Urgent Recruitment for Election Helpers in 2025's Local Elections in North Rhine-Westphalia
The municipal elections in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) are scheduled for September 14 and 28, 2025, and over 100,000 volunteers are needed across the region to ensure a smooth voting process.
Eligibility and Registration
To become an election helper (Wahlhelfer), you must be at least 16 years old on election day and hold German or any other EU citizenship. No prior experience is required, as a briefing will be given before the election. You can register digitally via an online form provided by the local election authority.
Main Tasks
On election day, election helpers welcome voters, check the voter registry, distribute ballots, supervise voting booths and ballot boxes, record the fact that a vote was cast in the voter list, ensure the proper conduct of the voting process, and count votes after polls close (from 6 PM onward).
Compensation
The compensation fee for election helpers, officially known as the "Hilfsgeld" and intended for food and drinks, varies by municipality. For instance, in Bielefeld, helpers receive 80 euros per election day, while in Cologne, the compensation ranges from 60 to 80 euros, depending on the task.
Incentives and Success
State Election Commissioner Monika Wißmann emphasizes the need for more young people to volunteer as election helpers. In Cologne alone, 8,500 honorary helpers are needed, with 1,500 positions still open. Andreas Zinn, head of the Cologne election office, promotes the honorary office and has already convinced Louis Heidrich, a young election helper, to participate. The city of Cologne considers the return rate to be successful, with around 2,000 former helpers rejoining for the municipal elections.
It's worth noting that municipalities may use compulsion to find election helpers if they cannot find enough volunteers, but this has never been necessary in Cologne, Essen, or Dortmund.
So, if you meet the age (16+) and EU citizenship requirement, you can volunteer by signing up digitally via your local municipality's election office well ahead of the September election date. Training will be provided shortly before the election.
- Economic and social policy considerations might reflect on the recruitment of election helpers, as the compensation fee varies by municipality, serving as an incentive for volunteers.
- The upcoming municipal elections in North Rhine-Westphalia, drawing attention to politics, have prompted calls for increased participation, especially among young people, due to the high demand for volunteers in certain areas like Cologne.
