Postal voting is in full swing

Almost 16,000 Jena citizens have already been sent their postal voting documents for the upcoming local elections in ten days' time (as of May 16). "We therefore estimate that the proportion of postal votes, which was just under 30 percent in the local elections five years ago, will be significantly exceeded," says election manager Matthias Bettenhäuser. Colleagues from the Citizens' Services department and others from the entire city administration are working flat out to deliver the documents as quickly as possible. This is indeed time-consuming, as documents for the election of the Lord Mayor, the City Council, the district mayor and the district council have to be compiled correctly. The volume of work in such a short space of time is enormous and he is pleased and grateful that his colleagues are cooperating in this way, emphasizes Bettenhäuser. He also asks for their understanding that there have been occasional delays in delivery.

The postal voting documents should be returned by Wednesday, May 22, at the latest, so that they can be delivered to the city on time. If you have not yet applied for a postal vote, it is best to do so online via the city's website(https://ajproxy.jena.de/IWS/start.do?mb=16053000)(link is external)

Postal voting documents can also be collected in person from the city's postal voting office (Citizens' Services Department, event room, access via Klostergasse). You can also vote here immediately. The postal voting office is open on Mondays (except Whit Monday) and Fridays, 8.30 am to 1.00 pm, Tuesdays 8.30 am to 6.00 pm, Wednesdays 9.00 am to 1.00 pm and Thursdays 8.30 am to 4.00 pm. On Friday, May 24, the postal voting office will remain open until 6.00 pm. Election letters can then be posted in the city's deadline letterbox in Gerbergasse on Saturday and handed in on election Sunday at the election center, Bürgerdienste, Engelplatz 1, by 6 p.m. at the latest.

A high volume of postal votes is also expected for the European elections a fortnight later. At present, around 7,200 postal voting documents have been sent out.