Free beer for voters: Duisburg attracts for the Bundestag election!

Free beer for voters: Duisburg attracts for the Bundestag election!

In Duisburg there will be an unusual campaign for the Bundestag election on February 15, 2025: voters who vote give up receive a free beer. This measure should not only be the mood, but also an incentive to increase the turnout.

The city of Duisburg has had to deal with a low turnout in the past. In the 2021 federal election, this was 68.1 percent and was therefore below the nationwide average of 76.6 percent. Various actions take place to counteract this. In the European urn gang in 2022, the turnout in Duisburg was increased by similar measures from only 50 to 53.6 percent. The initiative that is now being implemented could therefore cause additional mobilization of the voters.

Special campaign in the postal voting point

The postal voting point in the district office Mitte is open on election day in a special campaign between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Citizens can vote or pick up postal voting documents there and receive a voucher for a free drink. This voucher can be redeemed on a beer car on site. In contrast to the European elections in the previous year, when only non-alcoholic beer was served, the voters can choose between alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages this time.

The Mayor of Duisburg sees the measure as a relaxed way to motivate citizens, to give their vote and to show that voting can also be fun. According to the city, similar creative actions could also play a role in the future to increase interest in political elections.

comparison with other cities

For comparison: In Essen, the turnout was 61.1 percent in the 2022 European election, while in the 2021 federal election it was 74.4 percent. These numbers illustrate the different challenges of the two cities when it comes to persuading people to choose.

The Duisburg campaign can also be seen as part of a larger trend to use creative means to increase the turnout. In many cities, the aim is to make elections less formal and static, but more interactive and appealing to encourage the population to vote. T-online reports on the Duisburg initiative, which promotes both fun and political participation.

A look forwards to show that such innovative approaches in the political landscape could gain importance, especially if they can lead to better participation. It remains to be seen whether other cities will take similar measures.