Increased Demand for Mail-in Voting in Brandenburg for Bundestag Elections

As the upcoming Bundestag elections approach, there is a notable surge in interest for mail-in voting across various cities in Brandenburg, although the demand is not uniform throughout the region.

In Cottbus, the enthusiasm for mail-in ballots is particularly pronounced. The city's spokesperson reported that approximately 17,000 mail-in voting documents had been dispatched by the previous week, with expectations of reaching around 20,000 by election day. This figure aligns with previous elections, although trends regarding the return of completed ballots are yet to emerge.

Frankfurt (Oder) has also seen a robust utilization of mail-in voting, mirroring patterns from the previous year's elections. The city's spokesperson noted that the current requests for mail-in ballots are consistent with the levels observed during the 2024 elections, though future developments in demand leading up to the election remain uncertain.

Conversely, the capital, Potsdam, has experienced a slight decline in mail-in voting applications. By midweek, around 35,000 requests had been processed, compared to approximately 44,000 during the previous Bundestag election four years ago. The city anticipates around 40,000 total mail-in requests this time, indicating a modest decrease.

The timeframe for mail-in voting has been notably reduced this election cycle, with only two weeks available for voters to apply for and submit their ballots, as opposed to the usual six-week period. To ensure that their votes are counted, voters must return their completed ballots by 6 PM on election day. Brandenburg's state election officer has advised voters to either personally deposit their mail-in ballots into the designated mailboxes or to visit the appropriate polling locations to cast their votes.

Approximately two million residents of Brandenburg are eligible to participate in the upcoming early Bundestag elections, each having two votes: one for the candidate in their electoral district and another for the party's state list. A total of 132 candidates will be contesting in the region, with 60 candidates appearing on both a state list and in a direct electoral district, while 85 are running solely as direct candidates and 107 exclusively on state lists.