Local governments - Casting ballots for European and local polls: Rhineland-Palatinate
In the recent European election, teens aged 16 and 17 had the right to cast their ballots. Around 200,000 non-German EU citizens were eligible voters in Rhineland-Palatinate. The European Parliament had 34 candidates for residents to choose from. To be clear, the ballot papers for this election were impressively long at a length of 85 centimeters.
For local elections, Rhineland-Palatinate citizens vote for district councils, city and town councils, and local advisory boards. Here's a quirky note: you're allowed to give multiple votes rather than just one. You can spread these votes across different candidates or even double-up on favorite ones. This incredible freedom lets you express your support for specific candidates more strongly.
To vote in the municipal elections in Rhineland-Palatinate, candidates must have reached the grand old age of 18. There's a catch though - counting the votes will take longer here. They won't have the state result until the middle of the following week.
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In the upcoming European elections, Mainz, as part of Rhineland-Palatinate, will also participate, offering its citizens the opportunity to vote for EU Parliament representatives. The local elections in Rhineland-Palatinate follow a different pattern, where EU citizens living in the region, such as those from Mainz, can also participate. The European elections held on Sunday saw a significant number of new voters, including 16 and 17-year-olds and around 200,000 non-German EU citizens, who had the right to cast their ballots. As for the municipal elections in Mainz and other municipalities within Rhineland-Palatinate, the eligibility age increases to 18 years old. Interestingly, the process of counting votes in these local elections can take longer in Rhineland-Palatinate, usually resulting in the state's final results being available in the middle of the following week.
