In the Hessian local elections on Sunday, people without a permanent address will be allowed to vote for the first time – including in the region. The new regulation raises hope for more political participation.

Fulda – Homeless people have already been allowed to vote in federal, state and European elections. Hesse was previously one of the few federal states in which they were not entitled to vote at the local level – alongside Rhineland-Palatinate, Saxony and Saarland. Since the change to the Hessian municipal code last April, the following applies Local election Anyone who has been permanently resident in the respective municipality for at least six weeks on election day – even without a permanent address – is eligible to vote.

In order for homeless people to be able to vote, they must be registered in writing in advance on the electoral roll. The registration is necessary because – unlike people with a registered address – they do not receive automatic voting notification. Proof of permanent residence can be provided with a certificate from a homeless facility. These then apply to the voting itself the same requirements as for all other eligible voters.

More participation: Hesse is opening polling stations for the homeless for the first time

For Janina Wübbelsmann, head of the Caritas Association's homeless assistance department for the Fulda and Geisa regions, the new local electoral law is more than an administrative act: “Changing the electoral law is extremely important. Homeless people are part of our society.” The fact that they can now take part in local elections is important for political participation – especially because homeless people are not always given the same value as other citizens in parts of the political landscape.

However, the hope for more participation is built on a difficult foundation: Many people affected by homelessness have other, more existential worries and concerns in their situation than politics and voting, explains Wübbelsmann. For many, survival is the priority. That's why the new voting law is important, but not the first topic that is discussed in advisory practice.

The Caritas homeless assistance service in Fulda provides information through flyers and notices, but proactive information about voting rights has hardly taken place so far, says Janina Wübbelsmann. “In cities where the target group is larger, it might be easier to raise awareness of voting rights.” Your wish regarding the right of homeless people to have a say in local elections is clear: “It should become a matter of course.”

What does someone affected say?

62-year-old Ralph Müller (name changed by the editors) is affected by homelessness and is very aware of the new voting rights. He himself is very interested in politics and has a lot to say about current world and federal politics. He found out in the press that he was allowed to vote locally for the first time this year. “I think it’s a good thing,” he says. “Being able to vote is an achievement.”

Still, he doesn't think his voice can do much. “Politicians no longer have any decency today,” says Müller. He has little trust in politics. At the local level, he says, he would vote for people he knows – those who he knows are socially committed.

Müller would like politicians to do more for homeless people. He himself is lucky enough to be able to occasionally stay overnight with friends – “but it's sad to see people who have to sleep at bus stops at night in winter.” Much of politics is decided without taking into account the realities of homeless people's lives; apartments are also too expensive in Fulda. “To be honest, I still don’t think that many of those affected will vote because completely different issues determine their everyday lives.”