Election combination is hindered due to legal constraints
County Administrator Achim Hallerbach has expressed regret over the inability to hold simultaneous elections for the Bundestag, County Administrator, and Mayor positions in Neuwied on February 23, 2025.
The legal provisions of the state prevent the bundling of elections, as stated in the letter from the Association of Cities and Municipalities (ADD) sent to Hallerbach last week. The decisive legal passage dictates that the successor of a County Administrator must be elected at least one month before the position becomes vacant, enabling the simultaneous conduct of the election with another election.
However, the Bundestag election on February 23, 2025, is before the legally prescribed period for the County Administrator's election. As a result, the direct elections for the position of County Administrator and the mayors can take place at the earliest on April 6, 2025.
The reason for this separation lies in the different election cycles and terms, administrative and logistical challenges, and legal restrictions on combining elections. The Bundestag elections follow a fixed four-year cycle at the federal level, while County Administrator and Mayor elections operate on schedules defined by state and local laws. Combining federal and local elections may require specific legal provisions or amendments, which might not currently exist.
Moreover, holding multiple elections simultaneously involves coordinating ballots, managing voter information, and ensuring clarity for voters. Different elections might have different eligibility rules and voting procedures, making it difficult for election authorities to organize multiple elections on the same day within existing frameworks.
County Administrator Hallerbach advocates for a joint election date for Bundestag, County Administrator, and mayors, emphasizing the potential benefits of increased voter turnout and streamlined administrative processes. He urges everyone to always use their right to vote and emphasizes the importance of democracy.
The election dates for mayors of the association communities of Asbach, Puderbach, and Rengsdorf-Waldbreitbach are also affected by these provisions. Despite these constraints, Hallerbach appeals for everyone to vote in the Bundestag election on February 23, 2025, and the mayoral elections on April 6, 2025.
The term of office of County Administrator Hallerbach ends on December 31, 2025. The laws do not provide a citizen-friendly, flexible-pragmatic solution for a complete bundling of elections, highlighting the need for potential reforms in the future to facilitate more efficient and accessible voting processes.
- The legal provisions, including policy-and-legislation, dictate that the successor of a County Administrator must be elected at least one month before the position becomes vacant, which is part of the politics surrounding the simultaneous conduct of elections.
- The different election cycles and terms, as well as logistical challenges and legal restrictions on combining elections, are currently preventing the simultaneous elections for the Bundestag, County Administrator, and Mayor positions, a matter of general-news concern.
