City hall
選挙 投票所入場券: Japan Polling Place Admission Ticket Explained
This 投票所入場券 (polling-place admission ticket) is a notice mailed from your municipality's election board (選挙管理委員会) before an election, telling you your voting day, hours, and the 投票所 (polling place) assigned to you. On election day, bringing this ticket to your assigned polling place makes check-in quick. ⛔ It is not a bill and there is nothing to pay. Importantly, it does not show who you voted for — it only carries the place, date and time. If you can't find the ticket, you can still vote by telling the staff who you are. Voting in Japan is a right, not an obligation.
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Eligible voters (those on the electoral roll) receive it from the municipality where they are registered, usually one envelope per household with one ticket per person inside. Timing differs by the type of election (national, local, etc.). If you moved recently and have only been registered a short time, the district where you can vote may still be tied to your old address, so check the polling place printed on the ticket.
What to do
- 1Check the voting day, voting hours and 投票所 (polling place) printed on the ticket.
- 2On election day (or during the early-voting period), bring this ticket to that polling place.
- 3Hand the ticket in at reception to receive your ballot (staff may ask to confirm your identity).
- 4If you lost the ticket or it never came, you can still vote by identifying yourself at the polling place; you may confirm with the election board beforehand.
- 5If you can't go on election day, there is 期日前投票 (early voting) and absentee voting. Check the ticket for details or ask your municipal election board.
About the deadline
You can vote during the voting hours on the day printed on the ticket (often morning to evening). If that day is inconvenient, 期日前投票 (early voting) is available in the period before it, usually also explained on the ticket. Voting is not mandatory, so there is no penalty for not going. But if you do want to vote, be careful not to miss the closing time on the day or during the early-voting period.
Common misunderstandings
- Is this a bill? Do I have to pay?
- No. The admission ticket tells you the time and place to vote; it is not a bill, and there is nothing to pay.
- I lost this ticket. Can I no longer vote?
- You can still vote. The ticket just speeds up check-in; without it you can receive a ballot by identifying yourself to the polling-place staff. If unsure, confirm with the election board beforehand.
- Does this ticket reveal who I voted for?
- No. It only tells you the polling place, date and time; it does not record who you voted for. The secrecy of your vote is protected.
- Do I have to vote?
- No. In Japan voting is a right, not a duty, and there is no penalty for not voting. Use this ticket to go to the polling place only if you want to vote.
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This page is general information. For your own case, confirm with the office that issued the document, or with a qualified professional.