Historical review

Electoral regulations: what has changed over time

Historic moment: First provincial parliament session in the Eisenstadt barracks in 1922.

(Bild: Bgld. Landtag)

The first provincial elections in Burgenland took place in 1922 and 1923. Even then, there were separate regulations. A look back at the rules of the past and comparisons with today. 

In 2022, the provincial parliamentary elections were held - rather provisionally - at the same time as the National Council elections, with the federal government providing the legal framework: in 1923, the province already had its own provincial parliamentary election regulations. According to Bernhard Ozlsberger, the provincial election director, a surprising number of central provisions have remained almost identical since the original version, although some things have of course changed.

• Mandates: In 1923, 32 deputies were elected, today there are 36. In 1923, there was still a strict separation between the ascertainment procedures: 29 mandates were awarded in the first and three in the second ascertainment procedure at provincial level. 
• Constituencies: Today there are seven constituencies, in 1923 there were only four. At that time, the districts of Eisenstadt-Umgebung and Neusiedl am See, including the free towns of Rust and Eisenstadt, formed one constituency, as did the districts of Mattersdorf and Oberpullendorf as well as Güssing and Jennersdorf. Only Oberwart has always been a separate constituency.

Surprisingly many central provisions have remained almost identical in wording since the original version, although some things have of course changed.

Landeswahlleiter Bernhard Ozlsberger

• Polling cards: These also existed back in 1923. Polling cards could be applied for and handed in at another polling station on election day. This was possible for those who had recently moved their place of residence, were in care or nursing homes or were in public service or a care service.
• Electoral authority: The rules for their appointment have remained largely the same since 1923. The provisions for the provincial electoral authority are still identical today: 12 assessors, three of whom must be members of the judiciary.

• Voting age: In 1923, Burgenlanders who were over 20 years old on January 1st of the election year were allowed to cast their vote. Today, voters must be 16 years of age on election day. The passive right to vote was 24 years, today: 18 years.
• Alcohol ban: "The serving of alcoholic beverages is generally prohibited on election day and the day before", the law stated at the time. The strict ban on alcohol therefore applied for two days. Incidentally, this regulation was no longer applied for the first time in the 1979 National Council elections.
• Proof of identity: In 1923, many people only had a few identity documents. Baptism, birth and marriage certificates, work books, hunting cards or secondary school certificates could therefore also be used to prove identity to the electoral authorities. In municipalities with fewer than 2000 inhabitants, this was not necessary if the voter was personally known to the electoral authority.

Ballot envelopes from the First Republic: At that time, there were still different colors for men and women. The women's envelopes were counted first.

(Bild: Herbert Brettl)

• Ballot papers: In the 1922 and 1923 elections, women were entitled to vote without restriction for the first time. It was obviously important for politicians to know when women were voting. Different colored envelopes were therefore arranged for the sexes. Women's votes were counted first. The official ballot paper or a printed ballot paper provided by a party could be used. Preferential votes did not yet exist.

State parliament election 1923 brought a surprise
And how did the 1923 election turn out? The Social Democrats achieved 38.6% and 12 seats, the Christian Socials 37.6% (13) and the Landbund 19.2% (7). The Greater German People's Party and the Croatian party "Hrvatska stranka" did not make it into parliament. "That was surprising, because it was expected that the Christian Socials would become the strongest party in this rural area," explains historian Herbert Brettl. One reason for this may have been that many Protestant farmers voted for the Landbund.