Voting process - Morning voter turnout in Hamburg exceeded previous election levels.
In Hamburg, early on during the European elections, voter turnout has increased compared to the previous election five years ago. Announced by the state election commissioner, from 8:00 am till 11:00 am, a staggering 34.7% of eligible voters had already cast their votes. The voter turnout for the European election in 2019 at that time was only 28.5%. Similarly, the simultaneous district assembly elections also had a higher voter turnout with 32.3% (in comparison with 26.2% in 2019). However, including the mail-in ballots, which saw lesser participation this year than in 2019, it's yet to be determined if the overall voter turnout has increased or just shifted. Polling stations will be open till 6:00 pm.
After casting his vote, Mayor Peter Tschentscher (SPD) rallied for more participation. Democracy needs support, and a high voter turnout plays a crucial role in that. So, he urged all Hamburg citizens in his "sincere request" to take part in the elections and cast their votes.
Over a million and three hundred thousand Hamburg residents have been called to choose a new European Parliament and the seven district assemblies of the city. There are 34 different parties on the ballot for the European elections. Meanwhile, residents can choose from a total of 61 ballots in the city's 54 electoral districts for district assembly elections. More than a thousand polling stations close at 6:00 pm. Estimated time to announce the official result for the European election is late in the evening, whereas the district assembly elections' counting will commence on Monday morning.
The voter turnout in Hamburg for the European election in 2019 was 61.9%, while the district assembly elections witnessed a voter turnout of 58.0% of eligible voters.
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In these European elections, Hamburg saw a notable increase in voter turnout at the initial voting hours, surpassing the figures from the previous election five years ago. Mayor Peter Tschentscher, an advocate for democracy, urged Hamburg residents to participate actively in the elections, acknowledging the significance of high voter turnout. Furthermore, the European Union (EU) elections and municipal elections in Hamburg attracted the interest of over a million and a half eligible voters, with various parties on the ballot.
