It is possible to vote on National Elections (electing the prime minister of Hungary) if you are a Hungarian citizen above 18 years old, however many foreign citizens are eligible to vote on the local municipal elections.
Your voting rights on municipal elections depends on your legal status and whether you have an address card.
To have an address card (have permanent address in Hungary) you need to fall under one of these categories:
- refugee (“menekült”)
- beneficiary of subsidiary protection (“oltalmazott”)
- long-term residents (foreigners having “huzamos tartózkodási jogosultság”):
- immigrant (foreigners having “bevándorlási engedély”)
- settled (foreigners having “letelepedési engedély” or “huzamos tartózkodási engedély”)
- interim residence card (“ideiglenes tartózkodási kártya”)
- national residence card (under the new Act, “nemzeti tartózkodási kártya”)
- EU residence card (under the new Act, “EU tartózkodási kártya”)
- European Union citizen
If you don't fall under these categories, you cannot establish an official permanent address in Hungary as you only have an accommodation registration form or “szállásbejelentő lap”.
It is important that it is not enough to have an address card, however you also need to be over 18 years old and meet with one of these criteria regarding your status:
- a Hungarian citizens
- a refugee
- a long-term resident (immigrant or settled status, interim, national and EU residence card holders)
- an EU citizen
Hence for instance no matter that you have an address card as a beneficiary of subsidiary protection unfortunately you are not eligible to vote on municipal election.
If you are an EU citizen you can also be elected at municipal elections (but people with other statuses are only eligible to vote not to be elected.
As of 23 of March 2024 according to the National Election Office the number of people who are eligible to vote on municipal elections are:
Hungarian citizens with a Hungarian address7,696,758Citizens of other EU member states137,237Long-term resident, refugee35,488
What are municipal elections?
During municipal elections we vote for the mayor and members of the local assembly
You can read the whole description about the electoral system on the Nemzeti Választási Iroda (National Elections Office) website: https://www.valasztas.hu/web/national-election-office/general-information
What is important to highlight is that local elections are governed by complex rules. There are separate rules for smaller municipalities with fewer than 10 000 inhabitants and for those with more than 10 000 inhabitants, with separate rules for cities with county status and the capital.
Mayors and municipal representatives are elected in all municipalities and metropolitan districts, while in Budapest the Mayor and members of the Metropolitan Assembly and representatives in county assemblies are elected. Remember that Budapest has 23 different districts all with separate Mayors and assemblies, and also whole Budapest has a Lord Mayor and Metropolitan Assembly.
- Representatives:
- Mayor:
The candidate who receives the most votes will be mayor of the capital district.
- Lord Mayor:
The whole area of the capital city forms one constituency. The candidate who receives the highest number of votes will become Lord Mayor.
- Members of the Metropolitan Assembly:
o the elected Lord Mayor,
o the elected mayor of the 23 districts,
o 9 additional members from the compensation list of the capital.
The metropolitan compensatory lists are elected in proportion to the votes cast for the candidates for mayor who did not win a mandate, nominated by the nominating organisations.
You can primarily vote at the polling district that belongs to your address. If you wish to vote elsewhere, you need to request it.
The next elections will be on 9th of June.
