Election marathon in Hesse: three elections, a huge organizational stress!

Election marathon in Hesse: three elections, a huge organizational stress!

In Hesse, the early Bundestag election at the end of February brings significant organizational challenges. The choice, which takes place on February 23, coincides with the mayoral elections in several municipalities, which causes additional complications. Five cities, including Alsfeld, Aßlar, and Steinbach, are in the starting blocks to choose their mayors on the same day as Wiesbaden becomes particularly delicate, where the mayor election takes place only two weeks after the Bundestag election. The opposition criticizes that the election dates should be merged meaningfully in order to reduce costs and effort. According to Daniela Georgi, the CDU parliamentary group leader, it is very difficult to motivate voters to participate in all three elections. In the meantime, some municipalities, including Aßlar and Ringgau, have already decided to prepare their election dates to February 23, consequently meet the requirements specified in the Hessian Local Election Act, such as wikipedia for stitching

legal hurdles and challenges

However, the legal framework is complex. Once fixed election dates enjoy existing protection, which makes a shift difficult. The Hessian municipal electoral code allows merging, but the interpretations of the legal situation vary between the municipalities. While some cities were simply allowed to lay the dates, Wiesbaden rejects such a change and argues with existing legal regulations. The state election manager Wilhelm Kanther also emphasizes that the cancellation of a specified appointment is not legally provided if the appointment has already been published.

The necessary logistical planning for the upcoming elections requires considerable resources. Especially in cities like Büttelborn, it will be a challenge to find enough election workers and to distinguish the different postal voting documents. Max Vatter from the election office refers to the particularly difficult preparations, since the deadlines for the different elections also have to be strictly observed. Responsibility for compliance with these requirements is considered a critical point for the election process.