Dutch elections & expat voting rights

Elections in the Netherlands are held for multiple levels of government, meaning that elections are quite a frequent occurrence. International residents are eligible to vote in some elections. Here’s what you need to know about your voting rights in the Netherlands. 

Dutch elections

The Netherlands has separate elections for three levels of government: national, provincial and municipal. Elections are also held to appoint the water boards and members of the European Parliament. 

General elections (House of Representatives or Tweede Kamer)

Every four years, the Dutch public votes in a general election to elect members of the House of Representatives (Tweede Kamer), the lower house of the bicameral parliament of the Netherlands. 

The House of Representatives has 150 seats that are filled using party-list proportional representation. 76 seats are needed for a majority. 

General elections can be called earlier if the Dutch government collapses. This has happened relatively frequently in recent years, most recently in 2025. Elections usually take place on Wednesdays, but can be moved to a different day if a chosen day clashes with a public holiday, for instance. 

Provincial elections

Provincial council elections are held once every four years, typically in March, one year after municipal elections. The provincial council is responsible for administration of that province. 

The number and “vote value” of provincial council members depends on the number of residents in each province. Gelderland, Noord-Holland and Zuid-Holland have the most with 55 each, while Zeeland has the fewest with 39. 

The provincial elections influence the makeup of the Senate, the upper house of the Dutch parliament (Eerste Kamer). Its 75 members are elected on lists by members of the 12 provincial councils, as well as the four electoral colleges for the Senate, every four years.

Municipal elections 

Municipal council elections are held once every four years to elect the council members for the 342 municipalities in the Netherlands. They sometimes take place on the same day as other elections. 

The number of municipal councillors (which is always an odd number between nine and 45) depends on the number of inhabitants in the municipality. 

Municipal councils make decisions on a local level, together with the mayor and aldermen. Municipal council members are not typically full-time politicians. They usually have another day job. 

European Parliament elections

In European Parliament elections, people in the Netherlands vote to distribute their 31 seats in the EU parliament. EU citizens can vote either in their country of origin or in the Netherlands.

European Parliament elections take place every five years. 

District water board elections

The members of the water boards - who manage water supply in the Netherlands - are elected once every four years, on the same day as the elections for the provincial councils. 

Next elections in the Netherlands

The next elections in the Netherlands are scheduled to take place on the following dates:

• March 18, 2026: Municipal councils
• March 2027: Provincial councils and water boards
• May 2027: Senate (indirect vote)
• May/June 2029: European Parliament
• May 2030: House of Representatives 

Voting in the Netherlands

On election day, polling stations are typically open from 7.30am to 9pm. 

If you want to exercise your democratic rights and take part in elections in the Netherlands, here’s what you need to know. 

Who can vote in the Netherlands?

To be eligible to vote in most elections in the Netherlands, you must be over the age of 18 and have Dutch citizenship. 

However, non-Dutch residents can vote in some elections, as follows: 

• You can vote in municipal elections if you have been living in the Netherlands for at least five years with a residence permit (if applicable) and are registered with the municipality.
• You can vote in European Parliament elections if you are an EU citizen. You can’t vote twice, so you must choose whether to vote in the Netherlands or in your home country. 
• You can vote in the district water board elections so long as you are legally residing in the Netherlands.

The same rules apply to voting as to standing for election. This means that non-Dutch nationals who have lived in the Netherlands for at least five years can be elected as municipal council members, and EU citizens can stand as MEPs. 

If you’re not sure who to vote for, you can use the StemWijzer website. It provides a guide to the major political parties and helps you find the party your views are most aligned with by asking your opinion on a range of issues. 

Do I need to register to vote?

You do not (normally) need to register to vote in the Netherlands. Simply registering with your municipality is sufficient. 

The only exception to this is if you want to vote in the European Parliament elections and you are not a Dutch citizen. In this case, you’ll need to register at your local municipality with a form known as the Y-32. 

Receiving your voting pass (stempas)

In the run-up to elections, a "voting pass" (stempas) is sent in the post by the local municipality to all residents who are entitled to vote. It tells you where your local polling station is. 

You need to take your voting pass to your local polling station, along with valid proof of identity (either a passport or a driving licence), in order to vote. 

If you didn’t receive a voting pass, or if you lose it, you can request a new one from your municipality. You need to do this before 12pm on the day before the election (if you apply in person) or five days before the election (if you request one in the post). 

Voting by proxy

If you are unable to vote because you are sick or away on holiday, you can authorise someone else to vote on your behalf. This is known as voting by proxy. 

To authorise someone else to vote on your behalf, you can fill out the form on the back of your voting pass. The authorised person must live in the same municipality as you. Both you and the authorised person must sign the voting pass. You also need to give them a copy of your ID to take to the polling station, along with their own ID. They must cast their own vote at the same time. 

If you wish to authorise a resident of a different municipality to vote for you, you must submit a written request for a proxy vote from your municipality. This form needs to be submitted no later than five days before the election. 

Largest political parties in the Netherlands

Here is a list of the largest Dutch political parties:

• D66 - Democrats 66 (Democraten 66)
• PVV - Party for Freedom (Partij voor de Vrijheid)
• VVD - People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie)
• PvdA - Labour Party (Partij van de Arbeid)
• GL - GreenLeft (GroenLinks)
• CDA - Christian Democratic Appeal (Christen-Democratisch Appèl) 
• JA21 - Right Answer 2021 (Juiste Antwoord 2021)
• FvD - Forum for Democracy (Forum voor Democratie)
• BBB - Farmer-Citizen Movement (BoerBurgerBeweging)
• CU - Christian Union (ChristenUnie)
• DENK
• PvdD - Party for the Animals (Partij voor de Dieren)
• SGP - Reformed Political Party (Staatkundig Gereformeerde Partij)
• SP - Socialist Party (Socialistische Partij)
• 50PLUS
• Volt - Volt Netherlands (Volt Nederland)
• OPNL - Independent Politics Netherlands (Onafhankelijke Politiek Nederland)