Students often apply for a postal vote when exams, placements or a semester abroad make voting day impractical. The application goes through the municipality of your main residence, and without an entry in the electoral register there is no polling card. This guide explains the steps, the requirements and the deadlines, as far as they can be verified from official sources.
Short answer: You apply for a postal vote at the municipality of your main residence. You need an entry in the electoral register. No reason is required, not even for a stay abroad. The polling card entitles you to the postal voting documents. The municipality announces the exact deadlines before each election. Last updated: November 2026.
The most important points at a glance
- The responsible authority is the municipal office of your main residence, not the office at your place of study.
- An entry in the electoral register is required. If you are not entered, clarify this first.
- According to the Federal Returning Officer, no reason is needed for a postal vote, including during a temporary stay abroad.
- The polling card automatically brings the postal voting documents.
- The municipality states the application deadline and the return route. No fixed date for 2027 can be derived from the verified sources.
Who can apply for a postal vote?
A postal vote can be requested by anyone who is entered in the electoral register of the responsible municipality. The entry is the point of attachment, because only registered persons receive a polling card. If a person is not yet on the register, the polling card or a question to the municipality will help. Which municipality applies depends on where you are registered, as explained in the guide on voting rights with two residences.
A special rule applies to people without a home. According to the Federal Returning Officer, they are entered in a register only on their own application, and that application must be made no later than the 21st day before the election. A registered person without a home can then also take part in postal voting.
Where and how do you apply?
The application must be submitted to the municipal office of your main residence. The Federal Returning Officer states this explicitly and refers to the municipality for details. The table shows the steps in the order in which they usually arise.
| Step | What you do | Who is responsible |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Check your entry | Look at the polling card or ask the municipality | Municipality of the main residence |
| 2. Submit the application | Apply for a polling card at the municipal office | Municipal office of the main residence |
| 3. Receive the documents | The polling card comes with the postal voting documents | Municipality |
| 4. Cast your vote | Fill in the ballot and return the documents on time | Instructions on the documents |
Which application routes are offered, for example an online application, is for the municipality to announce. The Federal Returning Officer’s page on postal voting does not describe these routes, so you should ask the municipality directly.
What is in the postal voting pack?
The polling card brings the postal voting documents automatically. It entitles you to vote by post or to vote in person. According to the Federal Returning Officer, you can also use the polling card to vote in any other polling district within your constituency. This matters for students who are elsewhere on election day.
The legal basis of the procedure is found in the Federal Election Regulations (Bundeswahlordnung). The Federal Returning Officer cites sections 25 and 28. In practice, it is important to check the documents completely before voting and to plan the return journey in good time.
Which deadlines matter?
The verified sources do not state a fixed application deadline for 2027. The municipality sets the deadlines before each election. An overview of the dates that follow from official notices still helps with planning.
| Period | What applies | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Usually 4 to 6 weeks before the election | The municipality sends the polling card | Federal Returning Officer, glossary |
| At the latest on the 21st day before the election | The polling card must have arrived; if it has not, contact the municipality; application for people without a home | Federal Returning Officer, glossary |
| 20th to 16th day before the election | Inspection of the electoral registers and objection for inaccuracies are possible | Federal Returning Officer, glossary |
| Before election day | Application and return according to the municipality’s instructions | Municipality |
Anyone using postal voting should not leave the application until the final week. Post can take longer than expected, and queries to the municipality take time. An early application leaves room to correct anything that is missing.
When is postal voting useful for students?
Postal voting is most useful if you will not be in the polling district of your polling station on election day. That can be an exam, a placement or a semester abroad. According to the Federal Returning Officer, students staying abroad do not need a reason to apply for a postal vote.
The situation is different if you want to vote at your place of study. Then it is enough that you are entered in the register there. What matters is where you are entered. The entry, not the application alone, decides whether you use the polling card for the home or the study location.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a reason for a postal vote?
No. The Federal Returning Officer states explicitly that no reason is required for the application. This also applies during a temporary stay abroad. The reason therefore plays no role in the municipality’s decision.
Can I apply online?
That depends on the municipality. The Federal Returning Officer’s page on postal voting does not provide details. Ask the municipality of your main residence which routes are permitted and whether a form is needed before you submit the application.
What if I lose the documents?
Contact the municipality that issued the polling card straight away. Do not wait until shortly before election day, because clarification takes time. Which steps are possible in an individual case is for the municipality to decide.
Does this procedure also apply to state and local elections?
The Federal Returning Officer’s page refers to the 2025 federal election. State and local elections follow Land rules. The Land returning officer and the municipality provide binding information, including on deadlines and application routes.
What if I do not receive a polling card?
If you have not received a card by the 21st day before the election, contact the municipality of your main residence to clarify the entry. The guide on a missing polling card explains the steps in detail.
What to do next
- Check early whether you are entered in the electoral register of the municipality of your main residence.
- Submit the application to that municipality as soon as the date is set, and ask about the permitted routes.
- Check the documents as soon as they arrive, and plan the return with enough margin before the deadline.
Related reading
- Elections 2027: all dates at a glance
- Voting rights with two residences
- Polling card not received
- First and second vote explained
- Finding your constituency (in German)
Sources: Federal Returning Officer, voter information: postal voting, page on the 2025 federal election (in German), Federal Returning Officer, glossary: polling card (in German)
Last updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
