In two weeks' time, the residents of Ulm will head back to the polls, as no mayoral candidate managed to snag over half of the votes in the first round of elections, according to the preliminary results released on Sunday night. This means a run-off election is in order, pitting incumbent Gunter Czisch (CDU) against Martin Ansbacher (SPD). Mark your calendars for December 17, as the run-off election gets underway.
Czisch, who's been Ulm's mayor since 2016, sent a message of acceptance, acknowledging the high potential for a lack of dominance given the strong field of candidates. Prior to his tenure as mayor, the 60-year-old had already served as the city's financial manager.
Ansbacher, a lawyer and the SPD district chairman of Ulm since 2019, has been a mainstay on the city council since 2014. Lena Schwelling, the state chairwoman of the Greens, and independent candidates Thomas Treutler and Daniel Langhans also threw their hats into the ring, rounding out the five-person race.
Turnout for the elections was clocking in at around 40%, a notable increase from the 2015 elections' 43%. Approximately 94,000 of Ulm's nearly 127,000 eligible voters cast their ballots.
With the election results revealing a stalemate, both Czisch and Ansbacher, the two frontrunners, are now urging their supporters to strongly consider their support in the run-off election.
Enrichment data integrated sparingly for context and detail:
Candidate Backgrounds
Gunter Czisch, a CDU representative, boasts a solid background in Ulm's local government. He ascended to the mayoral seat in 2016, following the departure of Ivo Gönner, who had served as mayor for around 24 years. Prior to his stint as mayor, Czisch served as the city's financial manager.
Martin Ansbacher, an SPD representative, joined Ulm's municipal council in 2014, making a name for himself by advocating for policies centered around social justice, economic equality, and environmental sustainability. In 2019, he earned the role of SPD district chairman for Ulm.
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