D66 Utrecht in English

On the 14th, 15th and 16th of March, citizens of Utrecht elect their 45 representatives for the Utrecht Municipal Council. The Municipal Council is the highest body of local government.

Here is one simple reason: it is your city too! The municipality plays an important role on issues such as traffic (bike, car, public transportation), leisure (sports, bars, cultural events) and facilities (expat centre, international education, public information). Different political parties have varying views on how these topics should be prioritised. There are also large ideological differences on how parties view topics such as immigration, sustainability and the European Union. You have a say in this, your vote shapes the future.

You are eligible to vote if you are a resident of Utrecht and you are either A) an EU-citizen or B) a legal resident in the Netherlands for at least five consecutive years.

You do not need to register to vote If you’re eligible to vote you will automatically receive an invitation via a so-called poll card (stempas) by mail from your municipality. The municipality is required to send you a poll card at least 14 days before the elections are held. If you haven’t received your voting pass you should contact the municipality via [email protected] or call 030 286 2002. Having problems? We will gladly help you: [email protected]

The elections take place on the 14th, 15th and 16th of March 2022. On those days you will be able to cast your vote at any polling station between 07.30 and 21.00. You are allowed to vote in any polling station within your municipality borders. This can be a polling station near your home or workplace, but it could also be somewhere else, for example at Utrecht central station. A list of all the polling stations in Utrecht (including accessibility in case of a physical impairment) can be found here (INSERT LINK). On your poll card (stempas) the address of one specific polling station will be printed. This is only a suggestion by the municipality for a polling station nearby your home.

You need to take 2 things with you when going to vote: Your poll card (stempas) and a valid form of identification (eg. passport, driver’s license or ID card).

When you enter the polling station (stembureau), you will be met by 3 or 4 polling station members. You hand them your poll card (stempas) and a valid identification document. They will check your name against a list of excluded persons. After this (quick) check you will receive your voting pass which is a large paper document folded together. You will then be able to enter a voting booth where you can unfold the voting pass.

In the voting booth, there will be a red pencil that should be used to select one candidate of your choice. You cannot vote solely for a party but must vote for a specific candidate within the party. After this you should fold the document back to its original shape (more or less) and proceed towards the ballot box, outside the voting booth, into which your folded voting pass should be placed. You are now done and can leave the polling station.

Important:
You may only enter a voting booth one person at a time. The only exception is if you are with your (young) children, they can go into the voting booth with you. You may only select one candidate by marking the circle in front of their name. If you mark multiple candidates then your vote becomes invalid.

The electoral college (EN)
Voting in Utrecht (EN)
The municipality of Utrecht regarding elections (NL)
Have questions or problems? We will gladly help you: [email protected]