What is a citizenship ceremony and the handing over of electoral cards?

This ceremony allows the mayor to meet each 18-year-old newly registered to vote in his commune.

You can be invited to this ceremony when you have reached the age of 18 and are on the voters' list:

• Because you had been there ex officio registrant, after making your citizen census
• Or because you've been there voluntarily registered
• Or because you've registered as a citizen of another EU Member State.

The ceremony can take place throughout the year, outside election campaign periods for a poll concerning all or part of the territory of the commune.

The mayor's office may invite the prefect and the president of the judicial tribunal (or their representatives).

The speech of the mayor (or one of his deputies) must recall the fundamental principles of the republic, democracy and the political system. The ceremony must make the link between the presentation of the electoral map, the military census and Defense and Citizenship Day (JDC).

Your electoral card (or voter card) it's given to you.

You don't have to be there. If you are absent:

• Or you'll be invited to a future ceremony
• Your electoral card will be sent by mail to your home by April 30 of the following year (or 3 days before the referendum or 1^er round of the election)
• Either your electoral map will be given to you at your polling station on the day of the election or referendum. To obtain it, you will need to present a piece of identification.