Runoff election in Cologne: Pre-voting starts today in Kalk-Karree!

Runoff election in Cologne: Pre-voting starts today in Kalk-Karree!

The air is burning in Cologne: the upcoming runoff election for the mayor's office is already casting its shadow. On Sunday, September 28th, Cologne residents will have the choice between Berivan Aymaz from the Greens and Torsten Burmester from the SPD. But from today, September 18th, citizens eligible to vote can conveniently cast their votes via direct voting to decide the head-to-head race. Loud Cologne City Gazette Preparations for the runoff election are already well advanced, and the electoral office particularly recommends this form of voting, as there is little time for postal votes.

Direct voting takes place in Kalk-Karree and is possible from Thursday to Friday, September 26th, between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. But that's not all: From Friday, a total of nine more locations will be opened in the respective electoral districts to ensure that everyone can cast their vote. Please note that only people eligible to vote in the respective city district are allowed to vote at these locations. A valid ID is required to participate in direct voting.

Runoff election and voter turnout

A look at the last elections shows that Cologne residents are clearly interested in local issues: in the last election, voter turnout was an impressive 57.7 percent. This represents an increase compared to 51.0 percent in the 2020 local election, as WDR reported. Over 800,000 eligible voters have already cast their votes, and this election will decide not only the mayor, but also the district councils and the future city council.

In recent years, the city council has been dominated by the Cologne Greens, who received 25 percent of the vote in the last election, although they suffered a loss of 3.5 percent. In 2020, the Greens won the most seats in the city council for the first time and formed a majority alliance with the CDU and Volt. Both the political decisions and the issues, such as the construction of a new subway or the expansion plans of 1. FC Cologne in the green belt, move the minds of the Cologne population.

Looking at the local elections

The local elections that take place regularly in Germany include not only elections for the parliamentary representatives of municipalities and cities, but also the direct election of mayors. The Basic Law clearly regulates local elections to ensure a representative and democratic voice of the people. The changing political climate in Cologne reflects possible disagreements between factions, which often concern local issues bpb.

On election day itself, it is still possible to cast your vote at the polling station. For those who have decided to vote by post, the voting documents are scheduled to be sent out tomorrow. However, anyone who has already applied for a postal vote can no longer take part in direct voting. A timely decision is therefore required!

Before the upcoming elections, remember to do your research and cast your vote – it counts more than ever!