Berlin’s state election officials have registered a great willingness to volunteer for the repeat election on February 12. The need is around 43,000. “We have almost reached this number,” said a spokesman for the state election management when asked by the German Press Agency. The response is very good. So far, according to the information, there are around 40,000.
“However, there are also double registrations via the online form. Many districts have currently had themselves removed from the form in order to process the registrations.” However, it cannot be ruled out that registrations will be possible again at a later date.
Expense allowance increased from 60 to 240 euros
The Constitutional Court of the State of Berlin ruled in mid-November that the elections to the House of Representatives and the district parliaments must be repeated. In order to make working as an election worker more attractive, the corresponding tax-free expense allowance was increased from 60 to 240 euros. According to Interior Senator Iris Spranger (SPD), civil servants and employees in the state should be given up to three days off to compensate for their work as election workers.
This time, the number of poll workers is significantly higher than in the breakdown election on September 26, 2021, when the Bundestag was also elected and the referendum on the expropriation of large housing companies was voted on. It has not yet been decided whether there will also be a referendum on February 12th about more climate protection in Berlin.
The Interior Senator and the State Returning Officer Stephan Bröchler have spoken out against it. The Senate is expected to make a decision on Tuesday. According to the state returning authority, it is difficult to estimate how many additional poll workers would be needed in the event of a parallel vote. “An additional vote always means additional work in the organization, in the processes in the polling station and in the counting,” said the state returning authority.