Local elections will be held again in September, giving you the opportunity to cast your vote for the next mayor.
But this isn’t the only position up for election. Other offices will also be elected at the same time, such as members of the city council, the city region council, the city region board, and many more.
Are you unfamiliar with these terms? Are you left with nothing but question marks in your head? In this article, we will explain the local elections to you.
When will the elections take place and am I even allowed to participate?
Before we get to the committees and positions and take a closer look at their tasks, let’s first present a few facts about the election.
The election will take place on September 14, with any by-elections taking place on September 28.
Anyone who meets the following criteria is eligible to vote:
- is at least 16 years old on the day of the election,
- has German citizenship or citizenship of another EU member state, and
- has been a resident of Aachen or has usually resided in Aachen for at least 16 days prior to the election.
In addition, the person must not have been disqualified from voting by a court of law.
Every five years, three committees (four for some, more on this below) and two positions are elected in the local elections in Aachen.
Tasks and responsibilities:
As already mentioned, four committees and two positions are elected in Aachen.
The committees are:
- the city council,
- the district councils of the city,
- the integration council, and
- the city region council.
The city council is the legislative representative body for all Aachen residents. Known elsewhere as a municipal council, it makes decisions that the administration must implement. These decisions primarily concern the development of the city through public projects such as swimming pools and mobility.
The city council can have between 20 and 90 members, depending on the population of the city or municipality. The current city council of Aachen has 58 members in addition to the mayor.
The work of the elected members is voluntary and is compensated with an expense allowance. The city council can also elect “expert” citizens to the committees.
District councils are elected in independent cities such as Aachen. In Aachen, there are seven such district councils, which are responsible for the equipment and maintenance of public facilities (e.g., schools) in their district.
Unless cultural affairs are handled by the city council, these also fall within the remit of the district councils.
Direct elections are not possible; votes can be cast for parties and voter groups, with a threshold clause of 2.5%.
The Integration Council is the political representation of all Aachen residents with roots abroad and is elected only by them.
The City Region Council is the interface between the district and the state parliament in the Aachen City Region, which also includes other cities and municipalities. In addition, the City Region Council takes on tasks for the region that would be too much for the individual cities and municipalities to handle financially and administratively, or larger projects that affect more than one city in the region.
The Aachen City Region Council currently has the maximum number of 72 members plus the City Region Council. They also receive an expense allowance for their work.
So these are the four committees. Now let’s move on to the two positions.
The position of mayor essentially has two tasks. On the one hand, the position is associated with the chairmanship of the city council and the main committee. On the other hand, the mayor is responsible for managing the administration and, in this sense, is responsible for implementing council decisions, supervising day-to-day business, and taking on tasks that arise. Of course, the person also has representative duties.
The second position is that of city region councilor. This person performs tasks for the city region or district and is comparable in function to a mayor. Their central tasks include chairing political committees and managing the administration. In many regions, this position is also referred to as “district administrator.”
What options do I have and what is a reserve list?
Basically, you have one vote per election, so the positions are elected directly and separately from the committee members. For the election of committee members, the direct candidates and the first three from the reserve list per party and voter group are listed. When you vote for a direct candidate, you also vote for the reserve list. There is therefore no first and second vote as in federal elections. In the city council and city region council, 50% of the seats are determined by direct candidates and the remaining 50% are determined by the reserve list that is also elected. These are allocated proportionally according to the ratio of votes per party.
If you have any further questions about the election, please contact the City of Aachen directly.
Voting is a fundamental democratic right that every citizen should exercise. Only those who vote can have a say in how Aachen and the city region should develop.
So: Go out and vote on September 14!
(Jonas Potthoff)