All Questions and Answers About the Burgenland Election 2025
Before the Burgenland Election 2025
Question: Who is eligible to vote?
Answer: Austrians residing in Burgenland who turn 16 at the latest on the day of the election (i.e., everyone born on January 19, 2009 or earlier) - not only with their main residence, but also with a secondary residence, if two out of four criteria are met, namely that the place is the center of economic, professional, family or social life. Excluded are persons who have been sentenced to more than five years imprisonment for an intentional act.
Do I have to vote?
No, voting is not compulsory.
How do I find my polling station? And the opening hours?
If you live in a smaller community, since January 6 on the official notice board at the municipal office, in larger communities official election information is sent out - and on the homepage of the state at https://www.burgenland.at/politik/wahlen-im-burgenland/landtagswahl-2025 you will find a list of polling stations. The first polling station opens at 6.45 am, the last ones close at 4.00 pm.
Where can I vote?
This time, voters who have applied for a voting card can virtually cast their vote at any time when picking up this card on the so-called "quasi-election day". The vote is then cast by postal vote during the party traffic directly at the municipal office. Of course, with a voting card, you can also traditionally cast your vote by post or on election Sunday in a polling station of your constituency with this. If you are bedridden, you can vote at home in bed if you have requested a visit by a "flying election authority".
When can I vote?
Since the introduction of postal voting and the "quasi-election day" from the time the voting card is sent or picked up until the election day. And again this year, nine days before election Sunday (on January 10), there was an early voting day. On this day, at least one polling station per municipality was open from 6 pm to 7 pm.
How do I get a voting card?
You have to apply for it in the municipality where you are registered as a voter. This can be done in writing (by mail, fax, email or online at http://www.wahlkartenantrag.at), but also in person directly at the municipal office. You have time until 12.00 pm on the Friday before the election - although it is then already too late for postal voting. Because the postal votes must have already arrived at the election authority by 2.00 pm on Friday.
At the Polling Station
Do I need an ID to vote?
Yes, if you are not personally known to the election authority. If you have applied for a voting card, you must bring it with you.
Who are the people at the polling station?
The "boss" at the polling station is the election officer, usually a civil servant. Together with three assessors appointed by the parties, he forms the election authority - which, for example, decides whether a ballot paper is valid. In addition, each party that is running can nominate two election witnesses as observers.
How much time do I have in the voting booth?
This is not regulated by law. But the election officer could ask you to leave the voting booth if he feels that you are preventing others from voting.
Am I allowed to make a phone call in the voting booth?
This is not regulated by law. So in principle yes, if you do not disturb others - and the election officer does not prohibit it.
Am I allowed to photograph my completed ballot paper and post it on Facebook or Instagram, for example?
Yes, but only in such a way that it is still clear which party or which preferential vote candidates you have chosen.
Can I make drawings on my voting envelope?
No, that is forbidden.
Can I write another party on the ballot that is not printed there?
In principle yes - but by doing so you forfeit your vote, unless you also tick another party (which is then considered elected).
How many preferential votes can I give?
One to a candidate from the state list and one each to (at most) three constituency candidates - who must all belong to the same party.
I want to vote for Party A, but give a preferential vote to a person who is running for another party. Is that possible?
No. For both to be valid, each person to whom you give a preferential vote must belong to the elected party. If this is not the case, the principle applies: "Preferential vote beats the party vote". You then vote for the party to which the preferential vote candidate belongs.
How do I know who I can give a preferential vote to?
The candidates are listed on the ballot.
I ticked the wrong party. What should I do?
No, voters are not allowed to watch the counting at the polling station. The state election law stipulates that the polling station must be closed for the count. Only the members of the election authority, their auxiliary bodies, and the party's election witnesses are allowed to stay inside.
When can the first results be known?
The last polling stations close at 4.00 pm. From this point on, already counted results may be published.
What is the purpose of the preference votes?
With these, voters can help decide who gets to enter the state parliament. The mandates that fall to a party are assigned to the election candidates of the constituency list in the order of the preference votes they have received. If two candidates from the constituency list of a party have the same number of preference votes, the list order is decisive.
When will the preliminary final result be known?
