Mayoral election

The nominations for the election on 26.05.2024 were published in the Official Gazette 18/24 of the City of Jena (PDF). A sample ballot paper can be found under Downloads.

The term of office of the Lord Mayor begins on the day after the election is accepted, but not before the end of the previous mayor's term of office.

The electoral area is the city of Jena. The Lord Mayor is elected according to the principles of majority voting. Each voter has one vote.

The person who receives more than half of the valid votes cast is elected. If no one receives this majority, a run-off election is held on the second Sunday after the election day between the two persons who received the highest number of votes in the first election. In the event of a tie, the winner of the run-off election is determined by drawing lots. In the run-off election, the person with the highest number of valid votes cast is elected.

Eligibility to vote

Every German and national of another EU country who has reached the age of 16 on election day (birthday 26.05.2008 and before) and has had their main residence in Jena for at least three months and has not been excluded from the right to vote may vote. He or she will be entered in the electoral roll ex officio and will be sent an election notification by 05.05.2024 at the latest.

Eligibility for election

Eligible voters for the office of district mayor are those who have reached the age of 18 on the day of the election (birthday 26.05.2006 and before) and have had their main residence in Jena for at least six months.

Election proposals

Election proposals can be submitted by parties, groups of voters and individual candidates from the announcement of the election (at the latest three months before the election date).

Voter notification

Anyone entered in the electoral roll will receive an official election notification by post at the end of April, at the latest by 05.05.2024 (21st day before the election). The polling card has two functions:

Together with your identity card or passport, it serves as proof of eligibility to vote when you go to vote in your polling station on election Sunday. You must therefore take the letter with you. Your polling station is named in the election notification letter.

If you do not go to your polling station on election Sunday, you can apply for postal voting, preferably online, using the data from the election notification letter.

Application channels for postal voting documents

• From 14.04.2024 (42nd day before the election), postal voting documents can be applied for

• the application via the online form or by informal e-mail must be made no later than the Wednesday before the election date, otherwise the documents will probably not reach you in time.

• Recommended application method: Online application for postal voting documents

• written application / personal visit / authorization: You will find an application form for postal voting documents on the back of the election notification letter. Please use this form if you wish to apply for your postal voting documents by post (send in good time!), by fax or in person or if you wish to authorize a third party to collect your postal voting documents.

• applying for postal voting documents in person, including the option to vote immediately, is possible from 06.05.2024 at the postal voting office in the Citizens' Services Department, Engelplatz.

• In the event of proven sudden illness, postal voting documents can also be collected from the election center on election Sunday from 08:00 to 15:00. To do this, please call the Citizens' Service Office, Engelplatz, 07743 Jena.

• The deadline for submitting nominations for the election of the Lord Mayor ends on 12.04.2024 (44th day before the election) at 18:00.
• The election notification letters will be sent out from 14.04.2024 (42nd day before the election) and must be received by the voter by 05.05.2024.
• The option to apply for postal voting documents online
• begins on 28.04.2024 and ends on the Wednesday before the election date.
• The postal voting office at the Citizens' Services Department will be open from Monday, 06.05.2024, until 6 p.m. on the Friday before the election date.
• The election letter must be returned to the electoral authority of the city of Jena by 6 p.m. on election day (by post or via the city's deadline letterbox or handed in at the election center).

Information on submitting election proposals can be found under Links and downloads.

The certification of the eligibility of the candidates and the eligibility to vote of the signatories of the nomination does not have to be obtained from the parties and nomination holders. This is checked internally after the nomination has been submitted. It is recommended that nominations be signed by more than 10 eligible voters (ThürKWG § 14 Para. 1) in order to be able to fall back on a reserve if necessary.

• Thuringian Local Elections Act
• Thuringian Municipal Election Code