Kerkrade's 2026 municipal elections: BurgerBelangen wins big as preliminary results revealed
Kerkrade residents have spoken in the 2026 municipal elections, with preliminary results showing BurgerBelangen securing a dominant 14 seats. The outcome shapes local policies on housing, safety, and community services for the next four years.
| Key Data Point | Details |
|---|---|
| Election Date | March 18, 2026 |
| Turnout by 11:00 AM | 12.94% (4,913 votes) |
| Turnout by 2:00 PM | 24% (9,050 votes) |
| Final Turnout (9:00 PM) | 43.7% |
| Total Polling Stations | 29 |
| Seat Distribution | |
| - BurgerBelangen | 14 seats |
| - OnsKerkrade | 4 seats |
| - GroenLinks-PvdA | 2 seats |
| - Lokaal Alternatief | 2 seats |
| - SP | 1 seat |
| - Ouderenpartij Kerkrade | 4 seats |
| - CDA | 1 seat |
| - VVD Kirchroa | 1 seat |
| Next Steps | Definitive results and candidate-level outcomes on March 19, 2026 |
The municipality of Kerkrade organizes and oversees local elections, ensuring fair and transparent voting processes. These elections determine the composition of the municipal council, which influences local policies, budgets, and community initiatives.
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Kerkrade went to the polls: election updates and preliminary final results
On Wednesday, March 18, residents of Kerkrade cast their votes in the municipal council elections. Across the city, they cast their ballots. Here you will find the election updates and the preliminary final results.
Interim turnout figures
Throughout the day, provisional turnout figures were released at several points:
- By 11:00 AM, 12.94% of Kerkrade residents had voted, accounting for 4,913 votes
- By 2:00 PM, this had risen to 24%, or 9,050 voters
- By 9:00 PM, the turnout stood at 43.7%
Election night updates
On Wednesday evening, the results of the municipal council elections in Kerkrade trickled in. It was an exciting evening, revealing how the votes were distributed among the parties.
Residents were kept up to date with the latest interim standings via three mini-news bulletins, shared throughout the evening on Facebook, Instagram, and a news update on the website. New updates appeared around 10:15 PM, 11:15 PM, and 12:45 AM.
Promotional video and mini-news bulletins with election updates
In the promotional video for election night, Job Vinders and Fer Kousen guided residents through what they could expect during the evening.
- Watch the promotional video on the Gemeente Kerkrade website.
- Watch mini-news bulletin 1/3 with the first provisional interim standings on the Gemeente Kerkrade website.
- Watch mini-news bulletin 2/3 with the second provisional interim standings on the Gemeente Kerkrade website.
- Watch mini-news bulletin 3/3 with the preliminary final results on the Gemeente Kerkrade website.
Preliminary final results
All 29 polling stations have reported their results. All votes have now been counted. The seat distribution in the preliminary final results of the 2026 Kerkrade municipal council elections is as follows:
- BurgerBelangen: 14 seats
- OnsKerkrade: 4 seats
- GroenLinks-PvdA: 2 seats
- Lokaal Alternatief: 2 seats
- SP: 1 seat
- Ouderenpartij Kerkrade: 4 seats
- CDA: 1 seat
- VVD Kirchroa: 1 seat
This is the preliminary final result of the 2026 municipal council elections in Kerkrade. The definitive final results will follow later. On Thursday, March 19, the results at the candidate level will also be announced.