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Argentinians may win but only Europeans can vote.

European Union residents in France are eligible to vote – and stand for office - in municipal (2008) and European elections (2009). But you've only got until Friday. December 28, 2007, to register.

While you can't stand as mayor or deputy mayor, you can still have a voice in France’s next local elections 9 and 16 March, 2008. This is your chance to throw out corrupt officials or to make the difference on security, environmental, urban development and other critical issues. However, you’ll need to register at the local Mairie by Friday, December 28, 2007.

For many EU member residents living on the French side of the Lake Geneva and Southern Alps Region, the 2008 spring municipal elections will be their first chance to participate in the political life of their community. Swiss Europeans do not have the right to vote. Nor do any other taxpayers, notably Americans, Canadians, Australians, Russians…This is very frustrating for those of us who are concerned by the way some communes, such as Cessy, Echennevex, or Ferney in the Pays de Gex, are dealing with urban expansion or road safety.

Europeans have enjoyed the civic right to vote in other EU member countries since the signing of the Maastricht Treat (Article 8B) in February 1992. The treaty created the notion of European citizenship and enabled all nationals of an EU member-state resident in another, to exercise their voting rights at both the municipal and European level.

EU residents must register at their Mairie in order to be on the ‘supplementary lists’ designed specially for this purpose. There are separate lists for municipal and European elections, requiring separate registration for each. It is possible to vote in more than one member state for municipal elections, but not for the European Parliament.

To qualify, residents must prove their nationality by presenting their passport or any other form of ID at the Mairie. They also need to confirm their place of residence by showing a tax receipt, phone or EDF bill. You are not eligible to vote if you only retain a secondary residence in France. The local authorities may require proof of at least six months of residence, particularly if the local council is worried that it may have to answer to more penetrating oversight by its citizens, particularly European ones able to draw on voting experiences elsewhere.

With some 36,000 communes in France, councilors are elected for a term of six-years based on a two-ballot majority list poll. The number of councilors, who themselves elect the mayor, depends on the size of the commune.

In communes of less than 3,500 inhabitants, voters can support candidates on different lists. Vote-splitting and preference voting with the deletion of names are allowed. You can vote for a specific candidate or even write-in the names of those not on the list. The candidate wins based on the number of global votes received. For communes with larger populations (over 3,600), you are not allowed to alter the ballot paper. Votes are counted by list with certain seats allocated proportionally.

This idea of European citizenship means that EU residents are also eligible to stand as municipal councilors. It will enable representatives to propose new projects or to vote against bad or questionable initiatives, or even – as is desperately needed in many communities – demand greater accountability. Corruption is alive and well – and not just on the French side of the border.

To register, you can pick up a registration form at your local Maire, or go online at: www.interieur.gouv.fr. You need to register by the last working day in December. This means Friday December 28, 2007 for the 2008 municipal elections.