Czech municipal elections 2026: Who can vote and how ballots work

Czechia’s municipal elections are approaching, with voting scheduled for Oct. 9-10. Voters across the country will decide who runs their cities, towns and municipal districts for the next four years.

Local politics may attract less attention than national debates involving the prime minister or president, but municipal representatives make decisions that directly affect daily life. They determine how local funds are spent, oversee infrastructure and public services, and shape how neighborhoods develop.

With the date fast approaching, here's everything you need to know about the elections.

Czech citizens can vote in municipal elections if they are registered as permanent residents of the municipality and turn 18 no later than the second day of voting, Oct. 10.

Citizens of other EU countries can also vote if they meet the same age requirement and hold either registered temporary residence or permanent residence in the municipality where they wish to vote.

Citizens of countries outside the EU cannot vote in municipal elections unless they also hold Czech or another EU citizenship.

Many EU citizens living in Czechia remain unaware that they can participate in local elections, according to European residents interviewed by Expats.cz. As a result, they may miss an opportunity to influence how their communities are managed.

Czech citizens with permanent residence in a municipality are automatically included on its voter list.

EU citizens must be entered in the supplement to the permanent voter list. Those who requested registration for an earlier municipal election do not need to register again, provided their relevant residence details have not changed.

Under rules applying in 2026, eligible EU citizens who are not already registered can prove their right to vote at their assigned polling place on election day. The polling station commission can then add them to the voter list and allow them to cast a ballot.

Voters should bring a valid document proving their identity and citizenship. For EU citizens, accepted documents can include a permanent residence card, confirmation of temporary residence, a registration certificate or an identity document issued by another EU country.

Registering or verifying your entry with the appropriate municipal or district office in advance can still help avoid complications on election day.

Municipal voters choose the council responsible for governing their municipality. In Prague, voters elect both the Prague City Assembly and the assembly of the municipal district in which they are registered.

These councils make decisions about local budgets, development, public transport, parking, schools, public spaces, housing and social services, among other areas. The elected assemblies subsequently choose the mayor of the municipality or district.

Housing is expected to be one of the election’s major issues. Debates include how to increase the supply of apartments, what role private developers and municipalities should play, and how the city should address affordability.

Transport is another broad area of disagreement. Parties may differ over parking regulations, the construction of bicycle and road infrastructure, and whether Prague should raise the price of its annual public transport pass.

Other issues include creating more places in elementary schools, establishing addiction treatment facilities and adapting city infrastructure to the effects of climate change.

Volby pro Všechny offers a concise overview of the parties and their positions. Czech-speaking voters can also consult resources such as Český Kompas and online voting calculators.

Prague’s municipal ballot is famously large. Ballots must be delivered to voters no later than three days before the election and will also be available at polling places.

In Prague and other cities divided into self-governing districts—including Brno, Ostrava and Plzeň—residents generally receive two municipal ballots: one for the citywide assembly and another for their municipal district.

The municipal ballot uses a system of crosses (X). Voters have three options:

If you select a party and also mark individual candidates belonging to that same party, the individual marks within that party are disregarded.

Follow the instructions printed on the ballot carefully and use crosses (X) to indicate your choices. Selecting more individual candidates than the number of available seats invalidates that ballot, although voters are allowed to choose fewer candidates.

A more detailed Czech-language explanation is available from Programy do voleb.

Municipal voters must cast their ballots in the polling district assigned according to their registered residence. Find your local polling station here.

Polling stations will be open:

Municipal authorities must publish polling-place addresses no later than 15 days before the election. Voters can check their municipality or district website to find their assigned location.

Anyone who does not receive a ballot at home, loses it or damages it can request another copy at the polling place.

Remember to bring an accepted identity document. EU citizens voting under their EU citizenship should bring documentation that proves their identity, citizenship and eligible residence status.

Eligible voters have an opportunity to influence how their municipality develops and how local funds are used. Making a plan in advance—identifying your polling place and deciding when you will vote—can make participating easier.

More information is available from Volby pro Všechny, including on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.