Ok yeah that’s a different story, also the prices for passport and passport ID for first issues are ridiculous, that is twice as much as I’d have to pay to have my passport-issuing expedited, which I already find ridiculous. First issuing is done when you are mandated to be able to present an ID, i.e. at 14, and it’s free of charge as far as I can remember, everything after is a renewal. Having to register to vote is in and of itself, the self-proclaimed origin and beacon of democracy is an opt-in democracy which throws logs in your way to hinder you from voting apparently.

Voting by mail is also much simpler here, you just apply, a few weeks later you get the forms, no reason required - it is your constitutional right to vote after all.

And in any case, voting is always on a Sunday, which is always a mandatory holiday, most of the population doesn’t work that day. Hours are the same though. And I believe that all the IDs you have listed besides an actual ID and a passport are not enough to vote here. I am not sure if election papers are translated, but since the communal elections are the only ones open to non-Germans i.e. EU-citizens that live here, and speaking German is mandatory to get a citizenship, that is not that mich of an issue. Frankly speaking, while I see the point you raise, nowadays with camera translations, that is generally not that much of a hurdle.

Polling stations reflect the election areas, whereas each one represents one distinct area. They are directly linked to the population density.