Czechs abroad can vote by postal ballot

The correspondence option represents a fundamental change for all Czech citizens living abroad for a long time. Until now, they have only been able to vote at embassies, which can be hundreds or even thousands of kilometres away. In practice, this meant that only a small number of compatriots exercised their right to vote. The new option of voting by letter is now open, and from the comfort of their foreign residence.

Thanks to this change, the right to vote and the democratic participation of Czech citizens abroad is being strengthened.

Legal framework and legislation

Correspondence voting is enshrined in the amendments to the electoral laws that will come into force in 2025. It is regulated primarily by the Act on Elections to the Parliament of the Czech Republic and the Act on the Election of the President of the Republic. The Czech legislation thus responds to the practice common in many European countries where correspondence voting is the standard for citizens abroad.

The novelty preserves all the principles of electoral law: secrecy of voting, equality, directness and universality. Every voter must be assured that their vote will remain anonymous and will be counted in the same way as others. The system is therefore set up to ensure control and minimise the risk of abuse.

An important legal innovation is the possibility of electronic communication with the representative offices. From April 2025, it will be possible to apply for registration on the special voters’ list and for the issue of election documents via the Citizen’s Portal. This step strengthens the accessibility of the service and facilitates administration.

Correspondence voting will be used in presidential, Chamber of Deputies and European Parliament elections. On the other hand, it cannot be used for regional or local elections, as these are linked to the place of residence in the Czech Republic.

Who can use the correspondence option

Not every citizen can vote by post. The basic condition is that you must be a long-term resident abroad and registered on a special voters’ list kept by the embassy. This list acts as a register of all compatriots with the right to vote outside the Czech Republic.

The correspondence vote is therefore open to citizens who live, work or study abroad and have their effective residence there. This does not mean a short-term tourist stay. If someone goes on holiday, the option to vote by post does not automatically open up. The condition is actual residence in the district of the embassy or consulate in question.

This is of great benefit to compatriots in remote countries where the nearest embassy is hundreds of kilometres away. Thanks to the postal vote, they will no longer have to travel, risk losing a working day or incurring financial expenses.

On the other hand, tourists or short-term travellers can still use only the traditional voting – either in the Czech Republic or in person at the embassy, or with a voter ID card.

How to register on the special voters’ list

In order to use the postal vote, a citizen must be registered on the special voters’ list at the embassy. However, registration is not automatic, but must be requested.

There are several ways to apply:

• in person at the embassy or consulate,
• by an authorised person with a certified power of attorney,
• by post with a certified signature,
• by data box,
• electronically via the Citizen Portal.

The deadline is fixed – the application must be received no later than 40 days before the election. If a voter fails to apply in time, he/she cannot vote by correspondence.

The registration is long-term: once on the list, the voter remains on the list until he/she requests to be removed. This is practical for compatriots who have lived abroad for many years. However, if someone moves to another country, they must apply for re-registration to another embassy.

In October 2025, Czechs abroad were able to use the postal vote for the first time during the parliamentary elections. 27 945 voters cast a valid vote. 8 978 of them used the correspondence vote.

It is necessary to request the release of documents

Registration on the electoral roll alone is not enough. For each election, the voter must apply separately for the issue of correspondence papers.

The application must be made through the same channels as the registration (in person, by post, via the Citizen’s Portal, etc.) and also has a fixed deadline – no later than 35 days before the election.

The voter can choose where the envelopes are to be sent, but only ever within the state where the representative office operates. They cannot be sent, for example, from Germany to Austria.

An interesting feature is the limitation for authorised persons: one person can process applications for a maximum of 7 voters at one office. The purpose is to prevent the bulk collection of applications and their abuse.

If a voter forgets to apply for the documents, the possibility to vote by correspondence is lost and he can only participate in the traditional on-site voting.

Once the application has gone through, the representative office sends the voter the necessary materials. These include voting instructions, an identification card, an official ballot envelope and a return delivery envelope.

The materials must be sent out at least 25 days before the election to give the voter enough time to get everything done. They shall be mailed by regular mail or by carrier service. However, the cost of return delivery is the responsibility of the voter.

It is very important to keep an eye on the delivery – if the post office delays the delivery and the envelope does not reach the office by the close of voting, the vote will be forfeited. This is why the government recommends using registered or tracked mail.

Voting procedure and return of vote

The voting process itself has a clear procedure:

1. The voter downloads and prints the ballot paper for the relevant constituency from the Home Office website.
2. They place it in the official envelope (which is not sealed).
3. The voter signs the ballot paper.
4. Place both parts in the delivery envelope.
5. He/she sends the package to the address of the representative office where he/she is registered.

It is important to follow all the steps exactly. If the voter forgets to sign the identification slip, the vote will not be accepted. Similarly, the mail should be sent only to “his” office – other embassies cannot accept it.

The envelope must arrive no later than the close of voting. This means that last minute posting can be risky, especially from exotic countries with slow postal systems.

Election commissioners discarded 221 mail-in ballots because they did not meet the legal requirements.

Voter ID and postal voting

Some voters apply for a voter card to vote outside their home area. If they have one and want to vote by post, they must put it in the delivery envelope with their other documents. If they do not enclose it, their vote could be invalidated.

However, the voter card is still primarily used for absentee voting, for example when a voter is in a different country from where they are registered and decides to vote in person.

Election timetable

According to the schedule issued by the State Department, the following critical deadlines apply:

• 40 days before the election – the deadline for registration on the special voters list,
• 35 days before the election – last day to apply for a postal vote,
• 25 days before the election – deadline for sending election materials to voters,
• by the close of voting – delivery of the envelope to the representative office.

If any of these deadlines are missed, the opportunity to vote by mail is lost. We therefore recommend that you monitor the deadlines carefully, ideally several weeks in advance.

Summary

Czechs living abroad for a long time can vote by postal vote from 2025, which will make it much easier to vote in presidential, Chamber of Deputies and European Parliament elections. The key is to register in time in a special voters’ list kept at the embassy, no later than 40 days before the elections. For each election, a separate request for the sending of election documents must be made at least 35 days before the vote. The voter will receive instructions, an identification card and envelopes in which to place the printed ballot paper, the signed identification card and then return everything to his/her representative office. The envelope must arrive by the close of voting or the vote is forfeited. Only those who are effectively resident abroad can vote by correspondence, not tourists or short-term residents. The election timetable sets out key deadlines that must be met, so it is advisable to start making arrangements well in advance.