What to do in case of refusal of registration or removal from the list of electors by the mayor?

Verified 15 September 2026 - Public Service / (Prime Minister)

If you are not registered on the electoral list of your commune when you filed your application on time or if you were wrongly removed from the electoral lists of your commune, remedies exist. These remedies vary depending on whether a letter has informed you of the refusal of your registration (or of your cancelation) or no letter has been sent to you. We present you the information to know.

What applies to you ?

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Letter of refusal of registration

The mayor has 5 days for accept or refuse your registration request on the electoral lists of his commune.

He must inform you of his decision within 2 days by mail (we are talking about notification).

You can challenge his refusal decision by making a compulsory prior administrative appeal, then, if necessary, a contentious remedies.

Finally, a appeal on a point of law is possible.

Step-by-step approach

Approach

To challenge the decision of the mayor, you must make a compulsory prior administrative appeal before the commission for the control of the electoral lists of the commune. This approach is essential in order to be able to then refer the matter to the judicial court, if necessary.

You must refer the matter to the Electoral Rolls Commission in a 5 days delay from the notification of the decision.

You can do it by 2 ways :

  • By post with acknowledgement of receipt
  • By email with acknowledgement of receipt.

Your mail or email must mention the following information :

  • Your full name, address, date and place of birth
  • Date and nature of the mayor's decision.

You must attach to your mail or email the following items :

  • A copy of the notification of the mayor's decision
  • Proof (including a document that was not provided to the Mayor) of your registration on the list of electors.

Decision of the Supervisory Board

The Electoral Rolls Commission must make its decision:

  • During election period, not later than 21 days before 1er ballot
  • Outside election periodwithin 30 days of being seized.

She then has 2 days to notify his decision to the mayor and to you.

Three situations are then possible:

  • The commission has notified you of its decision, it accepts your registration on the electoral list.
  • The commission has notified you of its decision, it rejects your appeal. You can appeal to the courts.
  • The commission did not send you a letter. His silence is worth refusal. You can appeal to the courts.

You can appeal to the court of justice in a 7 days delay from the notification refusal of the commission or in the absence of a response from the commission after 30 days (21 days during an election period).

You can go to court by post or by filing your query on-site to the court registry.

Your query must contain the following items :

  • Your first and last names
  • Your address
  • The purpose of the appeal.

Your request must be accompanied by the following documents :

  • Copy of the compulsory prior administrative appeal lodged with the municipality
  • Copy of the acknowledgement of receipt of the compulsory prior administrative appeal
  • Copy of the Board's decision (if received).

The court must make its decision in the 8 days.

The court notified his decision to the mayor and to yourself by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt, in the 2 days.

You can form a appeal on a point of law in a 10 days following the notification the decision of the court.

Please note

The appeal is not suspensive. You remain unregistered until the decision of the Court of Cassation.

The appeal is brought by a oral or written statementdelivered or sent by registered mail either to the registry of the court which issued the contested decision or to the registry of the Court of Cassation.

The declaration shall include the following information :

  • Your first and last names
  • Your address
  • The statement of means of cassation (i.e. the grounds on which you appeal in cassation).

Your declaration must be accompanied by the copy of the contested decision.

FYI  

It is not mandatory to hire a lawyer.

Cancelation letter

The mayor checks that you still have the right to be registered on the electoral lists of his commune. If that is no longer the case, he must delete you from the lists. For example, if you no longer live in the municipality or if you no longer pay local taxes or run a business there.

But before you are removed, the mayor must ask you to provide him, within 15 days, proof that your inclusion on the lists of his commune is still well justified.

You must return the proof of your attachment to the municipality either directly to the town hall, by email or by post with acknowledgement of receipt.

FYI  

The date of receipt of the email or mail is authentic.

After that, if the mayor decides to remove you, he must inform you within 2 days, by mail.

The opinion of notification specify the reason(s) for the radiation.

You can challenge this decision by making a compulsory prior administrative appeal, then, if necessary, a contentious remedies.

Finally, a appeal on a point of law is possible.

