Voters' rights and duties

To vote in the presidential election, you must be French, of legal age, enjoy your civil and political rights, and be registered on the electoral rolls. If you are absent, a proxy allows another voter to vote in your place.

The conditions for voting

Three conditions must be met:

• be at least 18 years old on the eve of the election;
• be a French national;
• enjoy your civil and political rights.

Citizens of other European Union countries residing in France may vote in municipal and European elections, but not in the presidential election. A person under guardianship retains the right to vote. A detained person is not necessarily deprived of this right and may vote under special arrangements.

Registration on the electoral rolls

Voting is only possible after registration on an electoral roll. Young people who completed their civic registration at 16 are automatically registered at 18. People who have become French nationals are also registered automatically.

In other cases, registration must be requested. One can register in a commune where one has one's home, where one has lived for at least six months, or where one has paid local taxes for at least two years. Applications can be made online, at the town hall or by post.

Registration is possible all year round. Since 1 July 2026, the deadline is the same online, at the town hall or by post: the sixth Friday before the election. For a first round on 18 April 2027, this rule leads to Friday 12 March 2027.

An online service allows voters to check their registration and polling station. French nationals abroad can register on a consular list and vote at their consulate or embassy.

Polling day

Voters cast their ballot at their polling station, with an identity document. In communes of more than 1,000 inhabitants, this document is mandatory. The voter card is not essential but makes the process easier. Voting is personal and secret: using the voting booth is compulsory.

Voting by proxy

An absent voter may entrust another voter, the proxy holder, with voting in their place. No proof of absence is required. Since 2022, the proxy holder may be registered in a different commune from the person who granted the proxy. However, they must vote at the polling station of the person who granted the proxy.

• The request is made online on the Maprocuration website, followed by a visit to a police or gendarmerie station to verify identity, or by using a paper form.
• It can be fully completed online with the France Identité app.
• A proxy holder may hold only one proxy established in France.
• A proxy may cover one round, both rounds, or a limited period of up to one year for a voter registered in France.

It is advisable to make the request as early as possible to allow for processing times.

Blank and spoiled votes

Casting a blank vote means depositing an empty envelope or a ballot without a name. Since the law of 21 February 2014, blank votes are counted separately and reported in the results. However, they are not counted as votes cast and therefore do not affect the outcome.

A vote is spoiled when the ballot is torn, annotated or non-compliant, or when the envelope contains several different ballots. Spoiled votes are also not counted as votes cast.

Voting: a right and a civic duty

In France, voting is not compulsory, except for grand electors in Senate elections. It is often presented as a civic duty, printed on the voter card. The debate over compulsory voting and the recognition of blank votes among votes cast regularly resurfaces, with supporters and opponents across several political families.