Local and regional elections, European Parliament elections
Foreigners older than 18 (at the day of elections), with permanent residence in Rača, can participate in local and regional elections, as well as in European Parliament elections (EU nationals only). Under specified conditions (similar to Slovak citizens) they also can be candidates in these elections. Foreigners are not eligible to vote in parliamentary and presidential elections in Slovakia. Basic rule is to have with you identity card or residence card (must be valid) to prove your identity for Electoral Commission in your polling station.
Local Office is responsible for enrolling all foreigners with permanent residence in the permanent list of voters (if not, it is possible to ask for such inclusion at the polling station with documents proving your permanent residence in the city district – valid residence card). It is important to know that it is possible to vote only in Rača (local and regional elections). The information concerning location of polling station will obtain each resident by a letter from local office (one letter per household). Usual polling stations in Rača are widely known public buildings as schools, local culture centres, local office etc. They are dispersed across the city quarter in walking distance for most of local inhabitants.
It is specific in Bratislava (and in Rača too) that voters living here obtain in local elections four ballot papers – one for local Mayor (“Starosta”, circle one candidate), one for local councillors (“zastupiteľstvo mestskej časti”), one for city wide Mayor (“Primátor”, circle one candidate) and one for city wide council (“mestské zastupiteľstvo”). Voter considering voting for Local Council and City-wide Council must follow number of council seats determined at the top of the ballot. It limit maximum number of candidates that can be voted for (you can circle less but not more candidates).
Foreigners also have right to be elected for the posts of Mayor or Local Councillors. In regional elections voters receives two ballot papers. One lists candidates for the Regional Chairperson (Predseda samosprávneho kraja – circle one candidate) and the other is with candidates for the Regional Council (Zastupiteľstvo samosprávneho kraja, „regional parliament“). In a case of Regional Council voters are usually circle more candidates (precise number of regional councillors that can be elected in a certain electoral district is stated on the ballot).
Citizens of a European Union Member State also can to vote in the European Parliament elections on the territory of the Slovak Republic for Slovak candidates if at least 18 years old on the polling day and holds a permanent resident’s permit in the Slovak Republic. EU members state citizens permanently living in Slovakia and older than 21 also can be candidate in these elections. In EP elections voter can place one of the ballot papers without any further modification into the ballot box, but there is also option to mark your preferential vote for a particular candidate by circling the order number of the candidate on one of the ballot papers.
Foreigners interested to participate in their home country elections must contact their respective embassies. Due to the fact that many countries offer possibility to vote at their embassies located in Bratislava, it is gives good chance for participation.