Elections and participation for students in Vienna

Suffrage, or the right to vote, may widely be recognised as a fundamental human right but it is not fully enforced for millions of people around the world. In Austria, it was introduced for men in 1907 and for women only in 1919. If you are eligible to vote, you should make use of it and help decide the future of your city or country.

Elections

Austrian students

All students, who are Austrian citizens and who are at least 16 years of age on Election Day and have their primary residence in Vienna on the qualifying date, are entitled to vote in Vienna in the elections to the European Parliament, the National Council, the Vienna City Council and district councils, and the Federal President.

Non-Austrian students from EU countries

Local elections

Non-Austrian students from EU countries, who are at least 16 years of age on Election Day and have their primary residence in Vienna on the qualifying date, are entitled to vote in Vienna in the elections to the district councils (local elections).

Vienna is a municipality but, at the same time, also a federal province of Austria. The Vienna City Council is therefore at the same time the Vienna Provincial Parliament, which is a legislative assembly. Pursuant to the Austrian federal constitution and current legislation, only persons who hold Austrian citizenship are entitled to vote in elections to legislative assemblies. Non-Austrian citizens from EU countries are therefore not entitled to vote in the elections to the Vienna City Council.

Elections to the European Parliament

Non-Austrian students from EU countries can also cast their vote in Vienna in the elections to the European Parliament. However, before doing so they need to decide whether they want to cast their vote for representatives from their home countries or from Austria. If they want to vote for representatives from their home countries they need to contact their embassies in good time. If they want to vote for representatives from Austria they need to submit an application for entry into the register of EU-voters for non-Austrian EU citizens.

Students from non-EU countries

Persons who are neither Austrian nor EU citizens are not entitled to cast their vote in any of these elections.

Elections to the Vienna City Council and district councils

Elections to the Vienna City Council and to the 23 district councils take place every five years. The last elections to the Vienna City Council and to the district councils were held on Sunday, 11 October 2015.

The distribution of 100 seats in the Vienna City Council are decided in these elections as well as the distribution of between 40 and 60 seats in the district councils. Voting is done by equal, direct, personal, free and secret ballot.

About two weeks before Election Day, all persons eligible to vote will receive the official election information (Amtliche Wahlinformation) by post. It is a short letter specifying the local electoral ward (Sprengel) and polling station (Wahllokal).

Anyone who will not be able to come to the allocated polling station on Election Day, can apply for a voting card that allows you to cast your vote at any polling station in Vienna or from anywhere in Austria or abroad by postal vote.

Participation

In addition to political elections, there are also other ways of participating and engaging in everyday life in the city.

Participation in urban planning

In the past few years, a number of participation projects have been carried out in the area of urban planning.

Participation in urban planning (German)

Launching and supporting online petitions

On the petition platform, persons who are more than 16 years old, have their primary residence in Austria, and submit a valid photo ID can launch and support online petitions.

Petition platform (German)

Dialogue and participation platform of the City of Vienna

wienwillswissen.at is a dialogue and participation platform of the City of Vienna and provides anyone who is interested with the opportunity to find out more about Vienna, post comments, ask questions, and join the discussion.

wienwillswissen.at (German)

Austrian Students’ Union

Students can also participate in the elections to the Austrian Students’ Union. Irrespective of their nationality, students, who have paid their tuition fees by 31 March, can vote in the elections to the Austrian Students’ Union that take place every other year.

Austrian Students’ Union (ÖH)

Elections to representations of interests

Students, who have a permanent work contract and are thus employees, can participate in the elections to the Chamber of Labour and to the Trade Unions. In the public service sector, they can also vote for the employee representation. There are similar elections in other chambers too.