Lower Austria Centre (), also known as Electoral District 3D (), is one of the 39 multi-member regional electoral districts of the National Council, the lower house of the Austrian Parliament, the national legislature of Austria. The electoral district was created in 1992 when electoral regulations were amended to add regional electoral districts to the existing state-wide electoral districts and came into being at the following legislative election in 1994. It consists of the city of St. Pölten and the districts of Lilienfeld, St. Pölten and Tulln in the state of Lower Austria. The electoral district currently elects seven of the 183 members of the National Council using the open party-list proportional representation electoral system. At the 2019 legislative election the constituency had 240,310 registered electors.

History Lower Austria Centre was one 43 regional electoral districts () established by the "National Council Electoral Regulations 1992" () passed by the National Council in 1992. It consisted of the city of St. Pölten and the districts of Lilienfeld, St. Pölten and Tulln in the state of Lower Austria. The district was initially allocated five seats in May 1993. The Greater Vienna District, which was part of the Greater Vienna regional electoral district, was dissolved in January 2017 and six of its municipalities to the west of Vienna - Gablitz, Mauerbach, Pressbaum, Purkersdorf, Tullnerbach and Wolfsgraben - were transferred to St. Pölten District. As a result, the number of seats allocated to Lower Austria Centre was increased to seven in February 2017.

Electoral system Lower Austria Centre currently elects seven of the 183 members of the National Council using the open party-list proportional representation electoral system. The allocation of seats is carried out in three stages. In the first stage, seats are allocated to parties (lists) at the regional level using a state-wide Hare quota () (valid votes in the state divided by the number of seats in the state). In the second stage, seats are allocated to parties at the state/provincial level using the state-wide Hare quota (any seats won by the party at the regional stage are subtracted from the party's state seats). In the third and final stage, seats are allocated to parties at the federal/national level using the D'Hondt method (any seats won by the party at the regional and state stages are subtracted from the party's federal seats). Only parties that reach the 4% national threshold, or have won a seat at the regional stage, compete for seats at the state and federal stages.

Electors may cast one preferential vote for individual candidates at the regional, state and federal levels. Split-ticket voting (panachage), or voting for more than one candidate at each level, is not permitted and will result in the ballot paper being invalidated. At the regional level, candidates must receive preferential votes amounting to at least 14% of the valid votes cast for their party to over-ride the order of the party list (10% and 7% respectively for the state and federal levels). Prior to April 2013 electors could not cast preferential votes at the federal level and the thresholds candidates needed to over-ride the party list order were higher at the regional level (half the Hare quota or of the party votes) and state level (Hare quota).

Election results Summary Election CommunistsKPÖ+ / KPÖ Social DemocratsSPÖ GreensGRÜNE NEOSNEOS / LiF People'sÖVP FreedomFPÖ colspan=3 colspan=3 colspan=3 colspan=3 colspan=3 colspan=3 Votes % Seats Votes % Seats Votes % Seats Votes % Seats Votes % Seats Votes % Seats2019 1,094 0.57% 0 38,740 20.16% 1 25,691 13.37% 0 16,476 8.57% 0 76,469 39.80% 2 28,950 15.07% 12017 1,208 0.60% 0 51,872 25.86% 1 6,842 3.41% 0 10,982 5.48% 0 67,690 33.75% 2 48,569 24.22% 12013 1,331 0.86% 0 45,110 29.30% 1 15,757 10.23% 0 6,550 4.25% 0 44,673 29.02% 1 28,142 18.28% 12008 1,104 0.70% 0 49,329 31.43% 1 12,807 8.16% 0 2,713 1.73% 0 48,646 31.00% 1 28,353 18.07% 02006 1,246 0.82% 0 57,084 37.53% 2 13,864 9.12% 0 56,787 37.34% 2 15,048 9.89% 02002 822 0.54% 0 59,005 38.49% 2 11,191 7.30% 0 1,344 0.88% 0 70,409 45.93% 2 10,542 6.88% 01999 736 0.51% 0 51,397 35.48% 1 8,707 6.01% 0 3,932 2.71% 0 45,206 31.21% 1 32,291 22.29% 11995 546 0.37% 0 57,590 39.46% 2 5,755 3.94% 0 7,190 4.93% 0 47,589 32.61% 1 25,224 17.28% 01994 518 0.37% 0 51,244 36.41% 1 8,585 6.10% 0 7,638 5.43% 0 44,385 31.53% 1 26,226 18.63% 0

Detailed 2010s 2019 Results of the 2019 legislative election held on 29 September 2019:

