Info
Boundary Delimitation
BD001
Delimitation of constituencies
Question: Are constituencies delimited for election purposes?
Answer:
a . Yes
Comments: Each province constitutes a provincial constituency. The provincial constituency bears the name of the province and has a number according to the alphabetical order of the provinces.
Source: Federal Law on the Election of the National Council (1992), Art. 2
http://www.legislationline.org/documents/action/popup/id/6544
Verified: 2017/11/16
BD003
Criteria for drawing boundaries
Question: On what criteria are the boundaries drawn?
Answer(s):
d . Conformity with local jurisdiction boundaries
Comments: For election purposes the federal territory is partitioned in nine provincial constituencies, whereby each province constitutes a provincial constituency. The provincial constituency bears the name of the province and has a number according to the alphabetical order of the provinces.
Source: Federal Law on the Election of the National Council (1992), Art. 2
http://www.legislationline.org/documents/action/popup/id/6544
Verified: 2017/11/16
BD005
Body responsible for drawing boundaries
Question: The body responsible for drawing the boundaries is:
Answer(s):
h . Not applicable
Comments: Boundary delimitation is pre-determined based on existing provincial boundaries.
Source: Federal Law on the Election of the National Council (1992), Art. 2
http://www.legislationline.org/documents/action/popup/id/6544
Verified: 2017/11/16
Electoral Systems
ES001
Head of State
Question: How is the Head of State selected?
Answer(s):
c . Directly elected in general elections (absolute majority with 2nd round if necessary)
Comments: The Federal President is elected by the nation on the basis of equal, direct, secret and personal suffrage. If there is only one candidate, the election shall take place by way of referendum. The candidate who polls more than half of all valid votes has been elected. If no such majority results, a second ballot takes place. Votes in this can validly be cast only for one of the two candidates
who have polled the most votes in the first ballot.
Source: Constitution, Art. 60
http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/au00000_.html
Verified: 2017/07/07
ES002
Head of Government
Question: How is the Head of Government selected?
Answer:
e . Appointed
Comments: The Federal Chancellor and, on his recommendation, the other members of the Federal Government are appointed by the Federal President. In his capacity as chairman of the Austrian Federal Government, the chancellor holds the supreme federal authority of the executive branch and is considered to be the most powerful position in Austrian politics.
Source: Constitution, Art. 70
http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/au00000_.html
Verified: 2017/07/07
ES003
President
Question: Does the country have a president?
Answer:
a . Yes
Comments: The Federal President is elected by the nation on the basis of equal, direct, secret, and personal suffrage once in every six years. The president acts mostly on the advice of the Chancellor and the Cabinet.
Source: Constitution, Art. 60-68
Verified: 2017/07/07
ES004
Number of Chambers
Question: The national legislature consists of (one/two chambers):
Answer:
b . Two chambers
Comments: The legislative power of the Federation is exercised by the House of Representatives jointly with the Senate.
Source: Constitution, Art. 24
http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/au00000_.html
Verified: 2017/07/07
ES005
Electoral System (Chamber 1)
Question: What is the electoral system for Chamber 1 of the national legislature?
Answer(s):
g . List Proportional Representation
Comments: The National Council is elected by the nation in accordance with the principles of proportional representation on the basis of equal, direct, secret and personal vote for men and women who at the latest with expiry of election day have completed their eighteenth year of life.
Source: Constitution, Art. 26 (1)
Electoral Law, Art. 4
http://www.legislationline.org/documents/action/popup/id/6544
Verified: 2017/07/07
Legislative Framework
LF001
Status of Electoral Law
Question: What is the status of the electoral law governing national elections?
Answer(s):
a . Part of Constitution b . Separate legislation
Comments: Both the Constitution and separate legislation govern the administration of elections.
Source: Constitution of Austria
http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/au00000_.html
Federal Law on the Election of the National Council (1992)
http://www.legislationline.org/documents/action/popup/id/6544
Verified: 2012/05/29
LF003
Electoral Law covers
Question: The national electoral law covers:
Answer(s):
a . National elections
Comments:
Source: Federal Law on the Election of the National Council (1992)
http://www.legislationline.org/documents/action/popup/id/6544
Verified: 2012/05/29
LF004
Compulsory/voluntary voting
Question: Is voting on the national level voluntary or compulsory?
Answer(s):
c . Voting is compulsory and regulated in the constitution
Comments: Voting is compulsory in the Federal States where this has been enacted by State law. Detailed provisions about the electoral procedure and compulsory voting, if necessary, will be made by federal law. This federal law shall in particular lay down the reasons held to excuse non-participation in the election notwithstanding compulsory voting
Source: Constitution of Austria, Art. 26(1)
Federal Law on the Election of the National Council (1992)
http://www.legislationline.org/documents/action/popup/id/6544
Verified: 2012/05/29
LF007
Electoral Disputes Agency(ies)
Question: What are the agency(ies) responsible for the first level of formal electoral disputes?
