Information for poll workers

The members of the electoral boards, that is the poll workers, are appointed by the municipal authorities before every election. If possible, they should be recruited from among the people entitled to vote in the municipality, preferably from among those entitled to vote in the polling district.

If you are interested please contact your municipal authority.

Poll workers are members of electoral boards.

The electoral board of a polling station consists of

• one electoral officer,
• one deputy electoral officer, and
• three to seven additional members of the electoral board.

For example, an electoral board member has to

• ensure that the poll is properly conducted,
• maintain public order in the polling station,
• check on the basis of the voters’ register if a voter has the right to vote,
• check polling cards,
• hand out the ballot paper,
• make a note in the voters’ register that the voter has participated in the poll,
• uncover the ballot box for the ballot paper to be put in,
• help voters with disabilities to cast their votes when asked to do so,
• count the number of voters,
• count the number of votes,
• determine the provisional election result for a first release, which is passed on to the municipal authority,
• establish the election result for the polling district.

The member of the electoral board who is responsible for taking the minutes has to draw up an election record of the poll and the process of determining and establishing the election result. That record has to be approved and signed by the members of the electoral board.

The members of the electoral boards have to make preparations before the polling stations open at 8 a.m. The polling stations are open until 6 p.m. Then the votes are counted. That procedure may last several hours, depending on the scope of the election.

Poll workers act on an honorary basis. Everyone entitled to vote is obliged to take over such an office. It may be refused for an important reason only.

Important reasons are, for example:

• family responsibilities which make it particularly difficult to perform such duties,
• urgent professional grounds,
• illness,
• disability.

People entitled to vote who have reached the age of 65 on election day may also refuse to become poll workers.

Poll workers will receive refreshment allowance as a kind of compensation. Generally, that allowance is 25 euros per day for members of electoral boards. Electoral officers are usually paid 35 euros as their responsibility and workload are greater. Some municipalities decide to pay a refreshment allowance that exceeds the amount to be reimbursed by the Federation.

Poll workers are reimbursed for necessary travel expenses incurred in the context of activities outside their polling district. If they do not perform their duties at their place of residence, poll workers are paid subsistence and – if applicable – accommodation allowances in accordance with the Federal Law on Travel Expenses. The refreshment allowance is offset against any reimbursement paid.

In the electoral laws there are no provisions on special leave or exemption from work to be granted to poll workers. Whether exemption from work is granted or not is at the discretion of the employer provided that there are no legal or collectively agreed regulations.

Employees of the Federal Ministry of the Interior and its agencies are granted exemption from work or administrative leave by decree. In keeping with that decree, these poll workers are granted one day of administrative leave or exemption from work for their honorary work, under the condition that the refreshment allowance paid by the municipalities to their own staff members does not considerably exceed the amount of 25 or 35 euros provided for by federal law and that only this allowance is received.

This applies to European elections, Bundestag elections, elections to Länder parliaments, local government elections and referendums. There are similar regulations for employees in other ministries and their agencies and in some Länder.

No, this is not possible. Candidates, agents and deputy agents of those nominated must not be appointed members of an electoral body. This also refers to poll workers on electoral boards.