Party Votes per district Totalvotes % SeatsLilien-feld St.PöltenCity St.Pölten Tulln Votingcard Austrian People's Party ÖVP 6,874 9,216 33,660 26,465 254 76,469 39.80% 2 Social Democratic Party of Austria SPÖ 4,157 8,755 15,301 10,405 122 38,740 20.16% 1 Freedom Party of Austria FPÖ 2,529 4,451 12,642 9,227 101 28,950 15.07% 1 The Greens GRÜNE 1,382 4,009 11,059 8,991 250 25,691 13.37% 0 NEOS – The New Austria and Liberal Forum NEOS 853 2,176 6,877 6,404 166 16,476 8.57% 0 JETZT JETZT 243 636 1,567 1,267 34 3,747 1.95% 0 KPÖ Plus KPÖ+ 94 226 436 332 6 1,094 0.57% 0 Der Wandel WANDL 73 181 402 325 9 990 0.52% 0Valid Votes 16,205 29,650 81,944 63,416 942 192,157 100.00% 4Rejected Votes 274 426 1,257 795 7 2,759 1.42% Total Polled 16,479 30,076 83,201 64,211 949 194,916 81.11% Registered Electors 20,144 39,559 101,697 78,910 240,310 Turnout 81.81% 76.03% 81.81% 81.37% 81.11%

The following candidates were elected: Party mandates - Christian Hafenecker (FPÖ), 1,681 votes; Johann Höfinger (ÖVP), 5,843 votes; Robert Laimer (SPÖ), 2,383 votes; and Friedrich Ofenauer (ÖVP), 1,911 votes.

2017 Results of the 2017 legislative election held on 15 October 2017:

Party Votes per district Totalvotes % SeatsLilien-feld St.PöltenCity St.Pölten Tulln Votingcard Austrian People's Party ÖVP 5,926 8,188 29,408 23,845 323 67,690 33.75% 2 Social Democratic Party of Austria SPÖ 4,892 11,037 21,196 14,446 301 51,872 25.86% 1 Freedom Party of Austria FPÖ 4,414 7,409 21,154 15,421 171 48,569 24.22% 1 NEOS – The New Austria and Liberal Forum NEOS 587 1,393 4,716 4,161 125 10,982 5.48% 0 Peter Pilz List PILZ 580 1,434 4,220 3,651 108 9,993 4.98% 0 The Greens GRÜNE 370 1,005 2,857 2,522 88 6,842 3.41% 0 My Vote Counts! GILT 240 404 1,310 771 19 2,744 1.37% 0 Communist Party of Austria KPÖ 87 248 501 359 13 1,208 0.60% 0 The Whites WEIßE 38 75 179 119 2 413 0.21% 0 Free List Austria FLÖ 17 39 104 78 3 241 0.12% 0Valid Votes 17,151 31,232 85,645 65,373 1,153 200,554 100.00% 4Rejected Votes 256 338 976 694 8 2,272 1.12% Total Polled 17,407 31,570 86,621 66,067 1,161 202,826 84.89% Registered Electors 20,336 39,303 101,340 77,957 238,936 Turnout 85.60% 80.32% 85.48% 84.75% 84.89%

The following candidates were elected: Party mandates - Christian Hafenecker (FPÖ), 2,643 votes; Johann Höfinger (ÖVP), 7,867 votes; Robert Laimer (SPÖ), 2,123 votes; and Friedrich Ofenauer (ÖVP), 2,805 votes.

2013 Results of the 2013 legislative election held on 29 September 2013:

Party Votes per district Totalvotes % SeatsLilien-feld St.PöltenCity St.Pölten Tulln Votingcard Social Democratic Party of Austria SPÖ 5,721 11,090 16,971 11,226 102 45,110 29.30% 1 Austrian People's Party ÖVP 5,131 5,895 19,477 14,050 120 44,673 29.02% 1 Freedom Party of Austria FPÖ 2,912 5,292 11,484 8,390 64 28,142 18.28% 1 The Greens GRÜNE 1,199 3,382 6,277 4,791 108 15,757 10.23% 0 Team Stronach FRANK 823 1,254 2,956 2,108 26 7,167 4.65% 0 NEOS – The New Austria NEOS 390 1,295 2,670 2,149 46 6,550 4.25% 0 Alliance for the Future of Austria BZÖ 429 751 1,603 1,275 25 4,083 2.65% 0 Communist Party of Austria KPÖ 163 319 515 330 4 1,331 0.86% 0 Pirate Party of Austria PIRAT 96 249 475 320 11 1,151 0.75% 0Valid Votes 16,864 29,527 62,428 44,639 506 153,964 100.00% 3Rejected Votes 457 550 1,485 1,018 8 3,518 2.23% Total Polled 17,321 30,077 63,913 45,657 514 157,482 81.22% Registered Electors 20,876 39,248 77,553 56,214 193,891 Turnout 82.97% 76.63% 82.41% 81.22% 81.22%

The following candidates were elected: Personal mandates - Johann Höfinger (ÖVP), 9,870 votes. Party mandates - Christian Hafenecker (FPÖ), 2,038 votes; and Anton Heinzl (SPÖ), 2,633 votes.

