Another week and then Drenthe can pick up the red pencil again for the House of Representatives elections. While most people are still busy figuring out what name the red dot should follow, municipalities are busy preparing for the elections. This is also the case in the municipality of Aa and Hunze.
Dozens of boxes of ballots line the wall in an office at city hall. The white background is barely visible anymore. There are some other bags on a stack of pallets a little further away. “Red pencils for voting,” says project leader Jolanda Hoving. “Everything is ready to be picked up by the chairmen of the polling stations. We are almost ready.”
Because picking up the things is actually the last thing that needs to happen. Municipalities have had about four months to prepare for the elections, which is shorter than normal. But despite the crowds, things are going well in the municipality of Aa en Hunze. “Everyone involved in the elections has done it before. We are well attuned to each other. It is busy, but it is doable,” said Hoving.
But that does not necessarily mean that all challenges have disappeared. Although things are running smoothly at the municipality, they are of course dependent on outside parties. “Then think of the printer. He wants everything in on time,” she continues. “The candidate lists, the voting cards, you name it. This all has to be done quite quickly and in between, while they may have other major jobs.”