Municipal council election 2025

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Almost 1.3 million citizens will be spoiled for choice on January 26 in 568 of the 573 local municipalities.(Bild: Martin A. Jöchl)

On January 26, 2025, the political cards will be reshuffled in most municipalities in Lower Austria. However, new rules also apply. Second homes are not eligible to vote this time.

Parties and citizens' lists still have just under a month to nominate their candidates for the municipal council elections. The nominations must be received by the municipal offices by 12 noon on December 6.

Five municipalities are not voting
In 568 of the 573 municipalities in Lower Austria, the local parliaments will be newly elected on January 26 next year. The statutory towns of St. Pölten, Krems and Waidhofen an der Ybbs traditionally vote for their representatives on their own dates. And in Pernersdorf and Vösendorf, new elections were only held this year - citizens there will (probably) not be called to cast their local votes again until 2030.

Main residence is decisive
Two important changes apply to the January ballot: firstly, the so-called non-official ballot papers, which have repeatedly caused discrepancies in the past, have become obsolete. And secondly, fewer people are eligible to vote. Only around 1.3 million "real" citizens of the state are allowed to put their crosses on the official ballot paper - because polling stations are off-limits to second-home residents this time.