Your vote on 21 March | Amsterdam city council elections
Written by @CathyCentral on 03/03/2018
Local elections take place across the Netherlands on 21 March and that includes Amsterdam.
For many internationals in Amsterdam it’s very possible you have a vote in these elections. Nationals from other EU countries living in Amsterdam can vote immediately if they are registered here. Residents from countries outside Europe are allowed to vote in council elections if they have lived legally in the Netherlands for at least five years.
And the international vote in Amsterdam is not to be ignored, as it makes up 13.2% of the electorate – which is equivalent to six seats on the city council.
The main national parties are represented, but Amsterdammers can also vote for candidates from many other local parties.
So, what are your issues? Finding somewhere affordable to live? School places? Dog poo on the streets? Hopefully you can find a political party with policies to match. Stemwijzer (https://amsterdam-eng.stemwijzer.nl/#intro ) is an online voting wizard that can help you to find them, and it’s available in English. Further voting information is also available from the gemeente website, in English, here: https://www.amsterdam.nl/en/governance-city-hall/municipal-elections/
In the run up to the local elections, there will be some English-language election events held in Amsterdam. See the local elections page on Dutchnews.nl for further information.