Overview

• The Bavarian Interior Ministry announced in mid-July that municipalities may only issue mail-in ballots 20 days before the March 8, 2026 election, down from the previous 41-day window.
• Officials cite the February 2025 federal election as evidence that a three-week postal voting period can be implemented effectively.
• The Bayerischer Städtetag warns the tighter schedule will create significant storage, printing and delivery challenges in cities such as Munich and Nuremberg.
• Greens MPs Claudia Köhler, Markus Büchler and Florian Siekmann have condemned the change as politically motivated and a threat to voters away on vacation or business.
• The ordinance bypassed Landtag approval and is now moving into implementation planning despite calls for a compromise extension to 34 days.