Polling place

The polling station or polling station is the public place where a choice is made. If a referendum or a plebiscite held, it is called instead of the voice or the voice local area. It is a space that usually located in a public building (school or town hall).

The polling place must be a choice of free advertising and pacified place and allow a secret decision of the voter in a polling booth in accordance with democratic principles. No one may be prevented from entering the polling station, and to pursue as an election observer the circumstances of the act of voting and public counting of votes (the latter does not apply to the use of electronic voting machines ). However, the members of the Electoral Board shall have the right and duty to initiate and enforce measures against interference with election procedures, if necessary with the help of the police.

In municipal, state, federal or European elections, all voting citizens receive in advance a notification card in the mail, in which the intended for the respective polling station including civil space is specified.

Germany

In Germany, elections and polling stations are often set up in schools and community spaces of churches because they are not used on Sundays, where all the elections and referendums in Germany. These are opened on the day of election or vote, usually a vote of 8 clock in the morning and 18 clock is possible in the evening. After closing the election or polling stations the counting of the votes cast there on spot.

Alternatively to the use of the option or voice premises is also a vote by letter or advance possible in the municipality.

Switzerland

Since the vote in Switzerland usually four times a year, and public funding should be used sparingly, voting and polling stations in Switzerland are usually very simple furnishings. One or more urns are often on the floor or on a table. The members of the polling stations are next to it. Sometimes there is a table to be stamped electoral lists; elsewhere, this is done directly on the edge of the box. In addition, the voters of the electoral material get advance sent by mail so that they can fill their home voting or ballot already.

In Switzerland, which continues to be reduced still abundant, number and opening times of voting and polling stations, as more and more voters to vote by post or vote. Depending on the local incident they are often located at the entrance of the school, Council or community center, railway stations. Most can be voted or elected during the week before the election or vote on the municipal office or the district office.