Sparkling wine is chilled

Winner already decided before the election

The search is on for Christoph Schimpl's successor in St. Pankraz.(Bild: Haijes Jack)

From next week until the summer vacations, five municipalities in Upper Austria will be going to the polls. From April 14 to June 23, a new mayor will be elected. In Vorderweißenbach and Helpfau-Uttendorf there is only one candidate, which is why the ÖVP can already celebrate an unchallenged election victory. 

All good things come in threes! At least for the ÖVP in Helpfau-Uttendorf (Braunau district). Following the resignation of Josef Leimer, a new mayor will be elected in the 3900-inhabitant community on April 28. And the People's Party is already the winner. After the regular elections in 2015 and 2021, it is putting forward Hannes Manglberger as the only candidate for the third time. The 43-year-old deputy mayor has been in office since the end of January.

Local leader in office since January
In Vorderweißenbach (Urfahr-Umgebung), too, only Bernhard Tumfart from the ÖVP is standing for election on April 14. At the beginning of the year, he and David Köck took over the offices of party colleague Leopold Gartner on an interim basis. "It was important to us that the people elect the mayor," explains Köck with a view to Treubach (Braunau district).

In Treubach, the local council elected the head of the town
There was also only one candidate up for election. However, the local council opted for a secret ballot in the local parliament. Georg Schickbauer was unanimously elected as the new head of the village at the end of last week. He had already stepped in for Martin Erlinger (ÖVP) in May 2023. The latter had resigned for health reasons.

Christina Mühlböck-Oppolzer wants to follow in her father's footsteps in Wilhering.(Bild: Einöder Horst)

Two elections on one day
The mayoral election in Wilhering (Linz-Land) will take place at the same time as the EU election on June 9. As reported, Mario Mühlböck (SP) stepped down after 26 years. Christina Mühlböck-Oppolzer would like to follow in her father's footsteps. The ÖVP, FPÖ and the Greens are all putting forward opposing candidates.

Big challenge for a small municipality
Because the mini-municipality of St. Pankraz (350 inhabitants) would have faced major challenges with two elections on the same day, it will not be decided until June 16 who will succeed the young mayor Christoph Schimpl (SPÖ). With Stefan Bankler (ÖVP) and Reinhold Redtenbacher (FPÖ), two candidates have already been chosen.

Good cooperation between the parliamentary groups is important to me. I would like to continue along this path that I embarked on many years ago.

Andrea Hubmer, ÖVP Holzhausen

Holzhausen votes on June 23
The mayoral election in Holzhausen (Wels-Land) will also take place on June 23. Following the surprising death of Andreas Ströbitzer, Andrea Hubmer (ÖVP) and Tino Fraccaroli (FPÖ) are entering the race.

Eight changes since 2021
There have been eight mayoral changes since the 2021 election. These were in Scharten, Mauerkirchen, Ottensheim, Neuhofen/Krems, Allhaming, St. Georgen/Attergau, St. Martin im Innkreis and Pichl bei Wels.