Voting means casting a ballot.
Local elections concern local government, including municipal councils, town assemblies and district assemblies. The question asks about participating as a voter. It does not ask when someone may stand for a seat themselves.
Age alone is not enough. Other conditions include German or another EU nationality, the required local connection and no judicial disqualification from voting. Casting a ballot also requires entry in the electoral register or a polling certificate.
The other three answers
The question asks for the earliest voting age, not just any later age.
14
At 14, the age threshold of 16 has not yet been reached. Political interest does not replace the legal requirement.
18
18 is too late for this question. Voting for local representative bodies is possible from 16; standing as a candidate generally requires age 18.
20
An eligible 20-year-old can vote, but 20 is not the minimum age. The threshold is 16.
Casting a vote and standing as a candidate are different rights.
Section 8 requires permanent residence in the electoral area or, for someone without a dwelling in Germany, habitual residence there. This rule for voting does not impose a blanket three-month residence period. The local electoral authority explains registration details.
For candidacy for a local representative body, section 11 instead generally requires age 18 and at least three months of permanent or habitual residence in the electoral area. Further conditions apply. Do not transfer these candidacy rules to the simple question about voting age.
Section 8 · Eligibility to vote · Brandenburg Local Elections Act ↗Brandenburg, local voting: from 16.
The word voting is decisive here; candidacy is a different question.
Three words for this question
- wahlberechtigteligible to vote
- Entitled to cast a ballot in a particular election.
- wählbareligible to stand
- Eligible to stand for a particular elected office or seat.
- der Wahltagelection day
- The day of the election, by which the age requirement must be met.