The last presidential election was held in 2018. The turnout in the first round was 61.92 % and in the second round 66.60 %. From the first round, the incumbent President Miloš Zeman and former President of the Academy of Sciences Jiří Drahoš, who lost to the incumbent President by 2.74 percentage points, advanced from the first round to the second round.
Miloš Zeman began his second term in office on 8 March 2018 by taking the presidential oath of office.
A citizen who is eligible to vote and has reached the age of 40 may be elected President of the Republic. In the Czech Republic, the term of office of the President is 5 years. No one may be elected more than twice in succession, nor may a citizen be elected who has been punished for treason or for gross violation of the Constitution or any other part of the constitutional order. To be eligible to stand as a candidate, at least 20 deputies or 10 senators or at least 50 000 citizens must sign a petition.
The election shall be held during the last sixty days of the term of office of the incumbent President of the Republic, but not later than thirty days before the expiry of his term of office. If the office of President of the Republic becomes vacant, the election shall be held within ninety days.
The next presidential election will therefore take place in 2023, specifically on 13 and 14 January 2023 (Round 1) and possibly on 27 and 28 January 2023.
Voter ID cards
From the moment the election is called it is possible to apply for a voter card pursuant to Section 33 of Act No. 275/2012 Coll., on the Election of the President of the Republic and on Amendments to Certain Acts, as amended.
The application for a voter card can be delivered in electronic form only from the data box of the natural person of the applicant, in paper form with a certified signature or in person at the municipal office in the place of permanent residence. The last date for receipt of applications by data box or post is Friday 6.1. 2023 (or 20.1. 2023 for the 2nd round), you can apply in person until Wednesday 11 January 2023 at 16:00 (until Wednesday 25 January 2023 for Round 2).
The voter card itself can be issued to the voter no earlier than 15 days before the election date, i.e. from 29 December 2022. On 29.12. 2022 the municipal office will be open from 1 pm to 4 pm just for the issuance of voter cards.
The voter must hand in his or her voter card to the precinct electoral commission at the place where he or she will be voting. A duplicate cannot be issued in exchange for a lost or stolen voter card, in which case the voter will not be allowed to vote (even at his/her place of residence).
Information for voters
A voter in the election of the President of the Republic is only a citizen of the Czech Republicwho is at least 18 years of age on the second day of the election. A citizen who is at least 18 years of age on the second day of the second round may also vote in the second round.
Vote in the election He can't the voter if obstacles prevent him or her from exercising the right to vote:
- statutory restriction of personal liberty for reasons of public health (quarantine)
- restriction of legal capacity to exercise the right to vote
Voting takes place in the electoral district where the voter is registered for permanent residence. The voter may apply for a voter's card before the election (no later than 3 days in person) and may vote with it at any polling station in the Czech Republic.
The election of the President of the Republic will take place on 13-14 January 2023, the polling station for all citizens residing in Vestec is located in the building of the Vestec Kindergarten, U Hřiště 576, Vestec. For citizens who cannot come to the polling station for serious reasons, especially for health reasons, we offer the possibility to order a portable ballot boxwhich will arrive to you on Saturday morning, January 14, 2023. You can call us at municipal office at 313 035 501 or on election days at 724 09 09 07.
How to choose in case of quarantine or isolation due to covid-19?
In the event that a voter quarantined for covid-19, this is an obstacle to the exercise of his or her right to vote and he or she cannot go to a regular polling station. But he can vote at a drive-in polling station - only on 11.01.2023 at 8:00 - 17:00 (for the 2nd round on 25.01.2023 8:00 - 17:00), for the citizens of the district. Prague-West at the checkpoint in Řevnice, ul. Havlíčkova, in the area of the fire station. The voter must prove permanent residence in the territory of the Prague-West district, or vote on a voter ID card. Voting takes place from a private motor vehicle, subject to anti-epidemic measures. For particularly serious reasons, a citizen in quarantine may also apply for a so-called "quarantine". a special portable ballot box, for which it will be possible to vote Friday 13.1.2023 (8:00 - 22:00) and Saturday 14.1.2023 (8:00 - 14:00). Receipt of applications by phone at 257 280 862, Mon and Wed 8:00-17:00, Tue and Thu 8:00-16:00, Fri 8:00-14:00 - no later than Thursday 12 January until 20:00. This service is provided by the Central Bohemian Regional Authority.
Proof of identity
The voter must prove his/her identity and citizenship of the Czech Republic at the polling station
- a valid ID card,
- a valid passport of the Czech Republic, diplomatic or service passport of the Czech Republic.
If the voter fails to prove his or her identity and citizenship with the necessary documents, he or she will not be allowed to vote.
Voting process
The voter receives a blank official envelope with an official stamp from the precinct election commission. On request, the commission will also issue a set of ballot papers.
Each voter votes in person, no proxy voting is allowed.
The voter enters with the official envelope and ballot papers to the area designated for ballot paper editing, where he/she shall select one ballot paper with the name of the candidate to be elected. A voter who is unable to modify the ballot paper due to a physical defect, or who cannot read or write, may be accompanied by another voter, but not by a member of the precinct election commission, in the ballot paper modification area and have the ballot paper placed in the official envelope on his/her behalf, or the official envelope may be placed in the ballot box.
The voter votes by placing the official envelope with one selected ballot paper in the ballot box in front of the precinct election commission.
In the case of the second round of the election of the President of the Republic (i.e. in the event that one of the candidates did not obtain more than 50 % votes in the first round), the ballot papers are no longer distributed to the voters in advance, but the ballot papers with the names of the two candidates who have advanced to the second round will be received by the voters directly at the polling station.
When can a ballot be invalid?
The voter must ensure that only one ballot paper was placed in the official envelope. Multiple ballot papers in the official envelope means an invalid vote. Invalid are also ballot papers which are not on the prescribed form, ballot papers which are torn and ballot papers which are not inserted in the official envelope. On the other hand, slightly damaged ballot papers, or ballot papers which are torn or crossed out, if the will of the voter is apparent, shall be valid.