Elections in Austria

Facilitating the Voting Procedure; Postal Voting

The Austrian law maker realised a number of changes and improvements in the legal framework in order to increase voter participation and make democratic institutions more transparent. For instance, the opening hours of polling places are usually adjusted to the needs of the local population and there is a degree of flexibility to keep stations open for a relatively long time during a day. Hence, there is no uniform, nation-wide closing time for polling place. By law, the last stations have to close at 6 p.m. (European parliamentary elections 10 p.m.).

In nation-wide elections, persons being absent from their permanent residence and designated polling station are entitled to obtain a “voting card” which enables them to use any polling place in Austria to cast their vote or to employ postal voting.

Austrian citizens can also exercise their voting right by casting a postal ballot. Postal voting is equally possible from abroad and within the confines of Austria. Voters are not required to appear before an electoral authority or, when abroad, request the confirmation of a witness. They merely have to sign an affidavit on the voting card which states that they cast their vote in person, unobserved, and without having been influenced. The postal ballot has to be mailed to the competent District Election Authority. All voting cards used for postal voting must arrive at the competent district electoral authority or at a polling place within this district on election day at 5 p.m. at the latest.

Voters whose personal mobility is limited (elder people, bedridden persons, certain prisoners, …) can avail themselves of the services of so-called “flying election commissions” (special election authorities) if they require the presence of an election authority. Alternatively, they can also exercise postal voting.

The blind or persons with serious visual defects are provided with a template by the electoral authority as an aid to exercise their right to vote in person regardless of their impairment. Physically or mentally handicapped voters may have a person at their side to guide and help them with the act of voting. Such a trusted third party can be chosen by the voter and confirmed vis-à-vis the polling officer. Subject to the given opportunities every community shall provide for establishing at least one polling station easily accessible for handicapped people.

 
 
Federal Ministry of the Interior
Department III/6 - Electoral Affairs
P.O. Box 100, A-1014 Vienna
Ph.: +43-(0)1-53126-2464
e-mail: wahl@bmi.gv.at