Greeks abroad must re-register to vote in national elections

Greeks living abroad must re-register if they intend to vote in the upcoming national elections, as previous registrations are no longer valid under a new law. The Ministry of Interior has begun emailing eligible voters overseas to inform them of the requirement to submit a new application.

This directive applies to individuals who had previously registered to vote from abroad for parliamentary elections or had signed up for postal voting for European Parliament elections, indicating an address outside Greece for ballot delivery. The ministry's announcement clarifies that all prior registrations are now void, necessitating a fresh application through a dedicated online portal.

New regulations, detailed in a July 31 circular, outline the process for Greeks abroad to participate in national elections. Eligible voters must be registered in a Greek municipality and possess the right to vote. They can now opt for one of three methods: voting in person at a designated polling station abroad, casting a postal vote, or selecting postal voting only if a polling station is not available in their chosen city.

For those choosing to vote in person, they must specify their preferred country and city when applying. If a polling station is not established in that location, they will be directed to the nearest available one. Individuals opting for postal votes will have election materials sent to their overseas address. If they fail to return the ballot on time, they retain the option to vote in person in Greece on election day.

A flexible option allows voters to indicate a preference for in-person voting abroad, with a fallback to postal voting if a polling station is not set up in their chosen city. This significant change aims to streamline the process and ensure compliance with the new electoral framework for expatriate Greeks.