Upcoming German Parliamentary Elections Set for 23rd February
In an unexpected turn of events, Bavaria is gearing up for an early federal election on February 23, 2025, following a vote of no confidence against Chancellor Scholz. This accelerated schedule has brought about some significant changes in the traditional voting process, particularly in mail-in voting and the timeline for applications.
The election, which applies to all Germans who are 18 years and older, totals 9.2 million people in Bavaria. Young voters between 18 and 25 years make up only 8.5% of the eligible voters, including 362,000 first-time voters.
Voting at a polling station on February 23 remains the easiest method. Voting notifications will be sent out starting this week. However, the principal difference lies in the shortened application period for mail-in voting. To accommodate the early timetable, voters must apply for absentee ballots within a tighter timeframe than usual.
This shift presents logistical challenges to ensure all voters who wish to vote by mail can do so within the limited timeframe. No specific changes to the mail-in voting procedures themselves—such as eligibility or ballot return methods—were highlighted, but the shortened application period is directly tied to the early election’s accelerated schedule.
The CSU is projected to come in first in Bavaria with 44 percent, followed by the AfD (17 percent), Greens (11 percent), SPD (9 percent), FDP (3 percent), Free Voters (4 percent), and Alliance for Progress and Social Justice (4 percent).
FW party leader Hubert Aiwanger aims to secure at least three direct mandates to enter the Bundestag for the first time.
Preliminary results will be available on election night, but it may take significantly longer to determine who will be directly elected to the Bundestag due to the changed electoral system. Only mail-in ballots that arrive at the municipality's election office by 6 p.m. on February 23 will be counted.
Applications for mail-in voting are possible now, and documents are expected to be sent out starting early February. Due to the shortened timeframe, Bavarian State Election Commissioner Thomas Goessl advises filling out and sending back or delivering mail-in voting documents as soon as possible.
The election offices in Bavaria are implementing steps simultaneously due to the shorter lead time. The search for election helpers is running smoothly in most municipalities in Bavaria.
The election campaign is different from usual due to the winter season, with fewer beer tent appearances and pedestrian zone campaigning. Retirees (65 years and older) make up more than a quarter (28.7%) of the eligible voters in Bavaria.
Despite these challenges, Bavaria's State Returning Officer Goessl expects figures to be available by early Monday morning, once votes from all federal states have been transmitted to the Federal Returning Officer and the second vote cover has been calculated.
- The upcoming early federal election in Bavaria on February 23, 2025, has sparked a shift in the general-news landscape, as policy-and-legislation changes related to mail-in voting and the application timeline have become a prominent topic in politics.
- In the context of the early federal election in Bavaria on February 23, 2025, the application period for mail-in voting has been significantly shortened due to the accelerated schedule, making it crucial for voters to submit their applications promptly, as advised by Bavarian State Election Commissioner Thomas Goessl.