Answer(s):
c . Specially Appointed/Elected Electoral Tribunal
Comments: The main electoral board shall include members who belong or have belonged to the judiciary.
Source: Constitution of Austria, Art. 26(6)
Verified: 2012/05/29
Electoral Management
EM002
Responsibility of national EMB
Question: Does the national electoral body have the responsibility for elections at:
Answer(s):
a . National level
Comments:
Source: Constitution: Art. 23, 26 & 60.
Verified: 2012/05/29
EM004
EMB budget determined by
Question: The budget of the national electoral management body is determined by:
Answer(s):
c . The legislature
Comments:
Source: Regulation on the Election of the Federal Council (1992).
Verified: 2012/05/29
EM005
EMB expenditures controlled by
Question: The expenditures of the national electoral management body are controlled by:
Answer(s):
c . The legislature
Comments:
Source: Regulation on the Election of the Federal Council (1992).
Verified: 2012/05/29
EM006
Term of EMB members
Question: The term of the members of the national electoral management body is:
Answer:
a . For the election period only
Comments: The electoral authorities shall be responsible for the organization and carrying out of the elections. They are re-constituted before each election.
Source: Constitution: Art. 26.
Regulation on the Election of the Federal Council (1992) Art. 6(1)
Verified: 2012/05/29
EM012
Electoral Management model
Question: What is the Electoral Management model?
Answer:
a . Governmental
Comments:
Source: Electoral Management Design: The International IDEA Handbook (http://www.idea.int/publications/emd/upload/EMD_Annex_A.pdf)
Verified: 2012/05/29
EM013
Number of EMB members
Question: The EMB is composed of:
Answer:
e . Not applicable
Comments:
Source: Electoral Management Design: The International IDEA Handbook (http://www.idea.int/publications/emd/upload/EMD_Annex_A.pdf)
Verified: 2012/05/29
EM014
Membership based on
Question: The EMB members/commissioners are selected on the basis of their:
Answer:
d . Not Applicable
Comments:
Source: Electoral Management Design: The International IDEA Handbook (http://www.idea.int/publications/emd/upload/EMD_Annex_A.pdf)
Verified: 2009/10/29
EM015
Question: The EMB members/commissioners are selected by:
Answer(s):
j . Not Applicable
Comments:
Source: Electoral Management Design: The International IDEA Handbook (http://www.idea.int/publications/emd/upload/EMD_Annex_A.pdf)
Verified: 2012/05/29
Voter Education
VE001
Information campaigns performed by
Question: Who conducts information campaigns for national elections (informing where, when and how to register and/or vote)?
Answer(s):
a . National Electoral Management Body h . Political parties/ candidates i . Media
Comments:
Source:
Verified: 2012/05/29
VE002
Frequency of voter education programs
Question: At the national level, how often are voter education programs conducted?
Answer:
b . Election time only
Comments: The electoral authorities shall be responsible for the organization and carrying out of the elections. They are re-constituted before each election.
Source: Federal Law on the Election of the National Council (1992), Art.2
http://www.legislationline.org/documents/action/popup/id/6544
Verified: 2012/05/29
VE003
National civic education
Question: Is there a national civic education campaign (rights and responsibilities of citizens)?
Answer(s):
a . No
Comments:
Source:
Verified: 2012/05/29
Voter Registration
VR001
Voting age
Question: What is the legal voting age in the national elections?
Answer:
a . 16
Comments: The age for election was decreased by each of the provinces from 18 to 16 individually, prompting a decrease in voting age federally.
Source: Official Website of the Austrian Parliament: http://www.parlament.gv.at/ENGL/PERK/PARL/DEM/WAHLEN/index.shtml
Verified: 2014/09/16
VR002
Other voting requirements
Question: Beyond age, what other qualifications exist for registering to vote and voting in the national elections?
Answer(s):
a . Citizenship
Comments: Those eligible to vote are above the age of 16 (depending on type of election) and those who have not been excluded by any court mandate.
Source: Constitution: Art. 26.
Verified: 2012/05/29
VR004
Authority responsible for voter registration
Question: Which is the authority responsible for the registration of voters for national elections?
Answer:
c . Local Government Authority
Comments: The electoral register will be drawn up by the Counties as part of their assigned sphere of competence
Source: Constitution: Art. 26.
Law of the Registration of Voters (1973)
Verified: 2012/05/29
VR008
Is it compulsory to be on the voters register?
