1. Plan your voting day
- Election dates: October 3–4, 2025.
- Polling hours:
• Friday, October 3: from 14:00 to 22:00.
• Saturday, October 4: from 8:00 to 14:00.
Want to avoid the crowds?
Based on past elections, the quietest times are:
- Saturday morning right after polls open (8:00–9:00),
- Friday evening close to closing time (20:00–22:00).
👉 Set a reminder in your phone and go during these “calm hours.”
2. Ballot papers by post
About a week before the election you will receive (or may have already received) a large envelope from Česká pošta with your ballot papers.
Inside you’ll find:
- one ballot paper (hlasovací lístek) for each party or coalition in your region,
- a full candidate list for those parties in your electoral district (e.g., Prague or Central Bohemia).
What to do:
- choose one ballot for the party you want to support and take it with you,
- leave the rest at home.
3. Documents you need
Only the following are valid for voting:
- Passport,
- or občanský průkaz (Czech national ID).
❌ Driving licenses, bank cards or any other documents are not accepted.
⚠ Make sure your document is valid and not expired.
4. Where is your polling station?
You vote at the polling station for the address where you’re officially registered. The exact address is printed on the envelope with your ballot papers.
Still not sure who to vote for?
The voting process itself is simple — the real challenge is choosing wisely. Try our online quiz VolbyProVšechny and see which party matches you best across 16 key issues.
5. At the polling station
- ID check — show your passport or občanka.
- Envelope (obálka) — the election officials will give you an empty envelope for your ballot.
- Voting booth (plenta) — go inside, put your chosen ballot in the envelope.
💡 If you forget or spoil your ballot, you can always ask for a replacement set (náhradní sada).
6. How to vote: for a party only or with preferences (kroužkování)
Inside the booth, you have two options:
Option 1: Vote for the party only (hlas pro stranu)
- Take the ballot (hlasovací lístek) of your chosen party.
- Do not mark anything.
- Put it in the envelope (obálka) and then into the ballot box (volební urna).
✅ In this case, your vote goes fully to the party. Seats are allocated to candidates from the top of the list downwards.
Example:
A party gets 15% of the vote in your region, which equals 6 seats. The first 6 people on their candidate list enter parliament.
Option 2: Vote with preferences (kroužkování)
This way, you support not only the party but also specific candidates within it.
- Each candidate on the ballot has a number.
- You can circle up to 4 numbers (zakroužkovat až 4 kandidáty).
- Your party vote remains valid, but the circled candidates gain an advantage.
How it works:
If a candidate gets at least 5% of all preference votes (přednostní hlasy) for their party in your district, they move up the list.
Example:
You vote for Party Z. Their list has 30 candidates. You like #12 (environmentalist), #18 (lawyer), and #27 (teacher). You circle their numbers.
The party wins 10 seats. Normally #1–10 would be elected. But if #18 collects enough preference votes, they can move ahead of #5 or #7 and get into parliament instead.
✅ Simple vote = support for the party.
✅ Kroužkování = support for the party + a chance to boost your favorite candidates.
| Type of vote | What you do | What the party gets | What the candidates get |
| Party vote only (hlas pro stranu) | Choose the ballot (hlasovací lístek), place it unchanged into the envelope (obálka) | The party gets your full vote, seats are allocated top-down | The first candidates on the list enter parliament |
| With preferences (kroužkování) | Circle up to 4 candidate numbers (zakroužkovat až 4 kandidáty) | The party still gets your full vote | Candidates with ≥5% preference votes move up and can overtake those higher on the list |
7. Final step
Drop the envelope into the ballot box (volební urna) — and that’s it, you’ve voted!
Take a moment: you’ve just influenced how the country will be run for the next four years.
Your vote is not just a checkmark — it’s an investment in the future. Don’t waste it.
- Vote smart: Try the VolbyProVšechny quiz to find the party that best matches your priorities.
- Share: Send this guide to friends, especially first-time voters. Help them do it right!
- Don’t forget: Set a reminder for October 3 or 4 and make sure you cast your vote!
