Overview

• The 2025 Bundestag election was called early following the collapse of the governing coalition and will take place on February 23, leaving voters with significantly reduced timelines for mail voting.
• Federal Election Commissioner Ruth Brand and multiple state election officials have emphasized the need for voters to request, complete, and return mail ballots much earlier than in regular election years.
• Mail voting materials can already be requested, and voters are encouraged to act promptly, as the window between ballot dispatch and the election date is unusually short this year.
• Some election officials recommend in-person voting at polling stations to avoid potential delays in mail delivery, though Deutsche Post has assured timely handling of election-related mail.
• The popularity of mail voting has grown in recent years, with nearly half of voters opting for it in 2021, raising logistical challenges for this year’s compressed timeline.