1. The right of Union citizens to vote

Union citizens may vote if they are at least 18 years old, reside in Slovakia and thus have a residence permit of a foreigner. Union citizens obtain the resident permit of a foreigner when they apply for residence on the territory of the Slovak Republic at the competent office of the Police Force. Contacts can be found directly on the website of the Ministry of the Interior of the Slovak Republic.

Municipal elections

Foreign Union citizens are automatically put on the electoral roll for municipal elections when they register their residence, if they meet the conditions specified above.

Elections to the European Parliament

Citizens of other EU Member States need to register to vote in the European elections. They shall submit an application to the municipality in which they reside no later than 40 days before the day of the election. Otherwise, they will no longer have the right to be enrolled on the electoral roll. It is not possible to register online. It is not possible to vote by post.

If you are a Union citizen, have reached the age of 18 at the latest on the election day, and you haven't received your residence permit in the Slovak Republic yet, but you have been staying on the territory of the Slovak Republic for more than 3 months and want to vote in European elections, you have to apply for registration of the first permission. You should submit the application for registration of the first permission in person at the competent Foreign Police Department based on your residence address. Contacts can be found directly on the website of the Ministry of the Interior of the Slovak Republic. You have to attach a travel document to your application. The competent police department will issue your​confirmation of registration of the first permission on the day of submitting the application.

You will be included in the electoral roll in the municipality of your permanent residence upon submission of the application and confirmation. The application for inclusion in the electoral roll shall be submitted no later than 40 days before elections.

2. The right of Union citizens to stand for election

Conditions for standing as a candidate in municipal elections

• Member of the council: minimum age of 18, no obstacles such as dispossession or limitation of legal capacity, or execution of custodial sentence;
• Mayor of a city/city district/municipality: be at least 25 years old, no obstacles such as dispossession or limitation of legal capacity, or execution of custodial sentence.

Conditions for standing as a candidate in elections to the European Parliament include:

• Meeting the minimum age of 21, the right to be elected in the EU Member State whose national you are, no obstacles in the exercise of your right to vote and you have permanent residence on the territory of the Slovak Republic.
• Union citizens should contact their municipality or Ministry of the Interior of the Slovak Republic and inform them about the fact that they will participate in the elections to the European Parliament.
• Union citizens have to declare that they are not standing as candidates in another EU member state and that they have not been deprived of their right to stand for election.

3. Voting arrangements in municipal elections

On the ballot paper, circle the serial numbers of candidates up to the number specified on the ballot paper. For the President of the self-governing region, you may only circle the serial number of one candidate. In the area designated for completing the ballot paper you insert into the envelope one ballot paper for the municipal council elections and one for the election of the President. After leaving the area designated for completing the ballot papers, insert the envelop into the ballot box. Once you cast your vote, you are obliged to put the unused or incorrectly completed ballot papers into a sealed box. Failure to do so qualifies as an administrative offence for which you can incur a fine of EUR 33.

4. Voting arrangements in elections to the European Parliament

In the area designated for completing the ballot paper, you insert one ballot paper without modifying it at all into an envelope and then to a ballot box, or you may assign a preferential vote by circling the serial number of a candidate on the list. You can give preferential votes to no more than two candidates. Put the completed ballot paper in the envelope and then to the ballot box.