Berg en Dal orders full recount of municipal election votes after razor-thin margin
Residents of Berg en Dal will see all municipal election votes recounted on March 30 after a difference of just 4 votes decided a council seat. The recount, approved by the municipal council, aims to ensure transparency and trust in the election results.
| Key Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Municipality | Berg en Dal |
| Election Date | March 18, 2026 |
| Recount Date | March 30, 2026, 9:00 AM |
| Location | Town Hall, Groesbeek |
| Parties Involved | D66 and competitor for third residual seat |
| Vote Difference | 4 votes |
| Decision Body | Municipal Council (unanimous) |
| Central Polling Station | Confirmed no errors in initial count |
The municipal council of Berg en Dal holds the authority to order a recount of election votes under Dutch electoral law. This ensures transparency and public trust in the democratic process, especially in cases where results are contested or margins are extremely narrow.
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external link to whydonate.comRead the full translated article below
Recount of municipal council election votes
All votes cast in the municipal council elections on March 18 will be recounted. The municipal council unanimously decided this on Thursday afternoon, March 26, around 6:00 PM.
The recount will take place on Monday, March 30, starting at 9:00 AM in the town hall in Groesbeek. The recount will be public.
Earlier that day, the central polling station of the municipality had officially declared the election results. You can read more about this in the message below.
Message March 26, 10:00 AM:
The central polling station (CSB) of the municipality of Berg en Dal officially declared the results of the municipal council elections on March 18, 2026, at 10:00 AM on March 26. The CSB did not identify any errors during the elections or in the vote counting process.
Request for recount
A request from D66 to recount all votes was examined by the CSB.
This request was made due to a narrow margin in votes between two parties competing for the third residual seat. The third residual seat did not go to D66 due to a difference of just 4 votes.
The CSB rejected this request because there was no suspicion of errors in the counting process or in the conduct of the elections. According to the Electoral Act, a small difference in the number of votes alone is not grounds for a full recount.
Municipal council can also decide on a recount
The municipal council also has the authority to decide on a recount. The municipal council of Berg en Dal has already indicated that it intends to use this authority. On Thursday, March 26, at 5:45 PM, the municipal council will make a final decision on this matter. If a recount is approved, it will take place on Monday, March 30, starting at 9:00 AM in the town hall in Groesbeek. The recount will be public.
Mayor Mark Slinkman: “I am pleased that the central polling station has confirmed that the conduct of the elections did not warrant a recount. This reflects the commitment and quality of everyone involved. As chairman of the municipal council, I can, however, understand the political desire to remove all doubt and start this new council term on a solid footing.”
The minutes of the central polling station’s meeting can be found at the bottom of this page.
Minutes of the central polling station
- osv4-3_telling_gr2026_bergendal.csv (CSV, 5.6 kB)
- csb_verslag_controle_protocol_zh.pdf (PDF, 1.1 MB)
- proces-verbaal_p_22-2_zh.pdf (PDF, 11.9 MB)