The Bundestag election will take place on February 23, 2025. In order to be able to support this Germany -wide undertaking, the active support of election helpers is needed.
Nationwide elections
According to the Federal Ministry of the Interior and for Home (BMI), elections in Germany are “not carried out by normal state administration, but by independent election organs”. Against this background, nationwide elections – like the Bundestag election – need “650,000 election helpers who take on this volunteering”. According to the Federal Authority, the voluntary commitment is a “service for democracy and the possibility of free elections”. The federal election manager also describes election workers as “the most important bearers of the electoral process”.
Requirements to become election workers
In order to become election workers, there must be an election entitlement. In the case of the Bundestag election, the age of majority and German citizenship are considered prerequisites.
If you want to work as a election worker, your own willingness must be registered with the responsible electoral authority. We are looking for election workers by calls from the state election manager or the municipality directly – so you also help in the community where you live or at least in the responsible constituency.
In principle, however, every citizen entitled to vote is obliged to take over the volunteering of the election worker, unless there are enough volunteers. A rejection is then only possible from certain options, according to the Federal Authority. This includes, for example, “urgent professional reasons, illness or physical impairment”. People, “who have reached the age of 67 on the election day”, are always entitled to reject, according to the Federal Election Director.
Election helpers: areas of responsibility
Election workers jointly form election boards, each of which consisted of a election leader, a deputy and three to seven assessors. They are significantly involved in the organization and order of the election process. This includes checking the election entitlement with the help of the electoral directory, the issue of the ballot paper and the declaration of the election participation in the electoral register, as the BMI explains. In addition, it is only possible to submit the ballot paper when the ballot box has been released by the election assistant. Ultimately, the counting of the votes in order to determine the election result in the electoral district is also carried out by the election workers.
The polling stations are open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.: However, election boards must already make preparations before opening the polling stations. After that, not all election workers have to be present consistently, but always at least three. The count is carried out together after the opening times. In addition to the organizational tasks, assistance, for example in people with disabilities, can also be part of the voluntary work.
Soft money: small remuneration despite volunteering
Since it is a voluntary work, no performance -based remuneration is paid out. However, election workers receive a so -called “refreshment allowance”. This was 25 euros in 2017. According to the federal election manager, too, 25 euros will generally be paid out to the members of the election board members this year. Election leaders usually receive a slightly higher refreshing allowance because they do a higher workload or have more responsibility. With around 35 euros, it can be expected here. The amount of the refreshment allowance can be slightly higher depending on the respective municipality than “the amounts reimbursed by the federal government,” explains the BMI.
If the voluntary activity takes place outside the electoral district, the travel costs spent will also be replaced. The daily and possibly overnight allowance will be set according to the Federal Travel Establish Act and in addition to the refreshment allowance.
Unless regulated by law or collective agreement, employers can also decide whether the employee receives a service or work exemption to exercise the volunteer. This procedure is the rule in the public service.
J. Vogel / Redaktion Finanzen.net