Together for democracy: local elections in North Rhine-Westphalia on September 14th!

Together for democracy: local elections in North Rhine-Westphalia on September 14th!

An important election date is just around the corner in North Rhine-Westphalia. The local elections will take place on September 14, 2025, and the diocese of Münster, together with various partners, has called for people to make use of their right to vote. This call goes back to the President of the State Parliament, André Kuper (CDU), who underlined the importance of the election for local democracy. “It is up to us to take responsibility and enter into dialogue with our fellow citizens,” said Kuper. Topics such as traffic planning, urban educational institutions and the design of inner cities are particularly in focus, as kirche-und-leben.de reports.

The voter participation initiative is supported not only by Kuper, but also by churches, religious communities and the German Trade Union Confederation as well as Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst (CDU). The (arch)dioceses of Aachen, Essen, Cologne and Paderborn have also pledged their support. This shows how important the democratic process is for the various social actors.

Election modalities at a glance

Eligibility to vote adapts to the general rules: Anyone who is 16 years old on election day and has lived in the electoral area for at least 16 days can vote. This not only involves the election of city and municipal councils, but also of mayors and district administrators, all of which take place on the same day. The only exceptions are when chief administrative officers leave the company early. In addition, the election for the association assembly in the area of ​​the Ruhr regional association will also take place on September 14, 2025. The Ministry of the Interior im.nrw has determined the exact details.

The voter has several options: When electing local representation, he receives one vote for a constituency candidate and also for the reserve list of his preferred party. The election of mayor or district administrator is carried out by majority vote, which means that voters have one vote. If there is no majority in the first round of voting, a runoff election will take place on September 28, 2025.

Digital candidates and support for voters

For anyone who is still undecided, WDR will offer a digital candidate check. Local election candidates for mayor, mayor or district administrator can register for this purpose. As part of this format, participants answer three identical questions in video statements of a maximum of 60 seconds, which are published on a platform. This is intended to help voters to orient themselves better and make the right voting decision. The candidate check is expected to be available in mid-August 2025, as wdr.de reports.

The upcoming elections offer an excellent opportunity to raise your voice and take an active part in shaping your living environment. Take advantage of this opportunity and exercise your right to vote! Because every vote counts and is part of a living democratic process.