January instead of Advent

Linz mayor not to be elected until 2025

A new mayor is to be elected in Linz not on the earliest possible date, but on January 12, and probably on January 26. The main reason for the decision: Election commissioners would not be able to spend the Advent Sundays with their families, and a run-off election would otherwise take place on December 22.

The decision on who will occupy the mayor's seat in Linz in the future is now to be made next year instead of in December. Specifically, the citizens of the provincial capital will be called to the polls on January 12 (and presumably January 26), as Deputy Mayor Karin Hörzing announced in a press release on Wednesday. The mayor's traditional New Year's reception will therefore be canceled this time.

Decision "not made easy"
After discussions with representatives of civil society, electoral law and implementation experts and careful consideration, the executive deputy mayor made the decision to move the election to the new year, which she "did not take lightly".

No Advent Sunday at the polling station
The decision was argued as follows: December 8 is the second Sunday in Advent this year. For up to 8,600 largely voluntary assessors and election witnesses, 630 full-time election officers and their deputies in 215 electoral wards as well as 100 full-time employees in the New Town Hall, it would be unreasonable to have to spend the whole of Advent Sunday in polling stations. 

No run-off election two days before Christmas
In addition, a run-off election would inevitably have to be held on December 22. "That would be the fourth Sunday in Advent and two days before Christmas. For the reasons already mentioned above, I consider this unreasonable for the families affected," said Hörzing. An earlier run-off vote is ruled out due to the postal voters.

Experts agree
Election law and implementation experts had also spoken out in favor of the later election date, provided there was no emergency situation. At 135 days, the time span between the reason for the new election and the now planned election date is also within the usual range for Upper Austria.