"Everyone knows everyone"

Smallest Styrian municipality: how Hohentauern votes

Citizens cast their votes here on election Sunday.

(Bild: Jauschowetz Christian)

The National Council elections are just around the corner - including in the municipality of Hohentauern, which has a population of just under 400. How difficult is it to find scrutineers? Did a barrier-free polling station have to be set up? And how predictable is the outcome of the election? Mayor Gernot Jetz (SPÖ) provides some insights.

Surrounded by several "two-thousand-meter peaks", the smallest municipality in Styria is located in the Upper Mur Valley. Although the area of Hohentauern is by no means tiny at 92 square kilometers, with 374 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2024), the village makes up only a fraction of the 951,113 people entitled to vote in Styria. "We only have one electoral district with one polling station," explains Mayor Gernot Jetz (SPÖ).

In terms of area, Hohentauern is one of the larger municipalities.

(Bild: Jauschowetz Christian)

This polling station is - unsurprisingly - the municipal office. Citizens can cast their votes for the National Council election here between 8 am and 12 noon on Sunday. Last year, however, the Electoral Law Amendment Act introduced a decisive innovation: every location needs a barrier-free location. Is that guaranteed in Hohentauern? "We have a ramp and a lift to the second floor, we've been barrier-free for a very long time," guarantees Jetz.

Mayor Gernot Jetz (SPÖ) in front of the municipal office.

(Bild: Jauschowetz Christian)

He himself is unable to attend work on election Sunday, which is why he will not be acting as election officer for the first time. Deputy Mayor Michael Weinhappel (SPÖ) will therefore take over this time. "As electoral officer, you have a constituent meeting two days before the election and take care of the scrutineers," explains Jetz. In contrast to many other electoral wards, the municipality has always had enough of them. Recently, due to a shortage of staff, a standardized expense allowance was even introduced for election observers in Austria.

"Everything works the same here, only in mini"
Once all the ballot papers are in the ballot box at the end of the morning, they are counted under the six-eyes principle and then sent to the Murtal district authority. "Everything works the same here as everywhere else, only in mini," says Jetz and laughs. But one thing is a little different: "Here in the village, everyone knows everyone." Does that make it easier to predict the outcome of the election? "Every election has to be assessed differently. Local council elections are personality elections, national council elections are more difficult to predict."