Homeless people can also vote in the Berlin election on September 20th

In the election for the Berlin House of Representatives on September 20th, homeless people without a permanent address or registration address can also vote. State returning officer Stephan Bröchler pointed out this generally little-known aspect. However, in order to exercise their right to vote, they must take action themselves.

From this Monday (August 17th) you have three weeks to get yourself registered on an electoral roll. To do this, you must go to the election office in the district in which you were on the night of August 15th to 16th with an official photo ID.

According to Bröchler, people will receive support on site when filling out applications and answering other questions about voting. The election notification, which Berliners with a registration address automatically receive by post, can also be issued there. It contains information about the polling station. Finally, postal voting is also possible at the election office. The deadline for entry in the electoral roll is August 28th.

The Pankow electoral office went one step further on Monday. As part of a pilot project, employees visit a day care center for homeless people to help them register on the electoral roll and, if necessary, vote.

The requirements for taking part in the election are the same for people without a permanent address as for those eligible to vote with a permanent address. You must be German, at least 16 years old and live in Berlin for at least three months. Citizens of other EU countries living in Berlin are also permitted to vote in elections to the district council assemblies.

“It is important to mobilize all citizens of Berlin who are eligible to vote to take part in the elections on September 20, 2026,” said state returning officer Bröchler to the German Press Agency. “Homeless or homeless people are our fellow citizens. Elections are a good opportunity to express this understanding publicly.”

He will also address people and encourage them to exercise their right to vote on September 20th. An appeal in a street and homeless newspaper as well as the publication of a video call for elections are also planned.

In Berlin, thousands of people live on the streets and tens of thousands in accommodation for people without their own apartment or, for example, temporarily with friends. According to the Federal Working Group for Homeless Assistance, many people do not know that they can vote or what steps are necessary to do so. Politics at the state and local level in particular has a direct impact on their living situation. “It is all the more important that homeless people can also cast their vote,” said a spokesman.

It is unclear how many eligible voters from this district actually exercise their right to vote. According to Bröchler, there are currently no scientific-empirical studies on this.