The political battle for the European elections is underway, with a few days left to complete the necessary steps to verify or register on the electoral roll in order to vote on June 9th in mainland France – the election will take place the day before in some overseas territories and for some French citizens abroad. The deadline set by the government to register on the electoral roll of your municipality is May 1st if you do it online, and May 3rd if you do it in person at the town hall or consulate, with a few exceptions. It is important to verify your registration status and know what to do if you are not correctly registered.
In France, as with any other election, it is necessary to be a French national, not have been deprived of your civil and political rights by the judiciary, and be of legal age to vote in the European elections. Additionally, European citizens residing in another Member State can participate in the election of representatives to the European Parliament in that state, as stated in Article 22.2 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. Citizens residing in France can vote on June 9th if they meet certain criteria and are registered on a supplementary electoral list of their municipality. It is important to note that those who choose to vote in France cannot vote in their home country, and vice versa.
Verifying your registration on the electoral roll can be done either by contacting the relevant services at your town hall or by using the online platform provided by the government. By entering your personal details, you can check your voter registration status and download your registration certificate. This process also allows you to ensure that you are correctly registered at your current address. For those who may be incorrectly registered, such as students still registered at their parents’ address or those who have recently moved, there are options available to update their registration information.
In cases where individuals are not correctly registered on the electoral roll, there are options available to rectify the situation. The government website provides a service for changing electoral registration online, which requires providing proof of identity and proof of address. Alternatively, individuals can visit their town hall or send a request by mail to update their registration information. The deadline for online registration is May 1st, with an extension until May 3rd for paper forms in person at the town hall or consulate.
Exceptions to the registration deadline exist for certain circumstances, such as young adults turning 18 without having completed the necessary citizen census, recent changes of address, recent acquisition of French nationality, or recently regained voting rights. In these cases, registration is possible until May 29th or 30th. If unsure about eligibility, individuals can consult the service-public.fr website for more information. Additionally, individuals who are unable to vote on election day can assign a proxy to vote on their behalf, a process that can be completed either online or in person at designated locations.
For the upcoming European elections in 2024, individuals can already begin the process of appointing a proxy in case they are unable to vote on election day. The procedure can be completed online or in person at specific locations to validate their identity. A recent decree allows for the complete dematerialization of the proxy process for the first time in the 2024 European elections, making it more convenient for voters to participate in the electoral process.
