The election silence period began at midnight on Friday night going into Saturday (May 16–17). Until 9:00 p.m. on Sunday (May 18), electioneering and the publication of poll results will not be permitted.
Sylwester Marciniak, head of PKW, warned that violating the election silence period may result in a fine, while publishing polls may incur a penalty of between PLN 500,000 and PLN 1 million. All cases of violating the election silence rules should be reported to the appropriate authorities, namely the prosecutor’s office. The silence period will end when polling stations close at 9:00 p.m. on Sunday, when the first exit poll results will be published.
When will the official results of the 2025 presidential election be available?
Sylwester Marciniak expects the result to be available as early as Tuesday, May 20, although it is possible that we will learn it even earlier, late on Monday evening—all of this depends on the commissions operating outside Poland.
How to cast your vote correctly?
PKW reminds voters that, in order to vote, they must present a photo ID, such as an identity card or passport. After verification against the electoral register or upon presenting a certificate of eligibility to vote, the voter will receive a ballot paper, which they must confirm with their handwritten signature in the electoral register. The ballot paper should bear the stamp of the District Electoral Commission and the imprint of the PKW seal.
The candidates’ names will be arranged alphabetically. Rafał Tkacz of PKW pointed out that the ballot paper has a cut-off corner so that it fits the Braille overlay—this is a normal and expected feature. In the election, voters cast their ballot by placing an “X” in the box next to the name of their chosen candidate. If more than one name is marked, or a candidate is marked in any other way, the vote will be deemed invalid.