How to vote in Romania

The European elections take place in Romania on Sunday, 9 June 2024. The polling stations are open between 7.00-22.00, local time. Voters who are at the polling station at 10:00 p.m., as well as those queuing outside the polling station to enter the polling station, can exercise their right to vote until 11:59 p.m. (local time).

Voters will elect 33 Members of the European Parliament in 2024.

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. Romania uses closed lists, which does not allow voters to change the order of candidates on the list.

To stand for election as a Member of the Parliament in Romania, you must have reached the age of 23, have the right to vote and be included on the lists of a political party, a national minority organisation, a political alliance, electoral alliance or as an individual. A full list of candidates is published on the website of the Central Electoral Bureau (established about 3 months before the European elections date - 16.03.2024).

The nomination of candidates shall be made only by the political parties, the political alliances and the organisations of citizens belonging to national minorities, legally established, as well as by the electoral alliances set up in compliance with the provisions of this law. The lists of candidates for the election of members from Romania to the European Parliament shall be submitted to the Central Electoral Bureau, 60 days at the latest before the reference date - 10.04.2024, 12.00 pm. A full list of candidates is published on the website of the Central Electoral Bureau (in Romanian).

Political parties, national minorities organisations, political alliances and electoral alliances have to clear at least 5% of the total valid votes cast at national level.
Independent candidates may be assigned a mandate if they have obtained a number of valid votes cast at least equal to the national electoral coefficient. The national electoral coefficient represents the whole of the ratio between the total number of valid votes cast and the number of MEP mandates assigned to Romania.

In Romania there is just one national constituency, which means people across the country choose from the same list of candidates or independent candidates.

No, there is no legal obligation to vote in the European elections in Romania.

You are eligible to vote in the European elections in Romania if you are:

1. aged 18 years or over on election day
2. a Romanian or an EU citizen officially living in Romania

Romanian citizen voting in Romania
Voters are assigned a polling station based on where they live. Electoral lists for each station are drafted ahead of election day. However, it is possible to vote at another polling station if you are away from your place of residence on election day. In this case, the chair of the polling station bureau has to register you on the supplementary electoral lists.

EU citizen voting in Romania
You can vote if you are from another EU country, but you must first register on a special electoral list with the city hall of your place of residence. You can vote at the local polling station assigned to you based on your place of residence. There is also the possibility to vote at another polling station, if you are away from your place of residence on election day, but only if the county electoral bureau or the sector electoral bureau (for Bucharest) confirms that you have been included on the special electoral lists upon the phone request of the chair of the polling station electoral bureau. If you are a voter with reduced mobility, you can also vote at a different polling station than the one you are assigned to, from the same administrative-territorial unit.

Romanian citizen voting from abroad
You can vote from another EU or non-EU country at the polling stations organised by the Romanian state. No additional rules and procedures for registering to vote in another EU or non-EU country.
For further information, go to Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.

EU citizen voting abroad
You can vote if you are a citizen of another EU country at a polling station organised by the Romanian state in a country other than Romania only if you are registered in the special electoral lists.

Romanian citizen voting in Romania
As a Romanian citizen, you don’t 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 (Registrul electoral) (in Romanian) whether your registration on the voting lists is correct.

EU citizen voting in Romania
You must register on a special electoral list with the city hall of your place of residence. You can vote at the local polling station assigned to you based on your place of residence. There is also the possibility to vote at another polling station, but only if the county electoral bureau or the sector electoral bureau (for Bucharest) confirms that you have been included on the special electoral lists upon the phone request of the chair of the polling station electoral bureau.

Romanian citizen voting from abroad
No additional rules and procedures for registering to vote in another EU or non-EU country.
For further information, go to Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.

EU citizen voting abroad
You can vote if you are a citizen of another EU country at a polling station organised by the Romanian state in a country other than Romania only if you are registered in the special electoral lists.

You should bring a valid ID or a passport.

Voters with a disability have the possibility to get assistance in voting at the polling station or opt for voting via the mobile ballot box.

You may find easy-to-read information about European elections on the easy-to-read page of this website.

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

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

No, voting by proxy is not possible in Romania.