is delivered to the local authorities no later than 17 May 2019 at 4 p.m. The written application must bear the applicant’s signature, which must be notarized, or must be sent in electronic form via a data box (an email is not sufficient).
The local authorities will give the voter ID card to the voter not before 9 May 2019, either in person or to a person who identifies him/herself by presenting a power of attorney bearing a notarized signature of the voter who submitted the application. Alternatively, voter ID cards can also be posted to the applicant.
What do you do when you enter the polling station?
(Section 36 of the Act)
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For information on the terms and conditions of voting (in all EU languages) visit here. |
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Voting ballots will be received by all voters at their address no later than 21 May 2019. Voting ballots can also be requested at the polling station. Voters are required to vote in person, voting by proxy is not permissible.
Voters must provide proof of identity and citizenship upon entering the polling station. Citizens of other EU member states will do so, for instance, by presenting his/her permanent residence permit, passport, ID card, or temporary residences permit together with an ID card.
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If a voter fails to prove his/her identity and citizenship, he/she will not be permitted to vote.
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If a voter holds a voter ID card, he/she is obliged to hand it over to the district election committee.
Voters will receive an empty official envelope bearing an official stamp from the district election committee. Upon request, the district election committee will also present the voter with a set of ballots.
The district election committee will not permit voters who are not listed on the electoral roll for the European Parliamentary Elections to vote. This does not apply if the voter has a voter ID card or if he/she presents proof of their removal from the electoral roll for the reason of a change in his/her place of permanent residence and demonstrates his/her right to vote in the electoral district.
How do you cast your vote?
(Section 37 of the Act)
Having received the official envelope and the ballot papers, the voter enters the polling booth designated for marking the ballots. In the polling booth, the voter selects the ballot for the candidate for whom he/she wants to vote.
The voter can select up two candidates from the ballot and give them his/her preferential vote. This is done by circling the number of the respective candidate. Should a voter circle more than two candidates, no preferential votes will be assigned. Other modifications to the ballot do not have an impact on the counting of votes.
The voter then places the ballot into the official envelope. Voters should be careful not to accidentally place more than one ballot into the official envelope (e.g. ballots may stick together). In such cases, the vote would be rendered invalid.
Voters cast their vote by leaving the polling booth and placing the official envelope containing their selected ballot paper into the ballot box in front of the district election committee.
Voters who are unable to select or mark their ballot paper themselves for reasons of physical disability or voters who are illiterate may be accompanied in the polling booth by another voter, but not by a member of the district election committee. The other voter may mark the ballot paper on their behalf and place it in the official envelope and, if necessary, place the official envelope in the ballot box.