Dalfsen youth election reveals strong local engagement: Gemeentebelangen wins among 16- and 17-year-olds
In a groundbreaking parallel election for 16- and 17-year-olds in Dalfsen, local party Gemeentebelangen emerged as the winner, highlighting youth interest in democracy. While unofficial, the results offer valuable insights into young voters' priorities and could shape future civic participation initiatives.
| Key Data Point | Details |
|---|---|
| Total Votes Cast | 144 (20.5% turnout) |
| Winning Party | Gemeentebelangen (47 votes, 9 parallel seats) |
| Runner-ups | CDA (26 votes), D66 (24 votes) |
| Polling Stations | 3 (Dalfsen, Nieuwleusen, Lemelerveld) |
| Voting Age Group | 16- and 17-year-olds |
| Tiebreaker for Final Seat | GroenLinks-PvdA won via drawing of lots against Stand Organisatie |
| Regular Council Seats | Gemeentebelangen (10), CDA (6), D66 (1), GroenLinks-PvdA (2), others |
The municipality of Dalfsen organized this parallel election to engage young citizens in democratic processes, despite their ineligibility to vote in official elections. Such initiatives help local governments gauge youth priorities and foster civic education, often in collaboration with schools and national democracy organizations.
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Results of parallel election for 16- and 17-year-olds
The votes have been counted: in the parallel elections for 16- and 17-year-olds, organised by the municipality of Dalfsen on 18 March, local party Gemeentebelangen emerged as the largest party. Gemeentebelangen finished ahead of CDA and D66.
A total of 144 young people cast their votes at three official polling stations. This represents a turnout of 20.5%. The votes were distributed as follows:
- 1. Gemeentebelangen: 47 votes, 9 seats (parallel), 10 seats (regular)
- 2. CDA: 26 votes, 4 seats (parallel), 6 seats (regular)
- 3. D66: 24 votes, 4 seats (parallel), 1 seat (regular)
- 4. GroenLinks-PvdA: 11 votes, 2 seats (parallel), 2 seats (regular)
- 5. ChristenUnie: 9 votes, 1 seat (parallel), 2 seats (regular)
- 6. VVD: 15 votes, 2 seats (parallel), 1 seat (regular)
- 7. Stand Organisatie: 11 votes, 1 seat (parallel), 1 seat (regular)
- Blank: 1 vote, - seats
- Total votes / seats: 144, 23 seats (parallel), 23 seats (regular)
Drawing of lots required for the final remaining seat
The seats and remaining seats were allocated to the parties in accordance with the official distribution rules set out in the Electoral Act. The number of 'full' seats directly allocated to a party is equal to the number of times the electoral quota was met. In the distribution of the remaining seats, Gemeentebelangen received 2 and D66 received 1. GroenLinks-PvdA and Stand Organisatie ended up tied for the final remaining seat. According to the Electoral Council's protocol, a drawing of lots must then be held. In this case, GroenLinks-PvdA was the lucky winner and finished with 2 seats, while Stand Organisatie received 1 seat.
Dalfsen sees valuable insights for the future
The municipality emphasises that the parallel election does not count as an official election, but gives young people the opportunity to experience in a realistic way how democracy works. The votes were cast between 12:00 and 18:00 at three polling stations: Dalfsen, Nieuwleusen and Lemelerveld, each with a separate ballot box for young people.
Mayor Michael Sijbom describes it as a meaningful signal from the youth in our municipality. “Over the past few weeks, I have spoken to many young people, and time and again I heard: ‘Why can’t we vote yet?’ With this parallel election, we see how seriously they take their right to vote. Young people are engaged, think about their future, and with these results show that their vote already matters.”
Agnieten College drives democratic innovation
The parallel election is part of the broader democracy and citizenship programme that the municipality implemented in collaboration with Agnieten College Nieuwleusen, where civics lessons prepared young people for the voting process. In addition, the municipality organised a student debate in the council chamber on 11 March, focusing on local issues such as housing, energy and mental health.
Civics teacher Mink de Vries responded enthusiastically: “You could see that students really made conscious choices. They had thoroughly researched the parties and issues. This is exactly why we do this: voting only truly becomes their own when young people put it into practice.”
Dalfsen continues to focus on youth participation
With the parallel election, Dalfsen is among a small number of municipalities in the Netherlands actively experimenting with innovative forms of youth engagement. Dalfsen stands out for its use of official polling stations, separate from but parallel to the regular elections under the Electoral Act.
The results and experiences will be shared with the Electoral Council, the municipal council and national organisations working to innovate democracy.