MAIL VOTING FOR ITALIAN CITIZENS RESIDENT ABROAD AND OPTION TO VOTE IN ITALY
With decrees of the President of the Republic of 31st March 2025, published in the Official Journal of 31st March 2025, the date of the repealing referendums pursuant to art. 75 of the Constitution has been set for 8 and 9 June 2025.
Please remember that VOTING is a RIGHT protected by the Italian Constitution and that, pursuant to Law 27 December 2001, n. 459, Italian citizens residing abroad, registered on the electoral lists, can VOTE BY MAIL, receiving the electoral package at their address of residence. To this end, it is recommended to check and regularize your personal data and address at the competent Consular Office, preferably using the FastIt online portal of consular services.
As an alternative to voting by correspondence, voters registered with AIRE can CHOOSE TO VOTE IN ITALY AT THEIR MUNICIPALITY OF ELECTORAL REGISTRATION, communicating their choice (OPTION) in writing to the Consulate within the 10th day after the announcement of the vote. Voters who choose to vote in Italy on the occasion of the next referendum will receive from their respective Italian Municipalities the postcard-notice to vote at the polling stations in Italy. The choice (option) to vote in Italy is valid only for the referendum consultation with respect to which it is expressed.
It is reiterated that in any case the option MUST REACH the Consular Office NO LATER THAN TEN DAYS AFTER THE DAY OF THE CALL FOR VOTING, SO BY 10/04/2025. This communication can be written on plain paper and – to be valid – must contain the name, surname, date and place of birth, place of residence and signature of the voter, accompanied by a copy of an identity document of the declarant.
For this communication, you can also use the specific form downloadable from the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (www.esteri.it) or from that of your reference Consular Office (pdf).
The form (click here to download), duly completed, signed and accompanied by an identity document, can be delivered/sent:
– by hand at the Consulate General of Italy in Johannesburg, 37 1st Avenue, Houghton Estate 2198 , Monday to Friday 9:00-11:30 and Monday 14.00-15:30.
– by ordinary email: notarile.johannesburg@esteri.it
As required by current legislation, voters will be responsible for verifying that the option communication sent by post has been received in good time by their Consular Office. Requests received after the deadline indicated above CANNOT be considered valid.
The choice to vote in Italy can subsequently be REVOKED with a written communication to be sent or delivered to the Consular Office with the same methods and by the same date set for the exercise of the option.
If you choose to return to Italy to vote, the Law DOES NOT provide for any type of reimbursement for travel expenses incurred, but only tariff concessions within Italian territory.
THE CONSULATE GENERAL OF ITALY IN JOHANNESBURG IS AVAILABLE FOR ANY FURTHER CLARIFICATIONS.
What are the votes for?
With the Decrees of the President of the Republic dated 31/03/2025, published in the Official Gazette, General Series, No. 75, of 31/03/2025, five abrogative popular referendums have been called for:
- Italian Citizenship: Reducing the required legal residence time in Italy for foreign non-EU adults applying for Italian citizenship from 10 years to 5 years.
- Contract of employment with increasing protections – regulation of unlawful dismissals: Abolition.
- Small businesses – dismissals and related compensation: Partial abolition.
- Partial abolition of rules regarding the imposition of term limits on employment contracts, maximum duration, and conditions for extensions and renewals.
- Exclusion of solidary responsibility of the client, contractor, and subcontractor for injuries suffered by employees of contracting or subcontracting companies, resulting from the specific risks of the activity of the contracting or subcontracting companies: Abolition.
