Organizing a works council election requires careful preparation – ideally well in advance of the actual election date. The legal regulations of the Works Constitution Act (BetrVG) and the Election Regulations (WO) are extensive and often difficult to understand. For the election committee, this means that all requirements must be strictly adhered to. Even the smallest procedural errors can lead to the election being challenged or even declared invalid.
A clearly structured process and a solid legal foundation are therefore essential for conducting the election properly. Our specialized employment lawyers will support you from the very beginning – from planning and preparation to the legally compliant execution of the election. This way, you reduce liability risks and ensure that all formal requirements are met.
We have compiled a concise and easy-to-understand overview of the individual steps involved in the regular election process. Rely on our expertise in labor law – to ensure your 2026 works council election runs smoothly and legally.
What awaits you:
- Initiating a works council election – legally compliant with legal support in labor law
- Election notice for the works council election – this information is mandatory
- Submitting nominations – deadlines, requirements and legally compliant procedure
- Announcement of candidates – inform in a timely and legally compliant manner
- Conducting the works council election – legally compliant and well-organized
- Vote counting and announcement of the election result – transparent and comprehensible
- Inaugural meeting – handover of responsibility to the new works council
Initiating a works council election – legally compliant with legal support in labor law
The official start of a works council election is marked by the issuance of the election notice by the election committee. This document marks the beginning of the formal election process and must contain all legally required information. The workforce is then officially informed of the upcoming election through public posting within the company.
Before the election notice can be published, an important intermediate step is required: Together with the representatives of the senior management, it must be determined which employees actually belong to the group of senior management as defined in Section 18a of the Works Constitution Act (BetrVG). Only employees who not Those belonging to this group are eligible to participate in the election or to be elected themselves. The electoral register is then compiled based on this determination.
For this legal review and allocation, you should allow at least two weeks, as stipulated by law. Following this, the electoral roll, which includes all eligible and eligible employees, will be compiled. This roll, along with the election notice, must be posted in the workplace to ensure transparency and verifiability.
Our experienced employment lawyers support election committees in every phase of the works council election – from initiation to vote counting. This ensures that all steps are legally compliant. Request legally sound support for your works council election now!
Election notice for the works council election – this information is mandatory
The election notice is the core element of every works council election and establishes the legal framework for a proper election procedure. Section 3 of the election regulations precisely defines the minimum content. The election committee is obligated to record all required information completely and accurately; otherwise, the election can be challenged or even declared invalid.
The most important mandatory information in the election notice includes:
- The number of works council members to be elected
- The guidelines for election proposals and candidate lists
- The specification of the gender quota (minority gender) and all relevant deadlines.
- Election day, including the date of voting
- Place, date and time of the public vote count
- Information on the possibility of voting by mail
Only if all legally required information is correctly stated is the election notice valid – and the works council election legally secure.
Submitting nominations – deadlines, requirements and legally compliant procedure
The legally stipulated deadlines begin to run with the publication of the election notice. Within two weeks Employees can object to the electoral roll – and within the same period, the Election proposals must be submitted to the election committee.
No list submitted? Note the deadline!
If no valid nomination has been received after this two-week period, the election committee is obliged to... one-week grace period to grant. If no valid proposal is submitted even within this grace period, the works council election is considered to have failed – a special case that rarely occurs in practice.
Examination of nominations by the electoral board
After the submission deadline, the election committee carefully reviews all submitted nominations for formal and substantive validity. If any deficiencies are found, the respective list leader must be informed immediately. As long as the deadline is still open, incorrect nominations can be corrected or resubmitted to ensure validity.
Order on the ballot – the decision is made by drawing lots
After the submission deadline, the election committee invites the list leaders to determine the order of candidates on the ballot. If there are multiple valid lists, the order is determined by... by drawing lots determined. However, if there is only one valid nomination, this step is omitted – in this case, a Majority voting instead, where the votes are directly allocated to the candidates on that list.
Adherence to deadlines and formal requirements is crucial for the validity of the works council election. Our experienced employment lawyers support election committees in ensuring legally sound review and execution. Have your election documents reviewed now – for a legally valid election!
Announcement of candidates – inform in a timely and legally compliant manner
The valid nominations or candidate lists must be publicly announced within the company no later than one week before election day. This obligation is enshrined in law and serves the purpose of transparency – all employees should be informed in a timely manner which candidates are standing for election.
Especially in larger companies – particularly if postal voting is planned – it is advisable to announce the election results early. This is because the postal voting documents may only be sent out once the official nominations have been properly published within the company.
If the announcement is made late, this can delay the dispatch of postal voting documents – and in the worst case, lead to a challenge of the works council election. Correct and timely publication is therefore essential to ensure the smooth running of the election.
Conducting the works council election – legally compliant and well-organized
To ensure that election day runs smoothly and legally, the election must be properly prepared and designed to prevent manipulation. The election committee is responsible for complying with all organizational and legal requirements.
Key points include:
- Setting up a suitable polling station or several polling stations, if necessary
- Provision of a sealed and tamper-proof ballot box
- Verification of eligibility to vote based on the current voter list
- Organization of election materials and providing resources for barrier-free voting
Careful planning and clear responsibilities help to make the election process transparent, legally sound and comprehensible for all employees.
Vote counting and announcement of the election result – transparent and comprehensible
Immediately after the polling stations close, the public vote count is carried out by the election committee. Transparency is paramount – all persons present must be able to understand the counting process.
The preliminary election results will then be announced and carefully documented. This includes the preparation of an election record, in which all relevant data and findings are recorded. This record will be signed by the entire election committee and will form the basis for the subsequent announcement of the final election results.
Proper documentation protects against ambiguities and is crucial to ensuring the legality of the works council election.
Inaugural meeting – handover of responsibility to the new works council
Once the final election result is determined, the final phase of the election process begins. It is now the responsibility of the election committee to properly prepare the handover to the newly elected body.
- Notify the selected employees immediately after their election.
- Publish the names of the elected members operational.
- Download no later than one week after election day. to the inaugural meeting of the new works council.
- Hand over all election documents to the new committee – with this handover, the work of the election committee officially ends.
A clearly structured closing ensures a smooth transition and guarantees compliance with all legal requirements.
Especially in the final stages, formal errors can easily occur. Our experienced employment lawyers ensure that your works council election is completed correctly and on time. Request legally sound support until the handover now!
