Information on registration law for the Bundestag election

For the Bundestag election on 23.02.2025, the following legal principles must be observed for registration processes (registration, deregistration or re-registration):

1. Pursuant to Section 16 (1) of the Federal Electoral Regulations (BWO), all eligible voters who are registered with the registration authority on the 42nd day before the election (cut-off date: 12.01.2025) must be entered in the electoral register ex officio
   • for an apartment,
   • on the basis of an employment, employment or training contract as a captain or crew member for a seagoing vessel authorized to fly the federal flag (Section 12 (4) No. 1 of the Federal Elections Act),
   • for an inland waterway vessel that is registered in a shipping register in the Federal Republic of Germany (Section 12 (4) No. 2 of the Federal Elections Act),
   • for a correctional institution or the corresponding facility (Section 12 (4) No. 3 of the Federal Election Act).
2. If a person entitled to vote who is entered in the voters' register pursuant to section 16 paragraph 3 of the Federal Electoral Code moves to a new place of residence and registers with the registration authority of the new place of residence before the period for inspecting the voters' register begins (section 17 paragraph 1 sentence 2 of the Federal Elections Act), he or she will be entered in the voters' register of the electoral district of the new place of residence only upon request. A person entitled to vote who is entered in the voters' register pursuant to paragraph 1 and who registers within the same municipality for an apartment located in the same electoral district remains entered in the voters' register of the electoral district for which he or she was registered on the cut-off date. The person entitled to vote must be informed of the provisions in sentences 1 and 2 when registering.
3. Paragraph 3 sentences 1 and 3 apply accordingly to eligible voters who are not registered for an apartment on the cut-off date and register for an apartment with the registration authority before the start of the inspection period (start of inspection period: 03.02.2025) for the electoral roll, Section 16 (4) BWO.
4. If, pursuant to Section 16 (5) BWO, an eligible voter who is entered in the voters' register pursuant to paragraph 1 moves into another residence in another municipality which becomes his/her main residence, or if he/she moves his/her main residence to another municipality, paragraph 3 shall apply accordingly if he/she registers with the registration authority before the start of the inspection period for the voters' register.
5. In accordance with Section 18 (1) BWO, the application for entry in the voters' register must be submitted in writing to the responsible municipal authority by the 21st day(02.02.2025) before the election at the latest. It must contain the surname, first names, date of birth and exact address of the person entitled to vote. Collective applications are permitted, with the exception of the cases in paragraphs 4 and 5; they must be signed personally and by hand by all eligible voters listed. An eligible voter with disabilities may be assisted by another person; Section 57 applies accordingly.

The application documents for entry in the electoral roll can be obtained from the electoral office of the Idar-Oberstein municipal administration, Georg-Maus-Str. 1, 55743 Idar-Oberstein. For further information, please call 06781/64-1113 or 06781/64-1125 or send an e-mail to: wahlamt@idar-oberstein.de.