A guide to exercising the right to vote was issued by the Ministry of the Interior in 20 questions – answers, ahead of Sunday’s parliamentary elections.

1. When and for which elections do we vote?

The next parliamentary elections will be held on Sunday, June 25, 2023. Voting lasts from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm.

2. With which electoral system do we vote?

The parliamentary elections of June 25, 2023 will be held with the enhanced proportional system, as opposed to those of May 21, which were held with the simple proportional system.

3. Is voting compulsory?

Exercising the right to vote in accordance with the electoral law is mandatory.

4. Who are exempt from the obligation to exercise their right to vote?

Those who will be abroad on the day of the vote and those who have exceeded the age of 70 are legally exempt from the mandatory exercise of the right to vote.

Also the voters who have been registered in the special electoral lists of hetero-citizens, but it was not possible to establish a special electoral division for hetero-citizens, due to the non-filling of the number of at least forty (40) hetero-citizen voters in the same basic electoral district (Article 96, par. 1 of Presidential Decree 26/2012).

5. How will I know where I am voting? Will it be the same polling station where I voted in the 21 May 2023 election?

As there are likely to be changes in polling stations, all voters are strongly advised to look up where they are voting:

Via the website of the Ministry of the Interior “Learn where you vote”

By calling the Telephone Center of the Directorate of Electronic Government of the Ministry of Interior and the numbers 213 136 1500 and 2131313800 daily from 08:00 to 20:00. On Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 June, the call center will be open 24 hours a day.

Attention: For the convenience of voters, it is recommended to first use the online application at www.ypes.gr “Learn how to vote” and only in the event that they face difficulty to contact the citizens’ information service by phone, so that they can be informed about the electoral division who vote.

6. With what documents do I vote? What do I do if I have lost my police ID?

You can vote with your identity card, passport, driver’s license or individual health card of all insurance funds issued by the competent Greek authorities. “Cut” ID is acceptable. If your personal details have changed (e.g. change of surname due to divorce), you will need to provide the relevant supporting documents. Military and security forces use their official ID.

7. Can I vote with a digital ID?

Yes. Voters can also be identified using the digital identity card from the Gov.gr wallet application.

There are two options:

a) Press the quick scan button and show the QR code to the judicial representative,

b) To press the “View QR code” button and after showing the QR code to the legal representative, give the additional code received through the application.

Both options are equivalent in terms of the electoral process, with the first being considered easier.

8. I am a non-resident. Can I vote where I live?

Non-resident voters exercise their right to vote at their place of residence, in special non-resident electoral divisions, as determined. For the elections of June 25, 2023, those who have submitted an application to the competent Municipality and it has been processed by it no later than April 30, 2023, can vote in their municipality of residence. An application that has not been processed by that date is not taken into account for the upcoming election process.

In any case, voters can find out in which polling station they will vote, through the website www.ypes.gr “Learn where to vote”.

9. How do I vote for MPs?

The elections of 25 June 2023 will be held by a restricted combination (list) and not by a preference cross. With this process, MPs are elected based on the order of their ranking on the ballot paper of each electoral district, which is determined by the respective party staffs. Therefore, we do NOT put a cross on the party ballots. Besides, there will be no pen on the screens of the polling stations that will be created.

10. Are the ballots used in the May 21, 2023 election still valid?

No. The parliamentary elections of June 25, 2023 will be held with new ballot papers, which will be printed based on what the current law stipulates. Therefore, ballots that related to the elections of May 21, 2023 and for any reason remained in the possession of the voters become invalid and cannot be used.

11. What should I do if I do not find my name in the electoral rolls?

If you do not find your name in the electoral rolls, contact the Municipality, in whose electoral rolls you are registered, until the end of the voting.

12. I discovered that I am dual registered. What am I doing;

You are registered in the municipal registers of two or more municipalities. For the June 25 parliamentary elections, you must vote in the municipality of your legal registration, which is verified after you contact the relevant municipalities. The court representative will ask you to sign an affidavit that you know you are dually registered and have not voted and will not vote elsewhere. These statements will be collated at the Home Office and cross-referenced. This process ensures the validity of the elections.

