Referendum & Popular Consultation

Referendum

Petitions for referendums are legislative proposals submitted by citizens. They can initiate a legislative procedure in the National Council themselves. In the first step, a petition for a referendum requires a certain number of declarations of support in order to be initiated. If the required number is reached, the petition for a referendum is initiated and can be signed by citizens in the second step. If 100,000 signatures are obtained, the petition for a referendum must be discussed in the National Council. Therefore, in the first step of a petition for a referendum there is the possibility to submit a declaration of support and in the second step to sign the petition for a referendum. A declaration of support automatically counts as a signature for the petition for a referendum.

For which referendum petitions can I currently submit a declaration of support?

Information on currently registered referendum petitions for which statements of support can be submitted can be found here.

Where & how can I submit my declaration of support for a referendum?

A sufficient number of declarations of support must be submitted in order to initiate a referendum.

You can submit declarations of support in Innsbruck in two ways:

• online (for this you need the ID Austria)
• in person at Service Unit Registration and residents' affairs, passport matters - Declarations of support for referendums & elections Please draw a number under the heading "declaration of support" and do not forget to bring an original official photo ID.

Where & how can I sign a petition for a referendum?

In order for a petition for a referendum to be dealt with in the National Council, a sufficient number of signatures must be submitted.

You can submit signatures in Innsbruck in two ways:

• online (you will need ID Austria for this)
• in person during the registration week on the 6th floor of the town hall - room 6102

When can I sign petitions in person?

Who is eligible to vote?

All Austrian citizens who have the right to vote for the National Council on the last day of the respective registration period and are registered in the electoral register of a municipality on the cut-off date (February 5, 2024).

Persons who have already submitted a valid declaration of support for a current referendum can no longer participate in the respective registration procedure, as their declaration of support already counts towards the result of the referendum.

Referendum

A referendum is held before a law is passed and is used by politicians to find out the opinion of the Austrian population before final decisions are made.

As soon as there is a referendum, you will find more information here.