Polling stations & Co.: How to cast your vote in the National Council elections in Vienna

On Sunday, September 29, the National Council elections will also take place in Vienna. Almost 1,500 polling stations will open their doors so that those eligible to vote can cast their vote. Here you can find out where you can vote – and how to do it as easily as possible for you.

VIENNA. Total 1,127,929 people are entitled to vote in the National Council elections in Vienna on Sunday, September 29. Of these, 15,577 are resident abroad. There is important information for all those who want to cast their vote directly in one of the almost 1,500 polling stations in Vienna.

These should definitely be taken into account so that everything is in order and you can really make your voters’ wishes heard. My District has prepared the most important points for you.

Polling station search

In principle, anyone who is eligible to vote can vote. For Vienna, this means that the main residence must have been in Vienna on the deadline, July 9. In addition, you must have Austrian citizenship and be 16 years old. The Viennese votes will decide on 33 of the 183 seats that will be put together for the next National Council.

If the prerequisite criteria are met, you should receive mail around two weeks before the election. Namely the “official election information”. This not only tells you how you can cast your vote, but also exactly where. You should also be able to find your local polling station online. The City of Vienna has its own polling station search function for this. The polling stations will then be open on September 29th from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m..

What you need

You must bring an ID card with you when you vote. This is the only way to ensure that the right person is actually voting. Don’t forget your driver’s license, passport, ID card or student ID card. Unfortunately, you are not allowed to participate without an ID card.

You should also take your “official voting information” with you if you have it at home. This makes it easier for the election officials to keep track of everything. Once your data has been checked, you will receive the ballot paper and the small ballot envelope that goes with it. If you cannot fill out the ballot paper without help, for example if you are visually impaired, a companion of your choice can help you. In addition, blind and visually impaired people can also take a guide dog with them.

How to get the voting card

However, if you don’t have time to go to your local office on election Sunday – for example, if you are away from home – you can also apply for a voting card. You can do this in two ways:

• You can apply for this in writing up to four days beforehand, i.e. until September 25th. It will then be delivered to your home. The easiest way to do this is online. If you apply in writing or online after September 25th, you must collect it yourself or have someone authorised to do so in writing. This is possible until September 27th, 12 noon. In this case, your voting card will be available at the relevant election department. You can find out which department is responsible for you here.
• You can also apply for a voting card in person at the election office. Again, you can do this until the second day before the election, i.e. September 27th at 12 noon.

In special cases, there is also the possibility of a “flying electoral authority” coming to the polls to cast your vote. However, this is only possible if the voters actually have limited mobility – for example, if they are seriously ill or bedridden. This must be requested from the relevant electoral department together with the application for a voting card.

Deadline for submission

It doesn’t matter whether you apply for your voting card online, in writing or in person. In order for your vote to be valid via these channels, the properly completed and sealed card must be received by your election office by 5 p.m. on September 29th. If you also vote by mail, make sure that you put your voting card in the mailbox in good time.

However, you can also cast your voting card in the ballot box at a polling station on September 29th. This works throughout Austria, so if you are on holiday outside of Vienna, you can also choose this option. But be careful: the opening times of the polling stations vary depending on the location in the federal states.

Waiting for result

When the last polling station closes, things will get really exciting. That is when the time for projections begins. 5pm MeinBezirk presents a first for Austria. The official final result will only be announced by the Federal Ministry of the Interior after the ballot papers have been counted in the following days.

You can find all the results in detail on MeinBezirk.at/Wien. You can also conveniently receive the results on your mobile phone as soon as they are available. You can either register for our push notifications or subscribe to our “MeinBezirk Wien” channel on WhatsApp.

Other topics:

How Viennese residents receive their voting card for the National Council elections

So check Viennese whether they are allowed to cast their vote