How to vote in Poland

In Poland, people who are 18 years old on the day of voting can vote.

Polish citizen voting in Poland
Voters in Poland vote in district electoral commissions at their place of permanent residence. You are entered into the electoral register based on your place of permanent residence. However, if your address has recently changed, you should check with the relevant municipal office whether you have been added to the voter register. On the basis of the voter register, a list of voters is prepared, i.e. a list of people who have the right to vote at a given district electoral commission. If you want to vote outside your place of residence, you have two options: you can download a certificate of voting rights - the application is submitted to the office of the commune where you are included in the voter roll no later than the third day before election day. You can submit your application in writing, by fax or electronically. With such a certificate, you can vote in any voting district in the country. You can also submit a written request to be added to the voter roll in the commune where you will be staying on election day. The application must be submitted to the municipal office no later than the 5th day before election day.

EU citizen voting in Poland
Every EU citizen who fulfils certain conditions has the right to vote in European Parliament elections in all European Union countries. In Poland, non-Polish EU citizens permanently residing in the area of the commune are entered on the register of voters, part B. Non-Polish EU citizens must be registered in the register of voters at the municipality where they live. The regulations do not indicate the date by which the request for entry in the register of voters must be submitted. However, you have to take into account that the mayor has three days to process the application. Based on the register of voters, an electoral roll is created. EU citizens who are not Polish citizens (the same as Polish citizens) may vote at a chosen polling station provided that they submit a request in writing for entry on the electoral roll. The written request has to be made to the municipality no later than five days prior to the election.

Polish citizen voting from abroad
If you are on the electoral register and live in another EU country (the so-called host country), you can: vote for candidates standing for election in Poland or take part in elections in the host country and vote for candidates standing for election in that country. You can only vote once in European elections. A voter staying in another EU country, holding a valid Polish passport or identity card (or an EU citizen who is not a Polish citizen but holds a valid passport or other document confirming identity) may vote for candidates running in the elections in Poland if they entered in the register of electors drawn up by the territorially competent consul. The entry is made on the basis of a personal application submitted orally, in writing, by telephone, telegraph, telefax or in electronic form (in Polish). The application should contain: surname and first name(s), father's name, date of birth, PESEL identification number, indication of the voter's place of residence abroad, number of a valid Polish passport or identity card as well as the place and date of its issue (in the case of European Union citizens who are not Polish citizens - number of another valid identity document as well as the place and date of its issue), place of entry of the voter into the register of electors (in the case of Polish citizens temporarily residing abroad). The application can be made no later than on the 5th day before election day.
List of Polish posts abroad can be found on the website of Ministry of Foreign Affairs (in Polish).
For detailed information on how to take part in elections in the host country and how to vote for candidates running in that country, see the webpage of "Your Europe" regarding your right to vote.

Polish citizens residing abroad can vote if there is a district created in this sense. The condition is the existence of at least 15 voters in the area of the district and if it is possible to communicate the results of the vote to the competent electoral commission immediately after its completion. Information on the establishment of voting districts abroad is provided by the consuls at the latest on the 21st day before election day. A voter staying abroad, holding a valid Polish passport (or a non-Polish citizen of the European Union holding a valid passport or other identity document) may vote in elections to the European Parliament in Poland if they entered in the register of electors drawn up by the territorially competent consul. The entry is made on the basis of a personal application submitted orally, in writing, by telephone, telegraph, telefax or electronically (in Polish). The application should contain: surname and first name(s), father's name, date of birth, PESEL identification number, indication of the voter's place of residence abroad, number of a valid Polish passport, as well as the place and date of its issue (in the case of European Union citizens who are not Polish citizens - number of another valid identity document, as well as the place and date of its issue) the place of entry of the voter in the electoral register (in the case of Polish citizens temporarily residing abroad). The application can be made at the latest on the 5th day before election day.

Polish citizen voting in Poland
If you intend to vote at the district electoral commission of your permanent residence, you do not have to register your intention to vote in the elections. If you want to be added to the roll of voters in a given commune, you must report to the office of the commune where you want to vote, you can also download a certificate of voting rights and take it to the electoral commission of your choice.

EU citizen voting in Poland
Non-Polish EU citizens must be registered in the register of voters at the municipality where they live. The regulations do not indicate the date by which the request for entry in the register of voters must be submitted. However, you have to take into account that the mayor has three days to process the application. Based on the register of voters, an electoral roll is created. EU citizens who are not Polish citizens (the same as Polish citizens) may vote at a chosen polling station provided that they submit a request in writing for entry on the electoral roll. The written request has to be made to the municipality no later than five days prior to the election.

Polish citizen voting from abroad
The entry into the register of electors is made on the basis of a personal application submitted orally, in writing, by telephone, telegraph, telefax or in electronic form (in Polish). The application should contain: surname and first name(s), father's name, date of birth, PESEL identification number, indication of the voter's place of residence abroad, number of a valid Polish passport or identity card as well as the place and date of its issue (in the case of European Union citizens who are not Polish citizens - number of another valid identity document as well as the place and date of its issue), place of entry of the voter into the register of electors (in the case of Polish citizens temporarily residing abroad).