Gorinchem to hold revote on April 29 amid fraud suspicions

Gorinchem residents will vote again on Wednesday, April 29, following a call for a revote by the municipal council. The decision comes in response to suspicions of voter fraud during the March 18 municipal elections.

In a close vote overnight from Monday to Tuesday, the council approved new elections for the entire Zuid-Holland municipality. The elections must be held within 30 days of the decision. The municipality had requested a later date from the Ministry of the Interior due to the May holiday, but this was not permitted, as the deadline is set by law.

The municipal executive has set the new election date and expressed regret that a May vote is not feasible. A spokesperson noted that holding a revote during the May holiday (April 25 to May 3) presents considerable challenges.

Some polling stations, including schools, will be closed, and both residents and election staff may be on holiday. Normally, voting cards must be sent out two weeks in advance, but the ministry has allowed them to be delivered a few days before the revote in this exceptional case. The municipality says this should make it possible to manage the elections on time.

Council members were split over the unusual decision, with some calling it a “devil’s dilemma.” Their decision had to be based on suspected voter fraud, while the police and Public Prosecution Service continue to investigate the events and determine if any crimes were committed.

Mayor Reinie Melissant considered the warning signs sufficient to file a report. She cited various types of election fraud, including manipulation and the gathering of proxy votes. This week, she urged the ministry to review the susceptibility of proxy voting, asking, “Does this part of our electoral system still meet modern standards of integrity, transparency, and protection against misuse?”

Her spokesperson said that proxy voting and measures to stop vote solicitation will be a focus in the upcoming elections, though the municipality has not yet specified how it will implement these safeguards.