In Germany you get an invitation card to vote put into your mailbox. In more than 90% of the cases you only show that card at the voting booth. If your identity

In Germany you get an invitation card to vote put into your mailbox. In more than 90% of the cases you only show that card at the voting booth. If your identity is in doubt (e.g. your age doesn't seem to match the one in the voter's list) you need to show an ID. The polling clerks can require you to show an ID for any reason (or without one) but usually that doesn't happen. If you want to vote by mail the ballot is put into your mailbox without any additional ID verification. It's important to note that while the ID is not free, people are by law required to have one and almost all do. The fee is also taken into account when social benefits are calculated. You also are required to register your residence whenever you move and all the letters regarding an election outlined above are only sent to that address.