German carnival revellers who wish to both celebrate and vote in Sunday’s parliamentary elections can do so in costume and in an inebriated state.
Polling station staff are permitted to intervene only if a person’s presence endangers public order or causes a disturbance.
These guidelines are outlined in a manual prepared for polling station personnel. In many parts of Germany, the elections coincide with carnival celebrations. Although the guidelines were issued in December and are available online, they have only gained attention since being picked up by German media on Friday.
The official guidelines state that it is “in principle possible to vote in costume”. However, if a voter’s face is unrecognisable due to their attire or face paint, polling station staff can request the removal of make-up or certain clothing to verify their identity. Those who refuse will not be allowed to vote. The manual further states that only severely intoxicated voters who disrupt the order may be turned away.
Polling station staff members are advised to dress conventionally to avoid questions about their impartiality. However, they may decorate the polling stations in a carnival style, as long as political symbols and election advertising are excluded. They are not allowed to play carnival music to prevent any external influence on the voting process and to maintain order in the polling stations.
