During a press conference on Friday, the Chairman of the National Electoral Commission (PKW), Sylwester Marciniak, announced that 28,943,594 people are eligible to vote in Sunday’s presidential election. The youngest candidate is 38 years old, while the oldest is 76. The head of the National Electoral Office (KBW) also reminded citizens what to bring with them and how to cast a valid vote.
Marciniak stated that for the purposes of the presidential election, 32,143 polling stations have been established, including 29,815 permanent ones and 1,812 special stations. Additionally, 511 polling stations were set up abroad, along with five on ships.
According to data from Statistics Poland (GUS), Poland’s population stands at 35,478,598, out of which nearly 29 million people are eligible to vote.
Marciniak also shared updated statistics as of 11:30 a.m. Friday:
– 9,553 people have opted to vote by mail,
– 28,383 voters are voting by proxy,
– 333,923 certificates authorizing voting outside one’s district have been issued.
Among the 13 presidential candidates, 15.38% are women and 84.62% are men. The average candidate age is just under 51.
Marciniak highlighted the scale of the electoral operation, noting that over 267,350 people are working in more than 32,000 polling committees. Of these, 245,350 were nominated by electoral committees, while 22,000 applied individually. Abroad, 5,057 people will serve in polling stations.
There are also 49 district-level electoral commissions composed of 307 members, mainly legal professionals, often judges.
Rafał Tkacz, head of the National Electoral Office, reminded voters that on election day, it is mandatory to bring a photo ID to verify identity—such as an ID card, driver’s license, passport, or the mObywatel app.
He emphasized that each voter receives only one ballot. Before issuing it, the commission must ensure the ballot contains two official stamps: one from the PKW and one from the local election commission, applied in person by a commission member.
Voters must confirm receipt of the ballot with a handwritten signature. Each ballot lists the 13 candidates in alphabetical order. One corner of the ballot will be cut, a feature designed to assist blind voters.
To cast a valid vote, the voter must mark an X (two intersecting lines) inside the box next to only one candidate’s name. Marking more than one box or failing to mark any renders the vote invalid.