Upcoming municipal elections 18 March 2026

On Wednesday, 18 March 2026, there will be municipal elections in The Hague and other municipalities in the Netherlands. Whilst all Dutch citizens may vote in the elections, there can be some confusion about voting rights for non‑Dutch residents in The Hague. Please find below an FAQ on the upcoming municipal elections, to help answer the most frequent questions we receive. 
 

Who is allowed to vote in general?
You can vote in the municipal elections if you meet the following requirements:

• You are 18 years or older on 18 March 2026;
• You are registered in the Municipality of The Hague on 2 February 2026. If you were registered after 2 February 2026, you cannot vote in The Hague;
• You have Dutch nationality, the nationality of another EU member state, or have been living legally in the Netherlands for an uninterrupted period of at least 5 years as of 2 February 2026.
   

Can I vote if I do not have Dutch nationality?
Some non‑Dutch residents in The Hague may vote, for instance:

• EU nationals;
• Non‑EU nationals, who have had a residence permit for 5 years without interruption as of 2 February 2026, including:
    - Residence permit via the IND;
    - Residence permit via the MFA (diplomatic status) only as employee of an international organization.
   

Who cannot vote?

• EU nationals who arrived in the Netherlands after 2 February 2026;
• Non‑EU nationals who have been living in the Netherlands for less than 5 years, or with interruptions in their 5-year residence;
• Employees of embassies and consulates (and their family members) do not have the right to vote (except if they have Dutch nationality).
   

How can I get a voting pass (stempas)?
If you are allowed to vote, a voting pass will be sent to your home address. You will receive your voting pass by 2 March 2026 (in The Hague).
 

Do I need an ID to vote?
To be able to vote, you need to bring both your voting pass and a valid form of identification.
A valid form of identity includes:

• A Dutch passport, identity card, driving licence or residence permit; or a privileged person’s identity card;
• A passport, identity card or driving licence from another EU country or Norway, Switzerland (except for a driving licence from Switzerland), Liechtenstein or Iceland;
• Your proof of identity may be expired for a maximum of 5 years on 18 March 2026. Any expiry date as of 19 March 2021 will be accepted.
   

What if I haven’t received my voting pass?
If you did not receive a voting pass, or if it was lost or seriously damaged, you can request a new one. Your old voting pass will then no longer be valid.

• The deadline for written requests is 13 March 2026;
• The deadline for in-person requests is 17 March 2026 at 12.00 hrs.
  
  Who you need to contact depends on where you live:

- The Hague: visit www.denhaag.nl/verkiezingen or come to the Election Desk at City Hall (Spui 70). For privileged persons, please e-mail at verkiezingen@denhaag.nl or call 070 353 44 88.
- Delft: visit www.delft.nl/verkiezingen or e-mail verkiezingen@delft.nl
- Rijswijk: visit www.rijswijk.nl/verkiezingen or e-mail verkiezingen@rijswijk.nl
- Leidschendam‑Voorburg: visit www.lv.nl/verkiezingen

Upcoming events

To learn more about the political parties and their candidates, several events are being organised especially for international residents:

• The Hague Municipal Election Debate on 24 February in Statenkwartier, an English-language debate with local politicians where City Council candidates will answer all your questions;
• The Hague Local Election Night on 10 March at The Hague Tech, for practical information on who can vote, how the voting process works, and what is at stake in The Hague.
• Student & Stand Debate on 5 March at De Haagse Hogeschool. Discover how political parties approach student-related issues ahead of the municipal elections.
• Expaterience Municipal Elections Special. This English talk show produced for the international community in The Hague, is hosting an informative session on voting rights and concerns of international residents, followed by a debate between election candidates of the major parties. Recording takes place on Friday, 27 February at the TV studio of Expaterience. International residents are invited to participate as studio audience members or potential TV show guests. If you are interested please email to: expaterience@rtvdiscus.nl The episode can be viewed online and on Den Haag TV  from 28 February onwards.