Thousands voted early in EU election; Ballots cast in odd spots, like penguin exhibit

Tens of thousands of Dutch voters cast their votes for the European Parliament elections early on Thursday. National turnout was 7 percent at 10:30 a.m., roughly the same as in 2019, according to Ipsos I&O and NOS. Many voters made use of the polling stations located at 42 train stations during morning rush hour, NS reported. There are also some more interesting polling stations this year, including in multiple museums, a footbridge on the Dutch-German border, and between penguins at the zoo in Arnhem.

The total turnout for the 2019 European Elections was only 41.9 percent. The early turnout figures don’t give much hope for a higher percentage this time around, according to ANP. Of the large cities that made data available, only Utrecht had a turnout higher than 10 percent by 11:30. About 13.4 percent of Utrecht voters had cast their ballot by that time. The Hague reported a turnout of 9.4 percent, Rotterdam 8.3 percent, and Eindhoven 9.7 percent.

The available figures showed the highest turnout in the Drenthe municipality of Tynaarlo (14.3 percent). Groningen, Nijmegen, and Hardewijk all reported turnouts of over 11 percent.

Quite a few people cast their vote at polling stations on train stations, NS reported. Many commuters voted during rush hour, a spokesperson told NU.nl. “There was a queue here and there, but in general, it went well. Now the queues are decreasing. That is usual when the rush hour is over.”

Voters looking for a more interesting place to cast their ballot can go to the Van Gogh Museum, Concertgebouw, Westerkerk, Anne Frank House, Olympic Stadium, or the Maritime Museum in Amsterdam. In the Gelderland village of Dinxperlo, you can vote on the footbridge at a residential care center on the Dutch-German border. One part of the building is in the Netherlands, the other in Germany.

A 1949 trolley bus is acting as a mobile polling station in Arnhem. Animal lovers in Arnhem can vote at Burgers’ Zoo, where ballot boxes are set up near the penguins. Rotterdam residents can vote at the Maritime Museum and De Doelen Theater. Hague residents can go to the temporary Tweede Kamer, the Art Museum, or the Scheveningen Pier. In Utrecht, there’s a polling station at the Dom Church.

Most polling stations, including those at 42 train stations, are open between 7:30 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. on Thursday. A list of train stations where you can cast your vote can be found here. It is important to note that you can only vote in your own municipality. Those who wanted to vote elsewhere had to apply for a special voting pass.

Turnout for the European elections in the Netherlands is never very high. There are concerns that this year’s turnout will be even more disappointing than usual. The Cabinet formation issues in our country may distract attention. The European campaign got off to a slow start, and the party leaders are hardly known. These are also the third elections in the Netherlands in a relatively short period, which means there is a chance of voting fatigue. The provincial Council elections happened in March Last year, followed by the parliamentary elections in November, and now the European Parliament elections today.