Step-by-step approach

Approach

To challenge the decision of the mayor, you must make a compulsory prior administrative appeal before the commission for the control of the electoral lists of the commune. This approach is essential in order to be able to then refer the matter to the judicial court, if necessary.

You must refer the matter to the Electoral Rolls Commission in a 5 days delay from the notification of the decision.

You can do it by 2 ways :

  • By post with acknowledgement of receipt
  • By email with acknowledgement of receipt.

Your mail or email must mention the following information :

  • Your full name, address, date and place of birth
  • Date and nature of the mayor's decision.

You must attach to your mail or email the following items :

  • A copy of the notification of the mayor's decision
  • Proof (including a document that was not provided to the Mayor) of your registration on the list of electors.

Decision of the Supervisory Board

The Electoral Rolls Commission must make its decision:

  • During election period, not later than 21 days before 1er ballot
  • Outside election periodwithin 30 days of being seized.

She then has 2 days to notify his decision to the mayor and to you.

Three situations are then possible:

  • The commission has notified you of its decision, it accepts your registration on the electoral list.
  • The commission has notified you of its decision, it rejects your appeal. You can appeal to the courts.
  • The commission did not send you a letter. His silence is worth refusal. You can appeal to the courts.

FYI  

The committee may, on its own initiative, decide on your removal. If she notifies you of a cancelation decision, you can appeal to the court.

You can appeal to the court of justice in a 7 days delay from the notification refusal of the commission or in the absence of a response from the commission after 30 days (21 days during an election period).

You can go to court by post or by filing your query on-site to the court registry.

Your query must contain the following items :

  • Your first and last names
  • Your address
  • The purpose of the appeal.

Your request must be accompanied by the following documents :

  • Copy of the compulsory prior administrative appeal lodged with the municipality
  • Copy of the acknowledgement of receipt of the compulsory prior administrative appeal
  • Copy of the Board's decision (if you received it).

The court must make its decision in the 8 days.

The court notified his decision to the mayor and to yourself by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt, in the 2 days.

You can form a appeal on a point of law in a 10 days following the notification the decision of the court.

Please note

The appeal is not suspensive. You remain unregistered until the decision of the Court of Cassation.

The appeal is brought by a oral or written statementdelivered or sent by registered mail either to the registry of the court which issued the contested decision or to the registry of the Court of Cassation.

The declaration shall include the following information :

  • Your first and last names
  • Your address
  • The statement of means of cassation (i.e. the grounds on which you appeal in cassation).

Your declaration must be accompanied by the copy of the contested decision.

FYI  

It is not mandatory to hire a lawyer.

No letter

The mayor has 5 days for accept or refuse your registration request on the electoral lists of his commune.

He must inform you of his decision within 2 days by mail (we are talking about notification).

If you do not receive this mail and you are not registered to vote, you can refer the matter to the court.

Finally, a appeal on a point of law is possible.

Step-by-step approach

You can check your registration on the list of electors using this online service:

Check your voter registration and polling station

Approach

You can apply to the court of 2 ways :

  • By post
  • On site until election day (also until day 2d election round if you were to be registered on the list of electors as of the 1ster tower).

You must provide the following documents :

  • Certificate issued by the town hall mentioning the material error and non-inclusion on the lists of the municipality. This certificate can be obtained at the election office of the town hall.
  • Copy of ID
  • Proof of address
  • Form for referral to the judge
  • Any document that allows the judge to assess the merits of your application.

Decision of the court

The court must render its judgment no later than election day.

You are immediately informed.

You can form a appeal on a point of law in a 10 days following the notification the decision of the court.

Please note

The appeal is not suspensive. You remain unregistered until the decision of the Court of Cassation.

The appeal is brought by a oral or written statementdelivered or sent by registered mail either to the registry of the court which issued the contested decision or to the registry of the Court of Cassation.

The declaration shall include the following information :

  • Your first and last names
  • Your address
  • The statement of means of cassation (i.e. the grounds on which you appeal in cassation).

Your declaration must be accompanied by the copy of the contested decision.

FYI  

It is not mandatory to hire a lawyer.