Inmates in Berlin and Brandenburg Prepare to Vote in Upcoming Bundestag Election
Over 2,200 prisoners in Berlin and Brandenburg are eligible to vote, primarily through mail-in ballots, with measures in place to ensure voting rights and privacy.
- Approximately 1,550 inmates in Berlin and 690 in Brandenburg are eligible to vote in the Bundestag election, representing less than half of the prison populations in both regions.
- Most inmates will vote via mail-in ballots, with some in open detention allowed to cast their votes in person at polling stations on February 23.
- Prisons have established systems to inform inmates about their voting rights and provide assistance, including dedicated staff to address questions and ensure privacy during voting.
- Eligibility is limited to prisoners with German citizenship who are of legal voting age, while the revocation of voting rights is rare and applies only to specific serious crimes like treason or election fraud.
- In Brandenburg, inmates have access to tools like a specially designed platform enabling the use of the Wahl-O-Mat to help inform their voting decisions.