In all twelve municipalities of Drenthe, the turnout during the municipal elections this year is lower than during the elections in 2018. Turnout is lowest in Emmen, while turnout has fallen most sharply in the municipality of Meppel.
That is still higher than the national average. After the votes of 327 municipalities have been counted, it appears that nationally 50.3 percent of the eligible voters came to the polls. In 2018, in the previous municipal elections, 54.1 percent voted.
Fewer votes, but seat gain
Liveable Tynaarlo received exactly the same percentage of votes as during the municipal elections of 2018. Still, the party wins a seat.
This is because the turnout in Tynaarlo is lower this year than four years ago. In the past three days, 16,484 residents of the municipality took the trouble to vote, or a turnout of 61.2 percent. In 2018, 16,695 residents of Tynaarlo voted, a turnout of 63.4 percent.
This means that parties need fewer votes for a seat this time. In 2018, 721 votes in Tynaarlo meant a seat. Now it is slightly lower, probably around 710 to 716, depending on how many people voted blank or invalid. If many people have voted blank or invalid, even fewer votes are good for a seat.
Lower than average
The turnout in the municipality of Emmen is the lowest in Drenthe. In that municipality, 46.9 percent of those entitled to vote took the trouble to go to the polls. And so there is work to be done, says Mayor Eric van Oosterhout. “A major spearhead of the next four years must be to get more people to the polls,” he responds to ZO34. “Only 46 percent of the people voted and as a municipality we have to ensure that that turnout percentage is higher in the next election.”
In Hoogeveen, too, the turnout this year is lower than the national average. 49 percent of the residents voted.
On average, the turnout in the province is 55.2 percent. In 2018, the turnout in Drenthe was still 58.8 percent.
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