Certificate of voting rights (support for an election proposal)

In order to participate in an election, a certain level of support from the population is required. All electoral laws therefore stipulate that a certain number of supporting signatures from eligible voters must be submitted for nominations from parties, voter groups and individual candidates who are not represented by a minimum number of deputies in parliament or the body to be elected in order to be authorised for the election

Required for

• European elections
  2,000 for a state list and 4,000 for a federal list
• Bundestag elections
  200 for a district election proposal and 2,000 for a state list
• State parliament elections
  50 for a district election proposal and 1,000 for a state list
• Direct elections
  twice as many signatures as there are seats in the municipal council or district council

The supporting signatures must be provided personally and by hand on official forms, which are issued to the nomination organisers by the responsible election management upon request. Each person entitled to vote may only support one election proposal with their signature.

Each supporter's right to vote must be confirmed by the municipality responsible for their main place of residence. The certificate of eligibility to vote is usually issued on the same form on which the supporting signature was provided; it is free of charge.

• Information on elections in Hesse