Upcoming local elections in Bottrop: How to vote correctly!

Upcoming local elections in Bottrop: How to vote correctly!

On September 14, 2025 it will be that time again: Citizens in Bottrop are asked to take part in the local elections. This year, around 90,000 eligible voters will be able to decide who will join the councils in their view, who will occupy the mayor's office and how the district representatives in Bottrop-Mitte, Bottrop-Süd and Bottrop-Kirchhellen will be composed. The letters have already been sent and preparations for this important election day are in full swing. Bottroper Zeitung reports that postal voting stations have been set up in the town hall and in the Kirchhellen district administration office.

Over 5,500 applications for postal voting documents have already been submitted. This is particularly worth mentioning because those eligible to vote can easily apply for the documents online, via QR code, email, post or in person. The postal voting stations are open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and close on September 12th at 3 p.m.

What's coming up?

Election day itself will be exciting, because the citizens will not only decide on the composition of the council, but also on the 17 members of the Integration Committee and the Ruhr Parliament. Future Bottrop highlights that the Ruhr Parliament will be elected differently this year: without constituencies, the votes will be assigned to the candidate lists.

Bernd Tischler, the incumbent, has drawn his conclusions after 16 years in office and will not run again. This means that five new candidates are on the shortlist who could potentially succeed him. If a majority is not achieved on September 14th, there will be a runoff election on September 28th to clarify the decision.

Voters and turnout

But what about voter turnout? Historically, this has not been particularly high in Bottrop in recent years. Statista shows that voter turnout in Bottrop has been steadily declining in recent local elections, with a low of 48.3% in 2020. In the last federal election, however, nationwide voter turnout was 82.5%. An increase in willingness to vote this year could be fueled by the great interest in the federal election.

Since the average voter turnout in the Federal Republic has varied in recent decades, the organizers are hoping for greater interest from the electorate. Political participation is considered an essential feature of a vibrant democratic system. A high proportion of older voters, who are traditionally more likely to vote, is also expected.

The election will not only take place in an exciting political environment, but also in a modern setting: on election day, the 69 polling stations will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and over 800 poll workers will be on duty. To promote accessibility, information is available online.

The ballot papers must be returned no later than the Thursday before the election, and the last emptying of the mailboxes takes place on election Sunday at 4 p.m. The counting of votes begins with the election of the mayor and continues with the results for the council, the district representatives, the Ruhr parliament and finally the integration committee. The results are made public online in real time so that all citizens can follow developments.