Foreigners in Slovakia: How to vote in the European Parliament elections

Citizens of other EU countries living in Slovakia can vote too. The registration deadline is coming.

(Source: AP/SITA)

Q: When do the EU Parliament elections take place in Slovakia?

A: The election will take place on Saturday, May 25 from 7:00 until 22:00.

Q: Am I eligible to vote for Slovak candidates in the elections?

A: Yes, if you are the citizen of a Member State of the European Union permanently residing in the territory of the Slovak Republic and reach the age of 18 no later than on the date of elections, then you have the right to vote in the European Parliament elections in the territory of the Slovak Republic.

Q: I don’t have permanent residence in Slovakia, but I want to vote for my home country representatives from here. What are my possibilities?

A: The rules for voting from outside the country differ from member state to member state. In general, all nationalities can vote from abroad, except for Irish, Maltese, Slovak and Czech nationals. Please follow this website listing the rules for voting from abroad for every EU member state.

Q: I am eligible to vote for Slovak representatives and also for those of my home country. Can I vote in both cases?

A: No, you are only allowed to vote in one Member State of the European Union in the same elections to the European Parliament. Fines apply for violations of this rule.

Q: Should I somehow register to be eligible to vote?

A: A citizen of an EU Member State permanently residing in the territory of the Slovak Republic is registered in the list of voters by the municipality in which the citizen of another Member State of the European Union permanently resides, based on their application and declaration. The application and declaration form will be delivered to you by your respective municipal office, or you can download it here.

The application along with the declaration must be submitted no later than on April 15, 2019, otherwise the right to be registered in the list of voters will cease to exist.

Q: How do I vote?

A: The members of the election commission will ask you to show your ID or residence card at the polling station. The electoral commission will mark you on the list of voters and issue ballot papers and an empty envelope with the official seal of the municipality to the voter.

You put one of 31 ballots into an envelope. You can circle a maximum of two candidates, giving them preference. You can also cast your ballot without circling any of the candidates.

Q: What if I am travelling to another place in Slovakia on election day? Can I vote from another place other than my permanent residence?

A: If you are voting in a place other than the polling station respective to your permanent residence, you need an electoral certificate, which you can request until the last day before the election (May 24) at your municipal office, in person.

You can also request it by letter or e-mail. In both cases you must make sure your request will be delivered to your municipal office 15 days before the election, that is May 3 at the latest.

When they issue your electoral certificate, the municipal office will erase your name from the list of voters. You can vote at any polling station in the country with your electoral certificate. You will be asked to submit the certificate along with your ID. The election commission will keep your electoral certificate after you have voted.

Q: How many representatives can I vote for in Slovakia?

A: Voters will choose 14 European Parliament members for Slovakia.

A total of 31 political parties, movements or coalitions have filed their list of candidates for the European Parliament elections. Follow for the coverage of this election.

Q: I am a British citizen living in Slovakia? Am I eligible to vote?

A: We cannot provide a clear answer to this question. In general, no, British citizens are not eligible to vote in the elections whether it comes to their representatives or representatives of other countries. However, as the date of Brexit is being postponed and nobody can tell when it will definitely happen, experts agree that if the UK is still an EU member state on the date of the election, its citizens have the right to vote in the election. We will provide more information when the situation is clearer.

Sources: Interior Ministry,

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Theme: Foreigners in Slovakia

This article is also related to other trending topics: EP election 2019, Frequently asked questions, European Union

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