The two Bremen electoral districts are the constituencies for the election of the Bremen Parliament. The Bremen electoral district covers the area of the city of Bremen, while the Bremerhaven electoral district covers the area of the city of Bremerhaven. The Bremen Parliament has 84 representatives. Of these, 69 are elected in the Bremen electoral district and 15 in the Bremerhaven electoral district .
The election is held separately for each of the two electoral districts in a list election based on proportional representation. This results in the nationwide peculiarity that the five percent hurdle is also applied separately for each electoral district. A result above 5% in one of the two electoral districts results in the party in question sending members to the Parliament, even if it falls below 5% at the state level. In the event of a party withdrawing from the Parliament, candidates from the relevant party list in the respective electoral district also take their place.
The Free Hanseatic City of Bremen has been divided into two electoral districts for state elections since 1947. The Bremen electoral district comprises the city of Bremen, while the Bremerhaven electoral district comprises the city of Bremerhaven. The electoral districts are not divided into constituencies. The electoral districts are regulated in Section 5 of the Bremen Electoral Law.
The distribution of seats between the two electoral districts was declared inadmissible by the Bremen State Court in 2004. Until then, Bremerhaven had received 16 seats. Following the decision, the law was amended in 2006, and the number of representatives from Bremerhaven was reduced to 15.
Since 2007, the Bremen Parliament (state parliament) has comprised 83 members. Of the members of the Bremen Parliament (state parliament), 68 members in the Bremen electoral district (previously 67) and 15 members in the Bremerhaven electoral district (previously 16) are elected in general, direct, free, equal, and secret proportional representation based on list nominations from parties and voters' associations. Nominations are made separately for the cities of Bremen and Bremerhaven.
The city of Bremerhaven will be re-elected for the 48 members of the City Council. The electoral area for the election of the City Council of Bremerhaven is the city of Bremerhaven, with 75 ballot box and 20 postal voting districts.
In the city of Bremen, the 330 council members of the 22 district councils will be newly elected. For council elections in the city of Bremen, the city is divided into 22 council districts. The electoral area is the respective council district. 335 ballot box districts will be established for voting within the city of Bremen, and an additional 82 postal voting districts will be established for postal voting.
In the city of Bremen and the city of Bremerhaven, the electoral districts, polling stations and electoral boards are the same for the combined state and local elections.