Guide to Voting in Vienna: What You Need to Know

On April 27, approximately 1.1 million eligible voters in Vienna will have the opportunity to elect a new city council. Since Vienna serves as both a federal state and a municipality, the city council also functions as the state parliament, and the mayor acts as the state governor. On the same day, elections will also take place for the district councils of the 23 municipal districts in Vienna. This brings the total number of eligible voters to around 1.4 million, including approximately 265,000 non-Austrian EU citizens who are allowed to participate in the district council elections.

Eligibility to Vote

To be eligible to vote in the city council elections, individuals must possess Austrian citizenship and have their primary residence in Vienna as of the cut-off date of January 28. Additionally, they must not be legally barred from voting due to a court conviction and must be at least 16 years old on the election day of April 27. Non-Austrian EU citizens are not permitted to vote in the city council election, as this is reserved exclusively for Austrian citizens according to the Austrian Federal Constitution. However, they can vote in the district council elections if they meet the aforementioned criteria.

Voting Methods

Voters have two primary options for casting their votes: in-person at designated polling places on election day or via postal voting. The latter offers various alternatives. Prior to the election, all eligible voters will receive an official voting information brochure outlining their designated polling place. If voters expect to be unavailable on election day, they can request a ballot card either in writing or online until April 23. For those wishing to apply in person, requests can be made until noon on April 25, the Friday before the elections. The completed ballot card must be submitted to the appropriate district election authority by 5 PM on election day, either via postage, by hand, or through a messenger. If voters collect their ballot cards in person at their local election office, they can fill them out and submit them immediately.

If an individual has requested a ballot card but decides to vote in person, they must still bring their issued ballot card, even if it is for their designated polling station.

Necessary Identification

Voters heading to the polling place must present a valid official photo ID, such as a passport, national ID card, driver's license, or student ID, to verify their identity. Electronic IDs cannot be verified at the election office and will therefore not be accepted. While it is not mandatory to bring the official voting information brochure, it is advisable to do so to facilitate the voting process. If a voter has requested a ballot card but chooses to fill out their ballot at the polling place, they must bring the blank ballot card along with its contents.

How to Fill Out the Ballot

At the polling station, after confirming their identity, voters will receive official ballots along with a blue envelope for the city council election and a yellow envelope for the district council election. Ballots must be filled out in private within the voting booth, placed in the respective envelope, and then deposited in the ballot box.

Typically, voters mark their preferred party with a cross. A ballot is considered valid if the chosen party is clearly marked. It is also valid if the party is ticked instead of crossed or if all parties except for one are crossed out. Additionally, voters can give preference votes to candidates from their chosen party. For the city council election, voters have three preference votes: one for their district and two for the city-wide proposal. Voters must write the names or ranking numbers of the candidates from the party lists in the designated fields. It is not permissible to select a party while giving preference votes to candidates from other parties.

Invalid Ballots

The law is relatively lenient regarding the validity of ballots as long as it is clear which party the voter intended to support. Ballots remain valid if the voter marks a sign in the printed circle next to a party name, as long as it is unambiguous. A ballot is invalid if it is not the official one or if it has been damaged in such a way that it is unclear which party was chosen. Additionally, ballots will be marked invalid if a voter selects multiple parties or candidates from different parties.

Caution is advised to ensure that ballots are placed in the correct envelopes, to avoid mixing the blue envelope for the city council election with the yellow envelope for the district council election.