Referendum; provision of registration lists

If the Bavarian State Ministry of the Interior, Sport and Integration or, if applicable, the Bavarian Constitutional Court approves the application for registration, the referendum must be held within eight to twelve weeks of publication in the State Gazette (Art. 65 Para. 3 LWG).

During this period until the start of the registration period, the municipalities must take the necessary preparatory measures, e.g. set up the electoral registers, publicize the local registration offices and the individual registration times. Official election notifications are not sent to those entitled to vote. It is the responsibility of the petitioners or initiators of the referendum to inform those entitled to vote about their request in detail and to call on them to register. They must obtain the registration lists and send them to the independent municipalities and district administration offices at least two weeks before the start of the registration period. The registration lists must contain the full content of the petition for a referendum (text and justification of the bill) or the motion to recall the Landtag (Section 78, Annex 20 LWO).

The registration period is 14 days. Within this period, the municipalities must have the registration lists ready for the eligible voters to sign. They determine the registration rooms and hours in such a way that every person entitled to vote has sufficient opportunity to participate in the referendum. The state electoral law and state electoral regulations contain minimum requirements that every municipality must observe, including registration opportunities at weekends and in the evening. Registration rooms are usually the town halls. There is no postal voting for referendums. Anyone who is unable to go to a registration room during the entire registration period due to illness or physical disability, or is only able to do so with unreasonable difficulty, can appoint an assistant to register them. Special registration options are to be created for those wishing to register in certain institutions such as retirement homes and hospitals as well as in prisons. Under certain conditions, eligible voters can also register in registration rooms in other municipalities within Bavaria.