Can I vote in Germany’s September 2026 state elections?

Three much-anticipated German state elections are just around the corner. Who can vote on September 6 in Saxony-Anhalt and on September 20 in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern?

3 German states go to the polls

This September, voters in three eastern federal states, Saxony-Anhalt, Berlin and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, will go to the polls. 

The German democratic system has three main types of elections for different levels of government. In federal elections, German citizens across all 16 federal states elect politicians to parliament (Bundestag). In state elections, citizens living in a specific federal state elect representatives to the state parliament (Landtag). Finally, in local elections, German citizens and EU residents elect district representatives.

On September 6, Saxony-Anhalt will hold a state election. Then, on September 20, state elections will be held in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Berlin will also hold a local election that day.

State elections are typically every five years in Germany. Some Berliners might feel like time is flying by extra fast. That’s because the 2021 state election was so disrupted by a shortage of ballot papers and long polling station queues that in 2022, the German constitutional court ruled that the election must be re-run. The re-run was held in February 2023.

Another clarification for Berliners: In territorial federal states (Flächenstaaten) like Saxony-Anhalt or Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the state parliament is called the Landtag. However, Berlin is a city-state (Stadtstaat) and its state parliament is called the House of Representatives (Abgeordnetenhaus). So the Landtagswahlen and the Abgeordnetenhauswahl are both state elections; they just have different names.

German citizens can vote in state elections

Only people with German citizenship can vote in state elections in Germany. However, this includes not just people born in Germany, but also those naturalised as German citizens.

This means that if you are a German citizen and you have been registered (angemeldet) in Saxony-Anhalt, Berlin or Mecklenburg-Vorpommern for at least three months on election day, you can vote.

The voting age also differs slightly in each state. In Berlin and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, you must be at least 16 years old on election day to cast your vote, but in Saxony-Anhalt, you must be at least 18 years old.

How to vote in the German state elections

As mentioned, only German citizens can vote in state elections. In the case of Berlin, this means that over 25 percent of the population cannot vote because they do not have a German passport.

Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern last held state elections in 2021, and Berlin in 2023. Since then, changes to citizenship law have led to a record number of people being newly naturalised as German citizens. This means that many new Germans are about to vote in their first state election. So what do first-time voters need to know? 

Getting your polling card via post

If you live in Saxony-Anhalt, Berlin or Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and are entitled to vote in the state election, you should have already received your polling card (Wahlbenachrichtigung) via post.

If you haven’t received your polling card, you should contact your local district office (Bezirksamt). If you are away on election day or have to work while polling stations are open, you can contact your local postal vote office (Briefwahlstelle) to organise a postal vote.

Deciding who will get your vote

Between now and election day, you can think about which candidate and party will get your vote. If you’re still on the fence, you can use the Party Check website (in English). 

Similar to the Wahl-O-Mat available during federal elections, Party Check poses questions and theses that users can rank from one to 20. The tool compares your answers with current party manifestos and suggests the party that best aligns with your views. Party Check is an orientation aid; it doesn’t tell voters who they should vote for.

Another thing worth mentioning: while you are entitled to vote as a German citizen, you are not legally obliged to.

What happens on election day?

Your polling card will explain where you can vote on election day, usually at a local school. In all three states, polling stations will be open between 8am and 6pm. At busy times, such as mid-morning, expect queues of around 30 minutes at busy polling stations; at other times, you can walk right in and vote.

Well, you won’t be able to walk right in; you will need to show a photo ID, such as your passport or ID (Personalausweis), and your polling card (Wahlbenachrichtigung) at the door.

You will then be given a ballot paper. The ballot papers are large and can be a little confusing, so it is worth familiarising yourself with them in advance. On these pages you can see sample ballot papers and explainers for Saxony-Anhalt, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Berlin. 

You have a “first vote” (Erststimme) to elect a candidate in your constituency and a “second vote” (Zweitstimme) to elect a party. The second vote determines how seats are distributed in the Landtage and Abgeordnetenhaus.

In a private cabin, you can put an “X” in the circle beside the one candidate you want to vote for and an “X” in the circle beside the one party you want to vote for. You can also leave your ballot paper blank or spoil your ballot. Then put your ballot in the ballot box. 

The following video gives further information about what to do if you want to make a change on your ballot and which markings might make your ballot void.

German and EU citizens can vote in Berlin local elections

As mentioned, Berlin is not just holding a state election on September 20, but also a local election. Both German citizens and EU citizens are entitled to vote.

This means that if you are an EU citizen and have been registered in Berlin since at least June 20, you can vote in the BVV, but you are not obliged to vote.

Voters are deciding who will represent their district council in the Bezirksverordnetenversammlungen (BVV). BVV representatives request action on local issues, and help decide the district's final budgets. 

If you are entitled to vote, you should have already received your polling card (Wahlbenachrichtigung) in the post. If not, you should contact your local district office (Bezirksamt).

Your polling card will explain which polling station (Wahllokal) you should go to on September 20 to cast your vote. Polling stations are open between 8am and 6pm. Bring your polling card and a photo ID, such as your passport or an EU ID.

You can see an example here (on page six) of what your ballot paper will look like. You should put an “X” in the circle beside the one party you want to vote for, fold the paper and put it in the ballot box.

What happens when the polls close?

Once you’ve cast your ballot, you can wait and watch the results come in. When polling stations close at 6pm on September 6 and then September 20, an exit poll will forecast the results.

Exit polls provide an initial projection of the outcome by surveying voters as they leave polling stations. These forecasts remain under wraps until the 6pm deadline has passed, ensuring that those still heading to the polls are not influenced by projections.

While these projections offer a reliable snapshot of how the state or district has voted, they are not the final result. The final election results are typically called in the early or mid-morning the following day.