2000s 2008 Results of the 2008 legislative election held on 28 September 2008:

Party Votes per district Totalvotes % SeatsLilien-feld St.PöltenCity St.Pölten Tulln Votingcard Social Democratic Party of Austria SPÖ 6,321 12,128 18,353 12,147 380 49,329 31.43% 1 Austrian People's Party ÖVP 5,497 6,568 20,496 15,682 403 48,646 31.00% 1 Freedom Party of Austria FPÖ 2,942 5,683 11,466 8,034 228 28,353 18.07% 0 The Greens GRÜNE 1,008 2,808 5,027 3,744 220 12,807 8.16% 0 Alliance for the Future of Austria BZÖ 1,146 1,748 4,281 2,693 102 9,970 6.35% 0 Liberal Forum LiF 182 609 1,014 864 44 2,713 1.73% 0 Fritz Dinkhauser List – Citizens' Forum Tyrol FRITZ 190 332 777 491 14 1,804 1.15% 0 Independent Citizens' Initiative Save Austria RETTÖ 206 251 586 371 13 1,427 0.91% 0 Communist Party of Austria KPÖ 183 249 387 277 8 1,104 0.70% 0 The Christians DC 101 113 356 206 9 785 0.50% 0Valid Votes 17,776 30,489 62,743 44,509 1,421 156,938 100.00% 2Rejected Votes 483 611 1,624 1,103 32 3,853 2.40% Total Polled 18,259 31,100 64,367 45,612 1,453 160,791 84.58% Registered Electors 21,196 39,274 75,879 53,749 190,098 Turnout 86.14% 79.19% 84.83% 84.86% 84.58%

The following candidates were elected: Party mandates - Anton Heinzl (SPÖ), 3,077 votes; and Johann Höfinger (ÖVP), 5,861 votes.

2006 Results of the 2006 legislative election held on 1 October 2006:

Party Votes per district Totalvotes % SeatsLilien-feld St.PöltenCity St.Pölten Tulln Votingcard Social Democratic Party of Austria SPÖ 7,324 14,208 20,428 13,338 1,786 57,084 37.53% 2 Austrian People's Party ÖVP 6,231 7,526 23,237 17,484 2,309 56,787 37.34% 2 Freedom Party of Austria FPÖ 1,387 3,089 6,116 4,036 420 15,048 9.89% 0 The Greens GRÜNE 1,033 2,974 5,190 3,688 979 13,864 9.12% 0 Hans-Peter Martin's List MATIN 524 813 1,920 1,313 160 4,730 3.11% 0 Alliance for the Future of Austria BZÖ 367 656 1,297 911 100 3,331 2.19% 0 Communist Party of Austria KPÖ 170 280 449 302 45 1,246 0.82% 0Valid Votes 17,036 29,546 58,637 41,072 5,799 152,090 100.00% 4Rejected Votes 407 499 1,416 964 66 3,352 2.16% Total Polled 17,443 30,045 60,053 42,036 5,865 155,442 85.50% Registered Electors 20,526 38,165 72,513 50,601 181,805 Turnout 84.98% 78.72% 82.82% 83.07% 85.50%

The following candidates were elected: Party mandates - Alfred Brader (ÖVP), 4,567 votes; Anton Heinzl (SPÖ), 2,887 votes; Johann Höfinger (ÖVP), 6,973 votes; and Beate Schasching (SPÖ), 963 votes.

Substitutions: Alfred Brader (ÖVP) resigned on 31 December 2006 and was replaced by Peter Eisenschenk (ÖVP) on 2 January 2007. Beate Schasching (SPÖ) resigned on 9 July 2008 and was replaced by Johann Hell (SPÖ) on 10 July 2008.

2002 Results of the 2002 legislative election held on 24 November 2002:

Party Votes per district Totalvotes % SeatsLilien-feld St.PöltenCity St.Pölten Tulln Votingcard Austrian People's Party ÖVP 7,632 10,035 29,008 21,573 2,161 70,409 45.93% 2 Social Democratic Party of Austria SPÖ 7,756 15,584 20,992 13,276 1,397 59,005 38.49% 2 The Greens GRÜNE 872 2,792 4,163 2,876 488 11,191 7.30% 0 Freedom Party of Austria FPÖ 1,163 1,811 4,290 3,039 239 10,542 6.88% 0 Liberal Forum LiF 126 343 467 360 48 1,344 0.88% 0 Communist Party of Austria KPÖ 149 181 270 210 12 822 0.54% 0Valid Votes 17,698 30,746 59,190 41,334 4,345 153,313 100.00% 4Rejected Votes 310 433 1,115 712 40 2,610 1.67% Total Polled 18,008 31,179 60,305 42,046 4,385 155,923 89.36% Registered Electors 20,277 36,937 69,257 48,008 174,479 Turnout 88.81% 84.41% 87.07% 87.58% 89.36%

The following candidates were elected: Party mandates - Alfred Brader (ÖVP), 2,577 votes; Anton Heinzl (SPÖ), 4,225 votes; Johann Kurzbauer (ÖVP), 4,777 votes; and Beate Schasching (SPÖ), 1,300 votes.

1990s 1999