Let’s not forget that double voting is prohibited and severely punished.

13. Are there facilities for disabled voters?

Voters with disabilities are given absolute priority. In addition, provision is made for the creation of a reception and support area for voters with disabilities and reduced mobility for polling stations that are not located on the ground floor and do not meet the accessibility criteria for Persons with Disabilities (PWD). In the space inside the voting partition for the selection of the ballot, exclusive access, if necessary, apart from the voter, have: a) the judicial representative and b) any accompanying person of the voter, under the responsibility and presence of the judicial representative. The judicial representative assists in expressing the voter’s wishes with the discretion and confidentiality required to maintain the secrecy of the vote. In the voting booth and in the reception and support area for voters with disabilities and reduced mobility, assistance dogs (guides) for people with disabilities are allowed.

14. I am a Greek resident or will be abroad on Sunday 25 June 2023. Can I vote?

Greeks abroad can vote at their place of residence as long as the application for registration in the special electoral rolls has been submitted to the relevant platform of the Ministry of the Interior (https:/apodimoi.gov.gr) until Wednesday, May 17, 2023. It is clarified that for the approval of the application, the criteria as defined by the applicable law are applied.

15. In the previous elections I voted abroad, but on June 25, 2023 I will be in Greece. Will I be able to vote?

The deadline for submitting an application for suspension of registration in the special electoral rolls abroad was Friday, May 26, 2023. Any application submitted after this date will not be considered for the upcoming election process.

16. At what age is the right to vote acquired?

In Greece, everyone who reaches the age of 17 in the election year has the right to vote. So for the 2023 Elections, those born between 1/1/2006 and 31/12/2006 can vote.

17. Who are deprived of this right?

Those who are, in accordance with the provisions of the Civil Code, in complete deprivation of legal support. Those who were deprived of it due to an irrevocable criminal conviction, in any of the crimes defined by the criminal and military penal code, for as long as this deprivation lasts.

18. What should I do if my details in the electoral rolls are different from those on my identity card?

It depends on the differences. If they are essential, you may be required to obtain an identity card from your municipality. It is best to stock up on this early to avoid last minute hassles.

19. How many days of voting leave am I entitled to, based on the kilometer distance of the area where I vote?

Those who work 5 days are entitled to:

Those who will move from 200-400 km, 1 working day

Those who will move from 401 km or more, 2 working days, as long as they move entirely by road based on their responsible declaration

Those who work 6 days are entitled to:

Those who will move from 100-200 km, 1 working day

Those who will move from 201-400 km, 2 working days

Those who will move from 401 km and more, 3 working days

For both of the above cases, those who move to islands for which there is no access, the number of days of leave will be considered on a case-by-case basis, depending on the distance and the special conditions of movement, without this leave exceeding 3 working days.

20. How we vote

Voters come to the polling station and present themselves to the electoral commission, which recognizes their identity and verifies their registration in the electoral roll. Voters enter the polling station one-by-one or in small groups, in the order of their attendance and as specifically determined by each electoral committee.

The identification of voters for the exercise of their right to vote is based on their police identity card, either in physical or digital form or the relevant temporary certificate from the competent authority or their passport or driver’s license or the individual health record of all insurance funds.

To each voter, the electoral commission gives a specially marked envelope initialed by the representative of the judicial authority and sealed with the stamp of the commission, as well as a complete series of paper ballots of all combinations and candidates.

Voters who, due to physical weakness, cannot do the above, have the right for this purpose to contact the representative of the judicial authority or a member of the electoral committee, who are obliged to help them.

The voter is forbidden to cast his ballot in the ballot box: a) if it is not inside the envelope with the special feature (diagonal line) or if the envelope is not closed or if the envelope does not bear the seal and initials of the legal representative and b) if the voter did not first retire to the separate area (screen).

The voter who voted is granted, upon request, a relevant certificate signed by the President of the electoral committee and sealed with her seal.