Question: Is it compulsory to be on the voters register?
Answer:
b . No
Comments: Voting was previously compulsory in Austria however it has been removed entirely as of 2003, with the 2010 Presidential election free of mandatory voting.
Source: http://aceproject.org/main/english/es/esc07a.htm
Verified: 2012/05/29
Parties and Candidates
PC001
Registration requirements for parties (Chamber 1)
Question: What are the registration requirements for political parties running for national elections (Chamber 1)?
Answer(s):
a . Signature requirement (specify requirement)
Comments: The campaigning party must submit its election proposal to the provincial electoral authority with signatures from at least three members of the National Council or supported by qualified electors. The provincial constituencies vary on the number of signatures as follows:
Burgenland and Vorarlberg: 100
Carinthia, Salzburg and Tyrol: 200
Upper Austria and Styria: 400
Lower Austria and Vienna: 500
Source: Federal Law on the Election of the National Council (1992), Art. 42
Verified: 2012/05/29
PC003
Registration requirements for candidates (Chamber 1)
Question: What are the legal qualifications to become a candidate at legislative elections (Chamber 1)?
Answer(s):
a . Age b . Citizenship
Comments: Eligible to be elected are all men and women who on the day sat as a deadline are Austrian citizens, were at least 19 years old on the 1st January of the year of the elections and who have not been deprived of their right to vote.
Source: Constitution, Art. 26
Regulation on the Election of the Federal Council (1992), Art. 41
Verified: 2012/05/29
PC008
Independent candidates
Question: Can independent candidates compete in presidential or legislative elections?
Answer(s):
f . No information available
Comments:
Source:
Verified: 2012/05/29
PC012
Public funding of parties
Question: Do political parties receive direct/indirect public funding?
Answer(s):
b . Direct
Comments: Each party represented in the National Council with at least five members minimum requirement for constituting a club) shall receive an annual basic amount determined by the Legislature.
Source: International IDEA (2003) "Funding of Political Parties and Election Campaigns"
Federal Act on the Functions, Financing and Election Campaigning of
Political Parties, Section 2.
Verified: 2012/05/29
PC015
Question: What is the basis of the public funding?
Answer(s):
b . Based on result of previous election c . Based on current legislative representation
Comments: Each party represented in the National Council with at least five members minimum requirement for constituting a club) shall receive an annual basic amount determined by the Legislature.
Source: International IDEA (2003) "Funding of Political Parties and Election Campaigns"
Federal Act on the Functions, Financing and Election Campaigning of
Political Parties, Section 2.
Verified: 2012/05/29
PC017
Question: Are political parties entitled to private funding?
Answer:
b . No
Comments:
Source:
Verified: 2012/05/29
Vote Counting
VC004
Votes are sorted/counted at
Question: Following the close of the voting, where are the votes first sorted and counted?
Answer:
a . The polling stations
Comments:
Source: Federal Law on the Election of the National Council (1992), Art. 84
Verified: 2012/05/29
VC011
When are ballots recounted?
Question: Under what conditions are ballots recounted?
Answer(s):
e . Court order
Comments:
Source: Federal Law on Parliamentary Elections (1992), Art. 110
http://www.ris.bka.gv.at/Dokumente/Erv/ERV_1992_471/ERV_1992_471.pdf
Verified: 2012/05/29
Media and Elections
ME037
Criteria for allocating free broadcast time
Question: What are the criteria for allocating free broadcast time and/or free printed advertisement space to political parties?
Answer(s):
i . Not applicable
Comments:
Source: Federal Act on the Functions, Financing and Election Campaigning of
Political Parties (1975), Art. 7
Verified: 2012/05/29
ME059
Television debates
Question: Are televised debates between candidates or party representatives normally conducted?
Answer(s):
a . Yes, in presidential elections b . Yes, in legislative elections
Comments:
Source: Federal Act on the Functions, Financing and Election Campaigning of
Political Parties (1975)
Verified: 2012/05/29
ME062
Blackout period for release of opinion poll results.
Question: What is the blackout period, if any, during which results of pre-election opinion polls may not be released to the public?
Answer:
h . Not applicable
Comments:
Source: Federal Act on the Functions, Financing and Election Campaigning of
Political Parties (1975)
Verified: 2012/05/29
ME080
Question: Is there a maximum amount that a political party is permitted to spend on paid advertising during a campaign period?
Answer:
c . No information available
Comments: There is no maximum amount listed however all use of finances must be reported to the Federal Commission for review and auditing. The Commission is formed and administered by the Ministry of the Interior.
Source: Federal Act on the Functions, Financing and Election Campaigning of
Political Parties (1975)
Verified: 2012/05/29
Direct Democracy
DD002
Direct Democracy Provisions (National Level)
Question: Are there any Legal Provisions for Direct Democracy Procedures at the national level?
