How to vote in Bulgaria

Parties, coalitions and initiative committees arrange candidates in a common national candidate list. Candidate lists are registered at the Central Election Commission. Candidate lists are registered not later than 32 days before the date of elections. A complete list of all candidates is published on the website of the Central Electoral Commission.

Parties and coalitions that will participate in the elections have to register at the Central Electoral Commission no later than 45 days before Election Day.

To win a seat, political parties, coalitions or independent candidates should get at least one seventeenth of all valid votes.

In Bulgaria there is just one national constituency for European elections, which means people across the country choose from the same lists of candidates.

Voting is compulsory in Bulgaria, in case you don't vote no penalties are incurred.

The European elections will be held in Bulgaria on 9 June 2024. A right to vote have:

• Bulgarian citizens who have reached the age of 18 by election day inclusive, have lived for at least the last three months in the Republic of Bulgaria or in another Member State of the European Union, have not been placed under interdiction and are not serving a custodial sentence.
• Citizens of another Member State of the European Union who meet the same conditions, are not deprived of the right to vote in the Member State of which they are citizens and have the status of continuous or permanent residents in the Republic of Bulgaria, can also vote.

Bulgarian or EU citizen voting in Bulgaria
You have to vote at the polling station determined by the permanent address indicated on your identity cards. You can vote at a polling section related to your current address, but prior registration with the relevant local administration at your current address is required no later than 14 days before polling day.
If you have a permanent disability that prevents you to go to the polling station, you may vote from home with a mobile ballot box, but you need to declare your wish to do so not later than 14 days before elections.
Exemptions are also possible if you are a PhD student, a pupil or a university student.
You may find information on polling stations, prior registration and voting by mobile ballot box on the website of the Central Electoral Commission.

Bulgarian citizen voting from another EU country
You can vote from another EU country in foreign representations or other polling stations, but only if you have resided in Bulgaria or in another EU country at least three months immediately before election day. Voters without a current registration in Bulgaria or another EU country are removed from the electoral lists. A voter can request to be included in the electoral lists either by the authorities prior the elections, or by the precinct election commission on election day. If you are not included in the electoral lists, you can be added on the day of the elections in the polling station upon presentation of a Bulgarian identification document and filling in a standard declaration that you meet the eligibility criteria: that you have resided for at least three months in Bulgaria or in another EU country before election day and that you have not voted and will not vote elsewhere for the same European elections.
For more information on the process of voting from another EU country you can check the website of the Central Electoral Commission.

Bulgarian citizen wishing to vote from a country outside the EU
If you haven’t lived in Bulgaria or in other EU country at least three months immediately before the European elections, you can’t vote for MEPs. However, if you have lived in the EU at least three months immediately before the European election, but on the election date you are in a country outside the EU, you can vote in the Bulgarian foreign representations in this country.
For more information on where to vote if you are outside the EU check the website of the Central Electoral Commission.

Bulgarian citizen voting in Bulgaria
As voting is compulsory in Bulgaria, you don't need to register in advance. You will be invited to vote in the polling section related to the permanent address indicated on your identity card. However, if you want to change your polling section related to your current address, you should submit an application in a standard form to the local administration.

EU-citizen voting in Bulgaria
If you want to vote in Bulgaria, you must register on beforehand by submitting an application to your local administration.
More information on the process of registration can be found on the website of Central Election Commission.

Bulgarian citizen voting from another EU country
For more information on the process of voting from another EU country you can check the website of the Central Electoral Commission.

Bulgarian citizen voting from a country outside the EU
For more information on the process of voting from a country outside the EU you can check the website of the Central Electoral Commission.

Bulgarian citizen voting in Bulgaria
You do not need to register in advance, as this is done automatically by the authorities. However, if you have changed your home address recently, we advise you to check with the national election authority whether your registration on the voting lists is correct.

EU citizen voting in Bulgaria
You have to register to vote 40 days before the elections at the very latest.
You can find more information on the process of registration on the website of Central Election Commission.

Bulgarian citizen voting from another EU country
You have to declare your intention to vote no later than 25 days before election day.
For more information on the process of voting from another EU country you can check the website of the Central Electoral Commission.

You should bring your ID. Voters outside the country can also certify their identity by presenting a passport or a military card.

People with permanent disabilities may vote with a mobile ballot box, but need to submit an application to the local authorities not later than 14 days before the elections.

You may find easy-to-read information about elections on the website Аз Гласувам (in Bulgarian) and on the European elections easy-to-read page of this website.

No, voting by mail in the European elections is not possible in Bulgaria.

No, online voting in the European elections is not possible in Bulgaria.

No, voting by proxy in the European elections is not possible in Bulgaria.