All eligible voters should receive their voter notification by May 19, 2024. For the Greens, the European elections are a directional decision for democracy. You can find all the votes and developments regarding the European elections here.

Saturday, May 18th, 4:38 p.m.: In Karlsruhe, incorrect postal voting documents were sent for the upcoming local council elections on June 9th. The city administration announced this on its homepage on Saturday.

In very rare cases, a production error occurred when printing the ballot papers. A small number of the yellow municipal council ballot papers that have so far been issued or sent as part of the postal voting documents are incomplete. “Several of the 15 parties and voter associations running in the Karlsruhe municipal council election were missing from them. The Stuttgart printing company that specializes in printing election documents and which made the error ensures that all ballot papers that will be issued from now on are complete,” the city’s statement said. SWR first reported.

To ensure that all eligible voters are informed directly and personally, the electoral office will also personally write to everyone potentially affected. The Karlsruhe Regional Council, as the responsible supervisory authority, has been informed. The European and local council elections, which will also take place on June 9th, are not affected.

The electoral office asked all eligible voters to check the voting documents they had already received for completeness as quickly as possible. The yellow block of ballot paper must consist of 16 pages, 15 lists and a leaflet with information about the election. Anyone who has received an incorrect block of ballot paper can exchange it at the postal voting office until the Friday before the election (June 7th). It is also possible to have the new block of ballot papers sent to you.

Thursday, May 16th, 6:55 a.m.: The Alliance Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) started the European election campaign in Hamburg with sharp attacks on the traffic light coalition. The election on June 9th is not only important for Europe, said the founder and namesake of the alliance on Wednesday at the opening rally in front of several hundred participants at the Altona fish market. “The European election is the first election where you can vote for the BSW (…) and this election is actually about Germany.”

She accused the federal government and especially Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) of whitewashing the situation in Germany. Given the economic and social situation, Scholz not only shows problems with memory when dealing with the “Cum-Ex” affair. “He obviously also has problems simply perceiving reality,” said Wagenknecht.

While billions of euros are available for the arms industry and arms deliveries to Ukraine, there is a lack of money for children’s education in Germany. When it comes to pensions and citizens’ money, the traffic light coalition “only talks about social fraud, but no longer about poverty,” said Wagenknecht.

She accused the Greens led by Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Economics Minister Robert Habeck of acting as “moral world champions” by demonizing cheap energy from Russia and burdening citizens with expensive alternatives. This is also why the BSW was founded “so that we can return to a foreign policy of peace and reason”. Weapons for Ukraine only led to more war and death.

The BSW Europe top candidate and former Hamburg left-wing member of the Bundestag Fabio De Masi referred to the Elbtower construction site, which is within sight of the fish market and has been dormant for months, the realization of which Scholz had pushed forward during his time as Hamburg mayor. “He promised a skyscraper for Hamburg and what emerged was a ruined building. And he promised an economic miracle for Germany and the result was a recession,” he said.

It is “absolutely clear that the economy will collapse if we only ever fleece the little people and the middle class.” De Masi called for the closure of tax loopholes for large corporations. “These European elections are also an opportunity to show the traffic light coalition the red card,” he said.

The event at the fish market marked the start of a whole series of BSW rallies across Germany, culminating in a rally on June 6th in Berlin.

Tuesday, May 14, 2024, 10:43 a.m.: All eligible voters registered in the electoral roll for the 2024 European elections will receive an election notification from their municipality by May 19, 2024 at the latest. This is announced by the Federal Returning Officer. The election notification is proof of entry in the voters’ register and therefore of the right to take part in the election.

All eligible voters who were registered with the registration authority of their municipality with their main residence on April 28, 2024 have been entered into the voters’ register for the 2024 European elections. The election notifications also indicate the polling station where those eligible to vote can cast their vote on June 9, 2024. The election notifications also contain information on how to apply for a voting slip or postal voting documents.

From May 20th to May 24th, 2024, the municipal authorities will have their electoral rolls available for inspection on weekdays during general opening hours. Citizens who have not received an election notification by May 19, 2024 should immediately contact the election office at their main residence so that a verification can be carried out.

If eligible voters lose their voting notification, they can still cast their vote. To do this, the affected voters must identify themselves at the polling station by presenting their identity card or passport – those eligible to vote from other states of the European Union must identify themselves by presenting their identity card.

The full press release can be found on the Federal Returning Officer’s website at (http://www.bundeswahlleiterin.de).

You can read more about the European elections on the next pages.