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How to vote in France

President, first round: .

Who can vote

French citizens who are at least 18 the day before the election, who have their full civil and political rights, and who are on the electoral roll. EU citizens living in France cannot vote in the presidential election.

Do I have to register?

You must be on the electoral roll. Registration is automatic for some people, such as those turning 18 and people who got French nationality after 2018. In other cases, such as after a move, you register yourself online, in person at the town hall or by post. French people living abroad register on the consular list. The deadline is . Look yourself up on the official lookup.

Voting from abroad

French people abroad who are on a consular electoral list vote at the polling station set up in the consulate or embassy with an ID document, or by proxy. Internet voting is not offered for the presidential election. The deadline is . The official page for it is here.

How you vote

  1. Check you are on the roll and find your polling station on the Interior Ministry's 'Ma situation électorale' service before the registration deadline of 12 March 2027.
  2. Vote on Sunday 18 April 2027. Polling is normally 8:00 to 19:00, and the prefect can close it as late as 20:00 in some places. Overseas territories vote the day before.
  3. Bring an original photo ID. A passport, an ID card or a valid driving licence work. The voter card is not an ID and is not required.
  4. Take an envelope and at least two ballots at the entrance to keep your choice private. Go into the booth, put one ballot in the envelope, then go to the box.
  5. An official checks your identity and opens the box. You put the envelope in yourself and sign the voting list next to your name.
  6. If no candidate gets more than half the votes cast, the top two go to a second round two weeks later.

What do I bring?

An original photo ID: national identity card or passport (valid, or expired for less than 5 years) or a valid driving licence. In a commune under 1,000 inhabitants ID is not mandatory, but the polling officer can ask for proof. Photocopies and photos on a phone are not accepted.

By mail, or through someone else

Proxy voting: if you cannot go, you give a proxy to another voter by using the 'Maprocuration' online service and then going in person to a police station or gendarmerie with ID, or by using the printed form. Apply as early as possible, because processing takes time. A proxy covers one round or both. No postal voting is described.

Where this comes from

Checked October 11, 2026.

After that: President, second round

.

Who can vote

The same voters as the first round: French citizens aged at least 18 the day before the election, with full civil and political rights, who are on the electoral roll.

Do I have to register?

You must be on the electoral roll. The pages read give the registration deadline for the presidential election as 12 March 2027, which is before the first round, and say nothing separate for the second round. The deadline is . Look yourself up on the official lookup.

Voting from abroad

French people abroad on a consular electoral list vote at the consulate or embassy with an ID document, or by proxy. The overseas territories of Guadeloupe, Guyane, Martinique, Polynésie française, Saint-Barthélemy, Saint-Martin and Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon vote on Saturday 1 May. The deadline is . The official page for it is here.

How you vote

  1. The second round is held only if no candidate won more than half of the votes cast in the first round. The two leading candidates take part.
  2. Vote on Sunday 2 May 2027, normally between 8:00 and 19:00. Check your local closing time, which can be as late as 20:00.
  3. Bring the same original photo ID as in the first round. The voter card is not needed.
  4. Take an envelope and ballots, go into the booth, put one ballot in the envelope, put the envelope in the box and sign the voting list.
  5. If you cannot go, a proxy can be made for the first round, the second round or both. Ask as early as you can.

What do I bring?

An original photo ID: national identity card or passport (valid, or expired for less than 5 years) or a valid driving licence. In a commune under 1,000 inhabitants ID is not mandatory, but the polling officer can ask for proof.

By mail, or through someone else

Proxy voting: a proxy can cover the first round, the second round or both, and is requested through the 'Maprocuration' online service or the printed form, followed by an in-person visit to a police station or gendarmerie. Apply as early as possible. No postal voting is described.

Where this comes from

Checked October 11, 2026.

The last word

Service-Public (French government) has it, not me. If anything here differs from what it says, it is right.

I tell you how to vote. I never tell you who to vote for. See who is running in France, or argue it out in the discussion.

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