How is the national electoral register created?

ODIHR, France Presidential and Parliamentary Elections, 2022, Needs Assessment Mission Report, accessed 14 April 2022

“Voter registration for each election is compulsory and all other voters must apply for registration either in person at their municipalities or online. The deadline for online and in-person registration is 2 and 4 March, respectively. When citizens reach voting age, they are automatically registered for the following elections as are those who gain French citizenship after 2019.”

France, National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies, Single Electoral Register (REU), accessed 14 April 2022

“Updating the Single Electoral Register: a collaboration between the municipalities, consulates and INSEE

The Single Electoral Register (REU) is continuously updated via a fully automated management system.

The municipalities send the following to the REU directly:

• registrations on the electoral rolls that have been approved by the mayor;
• removals from the electoral roll for loss of municipal ties duly verified by the mayor;
• voluntary removals requested by voters included on the supplementary rolls;
• registration or removal decisions made by the verification committees.

Equivalent information relating to consular electoral rolls is exchanged through a centralised information system managed by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In addition, INSEE updates the REU on the basis of information received from other government departments:

• it performs the automatic registration of young people who are about to reach the age of majority and adults who have just obtained French nationality;
• it removes people who have died, lost their right to vote due to conviction or who have lost French nationality;
• it takes into account court decisions relating to registrations or removals from the electoral rolls.”