Election workers; appointment

Without a large number of volunteer election workers, it would not be possible to conduct elections and referendums (European, federal, state, and local elections, as well as state-level referendums and local-level referendums). Serving as an election volunteer is therefore an honorable duty for all citizens eligible to vote.

Statewide elections and referendums require between 100,000 and 150,000 volunteer election workers. These volunteers serve as members of the election bodies (polling boards or absentee ballot boards), which are formed in the municipalities for each voting precinct (polling place). Each election board or absentee ballot board typically consists of five to nine members; there are various roles within these boards (chairperson, vice chairperson, secretary, and other members).

Their duties include:

• Ensuring the proper conduct of the election
• Verifying voter eligibility based on the voter registry
• Distributing ballots
• Recording voter participation in the voter registry
• Unlocking the ballot box so that ballots can be cast
• Determining the election results, which are reported to the municipality
• Preparation of a written record of the conduct of the election and the determination of the election results

Election boards must make preparations before the polling places open at 8:00 a.m. Polling places are open until 6:00 p.m. The vote count follows afterward. Depending on the scope of the election, this may last past midnight; for municipal and county elections, the count will continue on the Monday following the election if necessary.

The election boards—and thus the election workers—are appointed by the municipalities. Well in advance of the election or vote, they receive a letter of appointment along with informational materials. Training sessions are generally held for election chairpersons, secretaries, and their deputies.

Serving as an election worker is a volunteer position. If there are not enough volunteers, anyone who is eligible to vote may be required to serve in an election capacity. This requirement may only be refused for good cause.

Valid reasons include, among others:

• urgent professional or family reasons
• illness or physical disability
• any other compelling reason that prevents the eligible voter from properly performing the duties of the office.

The decision as to whether a valid reason exists is made by the competent election authority. The eligible voter is responsible for providing evidence of such a reason. Election workers may be granted a stipend as compensation for their efforts. The amount is determined by the respective municipality.

Anyone interested in serving as an election official should contact their municipality well in advance of an election or vote.

Election workers must generally be eligible to vote in the respective election; as a rule, even for supra-local (statewide) elections, only those eligible to vote in the respective municipality are appointed as election workers.

To be eligible to vote, the following requirements must be met:

• Minimum age on Election Day: 18 years
• For European elections: 16 years
• For European, federal, state, and district elections, as well as referendums: generally, must have been registered with a primary residence in the respective electoral district for at least 3 months 
• For municipal and county elections, as well as referendums: Must have resided in the electoral district for at least 2 months, with the center of one’s life in that district
• For European, municipal, and county elections: German citizens and EU citizens (citizens of the Union)
• For federal, state, and district elections, as well as referendums: German citizens