Procedure descriptions
Register of voters (Landtag election) - Apply for registration
You can only exercise your right to vote if you are entered in the electoral roll.
An official electoral roll is kept for each electoral district.
The basis for entry in the voters' register is the municipality's population register.
If you have your main place of residence in a municipality on the 42nd day (key date) before the state election (i.e. Sunday, 25 January 2026), you will automatically be entered in the electoral register there.
The municipality will notify you no later than three weeks before election day (i.e. no later than Sunday, 15 February 2026) with a polling card.
If you have not received a voter's notification, you should immediately check with your municipality whether you are on the electoral roll. If this is not the case, you have until 20 February 2026 to lodge an objection to the electoral roll with the municipality and thus obtain your entry retrospectively.
If you move or establish a new main residence after 25 January 2026, you will not be automatically entered in the electoral roll for your new place of residence.
If you move to another municipality, you can apply to be entered in the electoral roll of your new place of residence, or you can apply for a polling card from the municipality of your old place of residence and cast your vote by post. The same applies if you move within the same municipality but this move is accompanied by a change of constituency.
People without a home who usually reside in Baden-Württemberg can also apply to be entered in the electoral roll.
Responsible authority
the (new) municipality in which you have your residence (your main residence if you have more than one residence)
Note: for persons without a home: the municipality in which you usually reside and in which the application is submitted
Details
Prerequisite
The prerequisite for registration is
You assume that you are eligible to vote in the state election.
You are eligible to vote if you
- Are German or German within the meaning of Article 116 Paragraph 1 of the Basic Law (GG),
- are at least 16 years old on election day,
- have had a main residence in Baden-Württemberg for at least three months or have otherwise habitually resided there and
- are not excluded from the right to vote.
Procedure
Apply for entry in the electoral roll in writing to the relevant municipality.
Your written application must be signed by hand and contain at least the following information:
- first names and surname
- your date of birth
- Your exact address (street, house number, postcode, town)
The municipality will then check your eligibility to vote.
If you appear in person, you will be added to the electoral roll immediately if the check of the requirements is successful.
Note: Persons who are unable to submit the application themselves may be assisted by another person.
This may be necessary, for example, if the applicant cannot read or is physically impaired. The assisting person must then also sign the application.
Deadlines
Your application must be received by the municipality no later than the 21st day before the election. The deadline is therefore Sunday, 15 February 2026.
Required documents
none
Costs
The corresponding postage will be charged for sending the application for entry in the electoral roll by post to the municipality.
Miscellaneous
You can inspect the electoral roll from the 20th to the 16th day before the election (i.e. from Monday, 16 February 2026 to Friday, 20 February 2026) during the opening hours of your municipality.
Legal basis
Gesetz über die Landtagswahlen (Landtagswahlgesetz -LWG):
- § 21 Wählerverzeichnisse
Verordnung des Innenministeriums zur Durchführung des Landtagswahlgesetzes (Landeswahlordnung - LWO):
- §§ 10 - 17 Wählerverzeichnis
Release note
machine generated, based on the German release by: Innenministerium Baden-Württemberg, 08.12.2025