YOUR GUIDE TO VOTING IN BELGIUM

Image showing an a girl putting a ballot in a voting box.

When to Vote

9 June 2024

Mark your calendars!

Anyone aged 16 or over on the election day can vote if they have residency in Belgium and hold either Belgian citizenship or the citizenship of another EU country. 

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Do I have an obligation to Vote?

Yes, there is a legal obligation to vote, if you are a Belgian or EU citizen of 16 years old or over who has registered to vote. When going to the polling station, don’t forget your ID and the official letter sent by the municipality.

Where can I vote?

Illustration showing different ways to vote, by mail, in person or online.

If you are a Belgian citizen voting in Belgium

If you live in Belgium, check your official home address, because you have to vote at the polling station close to where you live. And guess what?! You don’t have to register, the authorities will do it for you and send you a summons letter to remind you to vote. You can find more details here.

If you are a Belgian citizen voting from another EU country

Do you live abroad  To vote, you need to register. You can even do it online, by using a specific platform. If you are not in Belgium and you wish to cast your vote by consular post or by mail, make sure to register early enough to be able to submit your ballot!

Deadline to register: you have to register by 29 February 2024, because your registration will be only valid from the first day of the fourth month following the submission of the form.

If you are an Belgian citizen voting from a country outside the EU

The same rules of registration apply when voting outside the European Union. 

If you are EU citizen voting in Belgium

As a legal resident in Belgium, you can of course vote there! Make sure to register in the municipality where you have your official residence, to be on the voting list. You can either register by using the online platform or by contacting the municipality where your residence is. Learn more here.

Deadline to register: you have to register by 31 March 2024.

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Voting Online
Can I vote online?
NO ✖ Unfortunately you cannot vote online in Belgium.
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Voting by Mail
Can I vote by mail?
NO ✖ Unfortunately you cannot vote by mail, unless you are a Belgian citizen residing abroad who wishes to vote in the European Elections for Belgium.
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Voting by Proxy
Can I vote by proxy?
Good news, ✓ YES, you can vote by proxy in Belgium.
Find more info
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Voting & accessibility

Do you have a disability or an illness? If you cannot go to the polling station, there are forms of assistance available (with the permission of the polling station’s president):

  • you can choose someone to assist you in filling the ballot
  • you can ask for a a member of the polling station to be designated to assist you
  • suitable transportation to pick you up from your home and take you to the polling station can be arranged in advance
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fun facts

  • Belgium was one of the founders of what we know nowadays as the European Union, on 12 July 1958.
  • Belgium will have 22 members of the European Parliament, the same as in the previous elections in 2019.
  • There are three national constituencies, the Dutch-speaking constituency with 13 seats, for Flandes and those who opt for the candidates on the Dutch-speaking list, the French-speaking constituency, with 8 seats, for Wallonia and those who vote for candidates in this list; and the German-speaking constituency, with only 1 seat.
  • Belgium allows its voters to either vote preferentially or directly vote with a ballot which has the order that the political party chose.
  • There is no official threshold for the European elections.
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