Local Elections 2010

How does the system work?

There are local elections in the Netherlands every four years. If you are entitled to vote, you should get a ballot card from your local council a few weeks before the election. You must take this with you to your local polling station. If you don't get a card, contact your local town hall.

Polling stations are open from 7.30 to 21.00 hours.

When you present your voting card, you will be given a large piece of paper listing all the political parties running in the election and all the candidates on their electoral list.

The candidates are listed in priority order with the party's favourite at the top of the list. You can vote for anyone you like. Candidates lower down the list get can still get a seat on the council if they get a lot of votes. 

You vote by filling in the box next to the name of your chosen candidate with a red pencil. (Voting computers have been abandoned because they are not fraud-proof).

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