How to vote in France

The elections take place in France on 9 June 2024. The election will take place on 8 June 2024 in the overseas departments of Guadeloupe, Martinique and French Guyana, the overseas territories of Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, Saint-Barthélémy, Saint-Martin and French Polynesia, as well as in the polling stations open in the French embassies and consulates on the American continent.

Voters in France will elect 81 Members of the European Parliament in 2024, two more than in the 2019 elections. In total, the European Parliament will have 720 members, compared to 705 currently.

Members of the European Parliament are elected by direct universal suffrage in a single-round ballot. Under EU law, all countries must use voting systems that ensure proportional representation, which means that the number of elected members from each party depends on the share of electoral votes obtained by the party. France uses closed lists, which do not allow voters to change the order of candidates on the list.

People who wish to stand for the elections will need to submit their declaration of candidacy between Monday, 6 May 2024 and Friday, 17 May 2024 at 18.00 to the Interior Ministry (except on bank holidays). To this end, an application form must be completed. You will find a complete list of all candidates on the Interior Ministry website once the registration period expires.

Most major national political parties present lists of candidates for the European elections. Once elected, most Members of the European Parliament decide to join a pan-European political group. Currently elected Members from French parties span six European political groups out of the seven that make up the Parliament (plus "non-attached" members). You can consult the list of European political groups here. You will also find a complete list of all candidates on the interior ministry website once the registration period expires. All candidates will have the possibility to publish their manifesto online on a dedicated website during the electoral campaign period (May 27th – June 7th).

In France, political parties have to reach least 5% of the votes in order to be elected to the Parliament.

In France, there is only one national constituency, which means people across the country choose from the same list of candidates.

No, in France voting is a right rather than a legal obligation. Unlike in some other European countries, non-voters do not face a fine sanction. But voting remains a civic duty.

To be eligible to vote, you must be either:

• a French citizen aged 18 or over on the day before the vote
  
• a citizen of another EU country aged 18 or over with voting rights in your home State
  

In both cases, you must be domiciled in the municipality where you wish to vote and registered on the electoral roll.
French nationals living abroad and registered on a consular list may vote in the French constituency only if they are not registered on the supplementary electoral list of another European Union Member State. You may need to unsubscribe from this supplementary list, as in the event of dual registration, it is the registration in your country of residence that will be taken into account.
For further information, we invite you to consult the website of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs (in French).

French or EU citizen voting in France
You must vote in a specific polling station. The address is indicated on your voter registration card. You can also find your polling station on this website "Check your electoral status" (in French). Polling stations are usually located at the town hall or other public buildings of your municipality.
In order to vote, you need to be registered on the electoral roll of your municipality or "commune". This can be: the municipality in which you hold permanent residence or have been living in for at least 6 months ; the municipality where you have been paying local taxes for at least 2 years ; the municipality where your company (as manager, or majority or sole shareholder) has been registered for at least 2 years ; for civil servants, your residence of mandatory assignment.
For more information, check out the page "Registering on the electoral roll" of the website of the Ministry of Interior (in French).

French citizen voting from abroad
As a French expat living in another EU country or a non-EU country and willing to vote for candidates running in France, you vote in polling stations organised by the French embassy or consulate of the country where you live. Find out more on voting by a French citizen residing abroad on this website.
Please keep in mind that if you are registered on both the electoral roll for French expats and the electoral roll of the EU country you are currently living in, you will have to vote for the constituency of your country of residence.
For further information, we invite you to consult the website of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs (in French).

French or EU citizen voting in France
In order to vote, you need to be registered on the electoral roll of your municipality or "commune". You can register either in person in the town hall of the municipality where you will vote, online, or by post.
If you have already registered for previous elections, or if you are a first-time voter and have been informed by your local town hall that you are registered, you won’t need to register in advance, as this is done automatically by the authorities. However, if you have changed your home address recently, you will need to register with the town hall of your new municipality. If you are voting for the first time and have not been contacted by your local authority, you should also register.
For more information, you may check the following web pages:

• New registration
  
• First-time voter
  
• Voters who have changed their address
  

French citizen voting from abroad
If you are a French expat living in another EU or a non-EU country and are willing to vote for candidates running in France, you must sign up to the consular electoral list at the French embassy or consulate (in French).
For more information, check out this page: Voting by a French citizen residing abroad Please note that French citizens registered on the "Register of French citizens established outside France" are automatically entered on the consular electoral roll, unless they object. French citizens residing abroad who are not registered on the "Register of French citizens established outside France" may also register on the consular electoral roll of their country of residence.
If you are a French citizen currently living in a EU country other than France, you may be registered both on the consular electoral liste and on the electoral roll of your country of residence. If so, you will vote for the constituency of your country of residence unless you ask to unregister from the electoral roll of your country of residence.
For further information, we invite you to consult the website of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs (in French).

You need to bring your voter registration card and your ID. Only original ID is accepted.
For more information, check out this webpage: Elections: identity documents required for voting.

Polling stations and voting techniques must be accessible to you, whatever your disability. Access to the voting booth and ballot box must be facilitated, particularly if you use a wheelchair. The president of the polling station must take all necessary measures to facilitate this right. If necessary, you have the right to be accompanied to the polling booth and to be assisted in the voting process by the voter of your choice.

If you are unable to go to the polling station, authorities make it easier for you to apply for a proxy vote: you can ask a police officer to come to your home to issue the proxy.
Candidates' manifestos must be available in a format that is easy to read and understand. You will find them on the website of the Ministry of Interiors that is fully accessible.
For more information, check out this page : "Voting for people with disabilities" (in French).

Manifestos and ballot papers will be mailed to your home address. Digital versions of candidate manifestos, as well as easy-to-read versions will be available on the section "Candidates' manifestos for elections" of the website of the Ministry of Interior (in French).
You may also find easy-to-read information about European elections on the easy-to-read page of this website.

No, in France voting by mail for the European elections is not permitted (except for detainees).

No, in France online voting is not possible.

Yes, voting by proxy (in French) is possible if you know that you will be unable to go to the polls on 9 June 2024. You can give your proxy to a voter registered on the electoral roll of a town other than yours.
You may request your proxy via the this website (in French).
Find out more here on voting by proxy (in French).