Voter record
In Austria, the electoral register is the list in which all eligible voters are entered. It is usually kept continuously in each municipality on the basis of the population register . About two months before an election, on the so-called election date, the electoral roll is created from the voter register , which forms the basis for admission to this specific election. The complaint procedure takes place within a two-week period approximately one month before the election . During this time, every person entitled to vote has the opportunity to see whether and where he is entitled to vote in this election and, if necessary, to request entry, correction or deletion.
The electoral register is divided according to the individual electoral districts of the municipality. Each person entitled to vote is entered with a serial number and their first and last name, any titles belonging to the name, the address and the year of birth.
Depending on the type of election, you can only be entered in one voter register or in several. For federal elections, i.e. the election of the Federal President or the National Council election , you can only be registered in one. For state elections one can be registered per federal state . In the case of municipal council elections, depending on the electoral code of the respective municipality, it is also possible to vote in several municipalities.
Ordinary place of residence is generally decisive for inclusion in the electoral register . That is the residence where you are staying mainly or as it is said in the law, where the center of life has. An exception to this is the right to vote for Austrians abroad . These are assigned to an electoral district in their home municipality on application after a determination procedure. If, in his opinion, someone is wrongly not in a certain voter record, he can raise an objection within the obligation to display the record. The decision about this lies with the electoral authority.
If someone has several decent places of residence, this can often lead to disputes. These cases must also be decided in advance by the electoral authority. Such challenges often come from political parties hoping for such an advantage in the election.
The issuing of voting cards is also the responsibility of the municipality where one is registered in the voter register.
But the electoral register is not only necessary for holding elections. It also forms the basis for the selection of lay judges or jury members for judicial proceedings before jury courts or jury courts .