Answer:
a . Yes
Comments: In case of a complete amendment of the Constitution, a mandatory referendum has to take place. Ad B.: There are two types of optional referenda: Volksabstimmung: a referendum on a bill passed by the lower chamber of the Austrian parliament (National Council): binding;
or: Volksbefragung (public opinion polls): carried out before a bill passes the National Council: not binding.
Source: Constitution of Austria, Articles 43-46
http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/au00000_.html
Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm
Verified: 2012/05/29
DD003
Mandatory referendums (national level)
Question: Are there any Legal Provisions for Mandatory Referendums at the national level?
Answer:
a . Yes
Comments:
Source: Art. 41, 43 & 60 B-VG, Art. 44, 45 & 46 B-VG, Volksbegehrengesetz 1973 (Law on Public Initiatives), Volksabstimmungsgesetz 1972 (Law on Referenda), Volksbefragungsgesetz 1989 (Law on Public Opinion Polls).
Constitution of Austria, Articles 1-46
Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm
Verified: 2012/05/29
DD004
Optional referendums (national level)
Question: Are there any Legal Provisions for Optional Referendums at the national level?
Answer:
a . Yes
Comments:
Source: Art. 41, 43 & 60 B-VG, Art. 44, 45 & 46 B-VG, Volksbegehrengesetz 1973 (Law on Public Initiatives), Volksabstimmungsgesetz 1972 (Law on Referenda), Volksbefragungsgesetz 1989 (Law on Public Opinion Polls).
Constitution of Austria, Articles 1-46
Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm
Verified: 2012/05/29
DD005
Citizens' Initiatives (national level)
Question: Are there any Legal Provisions for Citizen’s Initiatives at national level?
Answer:
b . No
Comments:
Source: Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm
Verified: 2012/05/29
DD006
Agenda Initiatives (national level)
Question: Are there any Legal Provisions for Agenda Initiatives at national level?
Answer:
a . Yes
Comments:
Source: Art. 41, 43 & 60 B-VG, Art. 44, 45 & 46 B-VG, Volksbegehrengesetz 1973 (Law on Public Initiatives), Volksabstimmungsgesetz 1972 (Law on Referenda), Volksbefragungsgesetz 1989 (Law on Public Opinion Polls).
Constitution of Austria, Articles 1-46
Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm
Verified: 2012/05/29
DD007
Question: Are there any Legal Provisions for Recalls at national level?
Answer:
b . No
Comments:
Source: Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm
Constitution of Austria, Articles 1-46
Verified: 2012/05/29
DD129
Question: Are the results of referenda always binding, never binding or sometimes binding?
Answer:
b . Sometimes binding
Comments: Bills which are called to referendum by the Lower House of Austrian Parliament are binding. Bills called to referendum in the National Council are non-binding.
Source: Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm
Constitution of Austria, Articles 1-46
Verified: 2012/05/29
DD130
Question: Are the types of issues to vote upon in a referendum constitutional changes only, other issues only or both constitutional and other issues?
Answer:
c . Both constitutional and other issues
Comments:
Source: Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm
Constitution of Austria, Articles 1-46
Verified: 2012/05/29
DD131
Question: Are there any Legal Provisions for Direct Democracy at sub-national levels (regional or local)?
Answer:
a . Yes
Comments:
Source: Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm
Verified: 2012/05/29
Voting Operations
VO003
Electors vote at
Question: Where can electors vote?
Answer(s):
a . At a specified polling station in the locality where they are registered at national elections f . By mail
Comments:
Source: Regulations on federal parliamentary elections (1992), Art. 38
http://www.ris.bka.gv.at/Dokumente/Erv/ERV_1992_471/ERV_1992_471.pdf
Verified: 2012/05/29
VO004
Voting outside the country is permitted for
Question: Who can vote from outside the country?
Answer(s):
c . Citizens outside the country (including those on vacation)
Comments:
Source: Regulation on the Election of the Federal Council (1992), Art. 60
Verified: 2012/05/29
VO005
Locations for voting outside of the country
Question: If voting outside the country is permitted, at what places?
Answer(s):
a . Embassies e . By mail
Comments:
Source: Regulation on the Election of the Federal Council (1992), Art. 60
Verified: 2012/05/29
VO011
Voting method
Question: How do electors cast their votes?
Answer(s):
a . Manually marking of ballots
Comments:
Source: Federal Law on Parliamentary Elections (1992), Art. 57 & 68
http://www.ris.bka.gv.at/Dokumente/Erv/ERV_1992_471/ERV_1992_471.pdf
Verified: 2012/05/29
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