Pekela residents debate housing, smoking bans and 30km zones ahead of local elections
Residents of Pekela face key decisions in next week’s municipal elections, with candidates debating urgent local issues like housing shortages, smoking bans, and traffic safety. Your vote could shape the future of your neighborhood—don’t miss the chance to have your say.
| Key Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| Debate Location | Dollard College, Oude Pekela |
| Moderator | Niiwino Geertsema (RTV Noord) |
| Participating Parties | GroenLinks/PvdA, Samen voor Pekela, SP, Pekelder PVV, CDA |
| Main Discussion Points | Housing shortage, smoking bans, 30km zones, St. Willibrordus church future |
| Voting Date | March 18, 2026 (7:30 AM – 9:00 PM) |
| Polling Stations | 8 locations, including Onrust mill (new option) |
| Results Evening | Town hall, 9:30 PM with live updates from Mayor Jaap Kuin |
The municipality of Pekela organizes debates and election events to engage citizens in local governance. It ensures transparency and accessibility in the democratic process, including facilitating voting and sharing election results.
Refueling time ☕
Openrijk navigates piles of government news daily. Your coffee helps us stay on course.
Read the full translated article below
Final Debate at Dollard College
The final debate before the municipal council elections of next Wednesday took place on Saturday, March 14, in a cozy canteen of Dollard College in Oude Pekela.
Under the leadership of Niiwino Geertsema (RTV Noord), the list pullers Elly Knevelman (GroenLinks/PvdA), Grietje Smit (Samen voor Pekela), Ellen van Klaveren (SP), Arthur van Dooren (Pekelder PVV), and Feike Oppewal (CDA) debated.
Among other things, it was about how and where we can build as many houses as possible in Pekela to solve the housing shortage, whether we should ban smoking in more places, and whether Pekela should become one big 30-kilometer zone. There were also the one-on-one conversations in which the possible aldermen of the different parties were asked, and the election quiz was played. The debate ended with the fate of the soon-to-be-closed St. Willibrordus church in Oude Pekela.
The debate can be viewed on the YouTube channel and (partly on) the 'socials' of the municipality of Pekela.
Next Wednesday, you can cast your vote between half past seven in the morning and nine o'clock in the evening in eight polling stations in our municipality. New is that you can also go and vote at the Onrust mill.
From 9:30 PM, there will be an Results Evening at the town hall with music, and of course, you will be informed by mayor Jaap Kuin about the latest results.
Photo: Freddy Stötefalk