On Sunday evening. Because the postal vote and the other voting cards are already counted on January 19th. The final result becomes official with the meeting of the state election authority in the week after the election.
What is the "four percent hurdle"?
Only parties that have achieved at least four percent nationwide or a basic mandate in one of the seven constituencies are admitted to the state parliament.
(APA/Red)
Ich hab die falsche Partei angekreuzt. Was soll ich tun?
Am besten beim Wahlleiter einen neuen Stimmzettel holen - denn es muss ganz eindeutig zu erkennen sein, wen Sie gewählt haben.
Wählen außerhalb
Ich mache am Wahlsonntag einen Ausflug, kann ich meine Stimme auch in einem anderen Wahllokal abgeben?
Ja, aber nur in der Nähe Ihres Wohnortes - nämlich in anderen Wahllokalen in Ihrem Wahlkreis. Dafür benötigen Sie eine Wahlkarte.
Ich bin am Wahlsonntag in einem anderen Bundesland. Kann ich meine Stimme auch per Briefwahl abgeben?
Ja, das dürfen Sie - und zwar, sobald Sie eine Wahlkarte haben. Achtung: Sie müssen das Kuvert so rechtzeitig aufgeben, dass es spätestens am Freitag vor der Wahl (17.01.), bis spätestens 14.00 Uhr, bei der Gemeinde liegt. Sie müssen es nicht per Post (portofrei) schicken, sondern können es auch durch Boten oder persönlich zur Gemeinde bringen (lassen).
Ich bin am Wahlsonntag im Ausland bzw. ich lebe im Ausland, kann ich trotzdem wählen?
Ja, und zwar mittels Briefwahl. Die Wahlkarte können Sie entweder vor der Abreise aus Österreich oder von Ihrem ausländischen Aufenthaltsort aus abschicken. Freilich muss man auch hier auf die Zustellfristen achten.
Ich hab meine Wahlkarte verloren - wo bekomme ich eine neue?
Nirgends. Die Ausstellung von Duplikaten für abhandengekommene Wahlkarten ist gesetzlich verboten - damit ein Wähler nicht zwei Stimmen abgeben kann. Nur für eine unbrauchbar gewordene Wahlkarte, die noch nicht zugeklebt und bei der die eidesstattliche Erklärung noch nicht unterschrieben ist, kann die Gemeinde ein Duplikat ausstellen, Sie müssen aber die "alte" Wahlkarte abgeben.
Nach der Burgenland-Wahl 2025
Wo findet die Auszählung der Stimmen statt und darf man dabei zuschauen?
Nein, bei der Auszählung im Wahllokal dürfen die Wähler nicht zuschauen. Das Landtagswahlgesetz schreibt vor, dass für die Auszählung das Wahllokal geschlossen werden muss. Nur die Mitglieder der Wahlbehörde, ihre Hilfsorgane und die Wahlzeugen der Parteien dürfen drinnenbleiben.
Wann kann man die ersten Ergebnisse erfahren?
Die letzten Wahllokale schließen um 16.00 Uhr. Ab diesem Zeitpunkt dürfen bereits ausgezählte Ergebnisse veröffentlicht werden.
Wozu sind die Vorzugsstimmen gut?
Damit können die Wähler mitentscheiden, welche Personen in den Landtag einziehen. Die Mandate, die einer Partei zufallen, werden den Wahlwerbern der Wahlkreisliste in der Reihenfolge der von ihnen geholten Vorzugsstimmen zugewiesen. Wenn zwei Wahlwerber der Wahlkreisliste einer Partei die gleiche Zahl von Vorzugsstimmen haben, gibt die Listenreihung den Ausschlag.
Wann steht das vorläufige Endergebnis fest?
Am Sonntagabend. Denn die Briefwahl und die anderen Wahlkarten werden bereits am 19. Jänner mit ausgezählt. Amtlich wird das Endergebnis mit der Sitzung der Landeswahlbehörde in der Woche nach der Wahl.
Was ist die "Vier-Prozent-Hürde"?
Nur Parteien, die mindestens vier Prozent landesweit oder ein Grundmandat in einem der sieben Wahlkreise erobert haben, ziehen in den Landtag ein.
(APA/Red)
This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.