Will it be Baest, Best-Oirschot or Heidelanden? Residents of Best and Oirschot were allowed to vote on Wednesday, in addition to voting for the House of Representatives elections, for a new name for the merged municipality that will be created in 2028.
Polling station member Helly van Houdenhoven thinks it is special that people can also vote for a municipality in addition to the national elections. “But quite a few people skip that vote,” she says. The completed cards go into a separate container and will be counted by the municipality of Best on Thursday. “We don’t have to do that today,” she says.
A woman hesitated for a moment about her choice. “I consulted with my husband,” she says. “I chose Best-Oirschot. I think that is appropriate.” She lived in Oirschot for many years, but has now also lived in Best for a long time. “I have a lot of connections with both places, that’s why I made this choice. I don’t think Baest and Heidelanden are a good fit: one is too Oirschot-oriented and the other too Best-oriented. So I think it’s fine that way.”
Clearly
Many others also choose Best-Oirschot. “The others are not names,” says one man. “These are the two villages that go together, so the name is clear. The other names mean nothing, no one knows them.” A father with his daughter especially likes the fact that he can vote on a new name. “As a newcomer from Best, Best-Oirschot feels like a logical choice to me. It gives me the most recognition.”
But not everyone chooses that option. “I thought Heidelanden was a bit meh,” says a younger man about the three options. “The other two options were actually good, but I chose Baest. Best-Oirschot still resembles two separate villages.” He believes he should vote for a new name. “You are a resident of the village and you have a choice, so if you have the right to vote, you should always use it.”
‘Just Baest’
For another man, the choice was simple. “Just Baest. It doesn’t have to be more difficult,” he says. De Bestenaar sees no reason why Oirschot should be in the name. “That is not as big as Best. And so less changes.”
The new municipal name will be announced on November 6. The merger of Best and Oirschot will only become a reality from January 1, 2028.