Rostock Voters Opt for Direct Delivery Over Postal Mail Ahead of Election
Rostock, Germany – As the upcoming German federal elections draw near, voters in the Schmarl district of Rostock are increasingly opting to personally deliver their postal ballots rather than relying on the postal service.
Overcrowded Ballot Boxes Prompt Direct Delivery
According to the Rostock city administration, many voters are choosing to hand-deliver their ballots due to concerns over the shortened deadlines and the limited capacity of postal ballot drop-off boxes. At the beginning of the week, ballot boxes at the Wählerverzeichnis- und Briefwahlstelle (Voter Registry and Postal Ballot Office) in Schmarl were reportedly filled to capacity.
Postal Drop-Off Boxes Monitored
The city has confirmed that the eight ballot boxes at the Schmarl office are emptied daily, except on weekends. On Friday afternoon, the boxes were last emptied before the weekend. By Monday morning, three out of the eight boxes were excessively full, while three others were moderately full and two were empty.
Strong Demand for Postal Ballots
As of early this week, 44,500 applications for postal ballots had been submitted. The Wählerverzeichnis- und Briefwahlstelle has received close to 14,000 postal ballots, with over 11,400 delivered via Deutsche Post and approximately 2,500 via house mailboxes.
Alternative Delivery Options Available
Voters can utilize any other Deutsche Post mailbox or the mailbox at the Rathaus (City Hall). However, the city advises checking the mailbox capacity before using it. This recommendation also applies to Deutsche Post mailboxes.
Direct Submission at Rathaus Recommended
The city strongly encourages voters to submit their postal ballots directly at the Rathaus Infothek (Information Desk) by Friday.
Additional Information and Tips
- Voters should confirm their voter registration details at https://www.rostock.de/rathaus/amt-41-service/wahlen-und-abstimmungen.
- Postal ballots require a voter signature and must be returned in the official envelope provided.
- Voters can track their postal ballot status online at https://www.tracking-wahlbrief.de.
- In case of any issues or concerns, voters can contact the Wählerverzeichnis- und Briefwahlstelle by phone at 0381-3811565 or by email at [email protected].
