Postal voting was recently even more popular than usual due to Corona. It will also play a role in the state elections in Saxony-Anhalt in 2021.
Magdeburg - Voting by letter: This has been becoming more and more popular in Germany for years.
Eligible voters save themselves the trip to the polling station on election Sunday.
If you are not in your home country on election day, then that is not a problem, because all eligible voters can cast their votes a few weeks in advance.
In Corona times there is another important advantage: Those who shy away from going to the polling station because they are worried about infection can still make use of their right to vote by voting by post.
State election of Saxony-Anhalt 2021: Parliament makes election law pandemic-proof - postal voting possible
Postal voting is therefore also an important issue for the Saxony-Anhalt state elections in 2021.
Due to the corona situation, the state parliament already dealt with a pandemic-proof electoral law at the end of 2020.
This makes it possible to vote on June 6, 2021 completely by postal vote if necessary, in cases of force majeure.
The Land Returning Officer would decide on this, but this is no longer up for debate.
Saxony-Anhalt's constitutional court has allowed a purely postal vote under certain conditions.
22 members of the state parliament, including 21 from the AfD parliamentary group, have complained because they believe that freedom of choice, voting secrecy and the principle of public voting have been violated and that the regulations are unconstitutional.
The disadvantages of postal voting must not be forgotten either: It cannot be checked whether those entitled to vote can make their voting decision without being forced to vote if they do not disappear into the voting booth.
In addition, critics of postal votes repeatedly point out that due to the longer period in which postal voting is possible, the eligible voter may want to change his decision again due to new events, but this no longer works because the letter has already been sent.
Applying for postal voting for the state elections in Saxony-Anhalt in 2021: How does it work?
Anyone entitled to vote is allowed to apply for and vote by post without giving reasons. What is important, however, is a voting notification that those entitled to vote receive from the city or municipality in which they have their main residence. This should have reached the voters in Saxony-Anhalt by May 16 at the latest. With this, those entitled to vote can then apply for the postal vote, more precisely one takes care of a ballot paper. More information about where to go for this can be found on the notification.
A voting slip application can be submitted up to two days before the election (Friday, June 4th, 6 p.m.) - in writing or in person.
If the person entitled to vote can prove a sudden illness, the application is still possible on the day of the election until 3 p.m.
Another person can also submit the application or receive the documents if the person entitled to vote gives them written authorization.
If the postal voting documents are there, the voter can put his cross on the ballot paper and then put it in the blue envelope enclosed and tape it shut.
Then you have to leave your signature with the date "Insurance on oath instead of postal vote" on the ballot paper.
Then put the sealed blue envelope and the signed ballot back into the red envelope, seal it, done.
Postal voting: Deadlines and dates for the state elections in Saxony-Anhalt in 2021
At the end of the day, each voter is responsible for sending the completed election letter with his or her vote on time.
It must be available by 6 p.m. on Sunday, otherwise it will no longer be considered for the election.
By using the official postal voting envelopes, it is possible to send free of charge without a postage stamp.
If you decide to vote by mail at short notice, it is safer to apply in person to the responsible electoral office and to fill out and hand in the ballot for the state elections in Saxony-Anhalt on site.
Depending on the course of the pandemic, Corona can ultimately lead to a record number of postal votes being recorded in Saxony-Anhalt, for example in the state elections in Rhineland-Palatinate. You can
read
elsewhere at
Merkur.de
how the polls on the election in the state are developing.
(cibo)