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Essen and Gelsenkirchen Lock In Mayoral Lineups for NRW Elections

Final slates set the stage for voters aged 16 or older to cast four ballots on September 14 across mayoral, council, district assembly, regional parliament contests with runoffs set for September 28 if no candidate secures an outright majority

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Overview

  • Seven contenders will vie for the Essen mayoralty, led by CDU incumbent Thomas Kufen against challengers from SPD, Greens, AfD, FDP and local citizen groups
  • Gelsenkirchen’s open mayoral contest pits SPD nominee Andrea Henze against seven rivals following Karin Welge’s decision not to seek re-election
  • Eligible voters aged 16 and older with German or EU passports will cast four votes on September 14 for mayor, municipal council, district assembly and Regionalverband Ruhr parliament seats
  • Newly introduced direct elections for local Integrationsrat bodies will empower migrant communities with formal representation in municipal governance
  • Mayoral candidates must secure over 50% of first-round votes to win outright, with runoffs scheduled for September 28 between the top two contenders if no clear majority emerges