Local elections in Aachen: Every vote counts!

But this is not the only position up for election. Other offices will also be elected at the same time, such as the members of the city council, the city region council, the city region assembly, and many more.

Are you unfamiliar with these terms? Are you left with more questions than answers? In this article, we explain local elections to you.

When are the elections, and am I even allowed to vote?

Before we get to the committees and positions and take a closer look at their tasks, we would first like to present a few facts about the election.
The election will take place on September 14, with any run-off elections on September 28.

Every person who...

• has reached the age of 16 on the day of the election,
• holds German citizenship or citizenship of another EU member state and
• has been resident in Aachen or has usually resided in Aachen for at least 16 days prior to the election
  
  ...is eligible to vote.

In addition, the person should not have been deprived of their right to vote by a court.
Every five years, three committees are elected in the local elections in Aachen (for some, four; more on this below) .

Tasks and responsibilities:

As already mentioned, four committees and two positions are elected in Aachen.
The committees are:

• the city council,
• the district representatives 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 appointed members is voluntary and is compensated with an expense allowance. The city council may also appoint “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 provision and maintenance of public facilities (e.g., schools) in their district.
Unless cultural matters are handled by the city council, they 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 solely 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 those 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 involves chairing 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 mayor also has representative duties.
The second position is that of city region councilor. This person takes on 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. So there is 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 based on the ratio of votes per party.

If you have any further questions about the election, please contact the Stadt Aachen.

Voting is a fundamental democratic right that every citizen should exercise. Only those who vote can have a say in how Aachen and the urban region should develop.

So: Go vote on September 14!