Departmental and regional elections 2021: what to know

Results of the second round of elections

The results of the second round of the departmental and regional elections on Sunday, June 27, 2021 are available online on the website of the Ministry of Interior.

Regional elections: dates and general organization

Due to the health risks associated with the COVID-19 outbreak, the departmental and regional elections and the assemblies of Corsica, Guyana and Martinique have been postponed to 20 and 27 June 2021. Originally scheduled for March 2021, they had been postponed to June 13 and 20, 2021. After an opinion from the Scientific Council on the risks associated with the organization of the elections and a consultation of the mayors, the poll was held in June but postponed by one week.

Conduct of the voting

The polling stations open on June 20, 2021, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., unless the prefect decides to advance or delay these times in certain communes. Thus, in the big cities, it is often possible to vote until 8 pm. These special orders shall be published and posted in each municipality concerned not later than 5 days before the poll. Special health provisions are laid down at the polling stations.

Election campaign

The election campaign is open on May 31, 2021 at 0:00 a.m. and ends at midnight on June 19, 2021. In the event of a runoff, the campaign will open at noon on June 21 and end at midnight on June 26, 2021. The Ministry of the Interior offers a platform that lists candidates' professions of faith. What are the rules of the election campaign? Where to report an election campaign that does not respect personal data? Where to consult candidates' professions of faith?

Method of voting

Regional councilors are elected within the region, departmental councilors are elected within the canton.

Departmental and regional councilors are elected for a term of 6 years. For each canton, a pair (woman-man) is elected in the 2-round majority ballot. The regional councilors are elected by a list system combining majority and proportional voting rules. Certain regional and local authorities with a special status are not concerned by departmental and regional elections.

Registration on the electoral lists

To vote, you must be registered to vote. Registration was open until May 14, 2021, and in some cases until June 10, 2021. Finally, in the event of a registration error, recourse is possible. In some cases, a person who could not vote on 1^er each member may vote in the second round.

Electoral Map

Although the card is not mandatory to be able to vote, the presentation of the electoral card is recommended. In particular, it informs you about your polling station. The card shall be sent by post to the elector's home the year following his registration on the lists of electors and, in the event of an election scheduled for the year, no later than 3 days before the poll.

Identification to be presented for voting

To vote, you must go to the polling station indicated on the electoral map. In municipalities with a population of at least 1,000, you need proof of identity to be able to cast your ballot. Passport? ID card? Vital card? Driver's license? Find the list of identity documents to produce with Service-public.fr.

Proxy voting

Proxy voting allows a voter absent on election day to be represented by a voter registered in the same commune as him but not necessarily from the same polling station or district. The request must be made as soon as possible and the power of attorney can be issued until the day before the poll.

Change of address not reported or reported late

If you have moved and your new address no longer corresponds to the one indicated when you registered to vote, it is possible that you have been deleted from the lists of the municipality. If you are still registered at the old address, you can then vote at your old polling station.

Voting arrangements for persons with disabilities

People with disabilities can vote either by going directly to the polling station or by establishing a proxy if they cannot travel. Exceptionally, the system of powers of attorney for residence has been relaxed for departmental and regional elections.

Voting rights of detainees

Being detained does not deprive you of the right to vote. Only people whose civil rights have been banned by the courts are losing their electoral capacity.

French settled abroad

If you live abroad, you can vote for regional and departmental elections provided you are registered on the electoral list of a municipality. It is no longer possible to be registered at the same time on the electoral list of a municipality and on a consular electoral list.

Role of departmental and regional councilors

The departments' competences are social work, education and especially colleges, planning and transport (departmental roads) and cultural and sports activities.

The main areas of intervention in the region are economic, social, health, cultural and scientific development, support for access to housing and improvement of housing, support for city policy and urban renewal, and the promotion of regional languages.