Municipal elections on Sunday 13 October: Are you ready to vote?

In just a few days, residents across Belgium will elect their municipal councils. Here in Brussels, more non-Belgians than ever before have signed up to vote. Are you one of them?

If you are voting this weekend, you might be wondering exactly how it works. What should you do if you're away? And where you can find out who is a candidate in your area? Keep reading for some election day tips from the Expat Welcome Desk in Brussels.  

How do I vote?

If you're voting in the Brussels-Capital Region, your polling station will be open from 08.00 – 16.00 and you will be voting electronically (on a screen). 

Here's three top tips...

1. Make sure to take your convocation letter and your ID card with you. The address of your polling station is on the letter.
2. Voting is obligatory*. If you cannot vote in person, arrange your proxy vote now. If you have signed up and received a convocation, you are now expected to attend (although you can spoil your ballot or vote blank). If you need to travel or work this Sunday, or if you fall ill, you can nominate a proxy to vote on your behalf. You will need to get the form signed by your employer, doctor or the municipality, so start preparing now. All the details are in our FAQ. [* Unless you live in Flanders, where the obligation to vote has been dropped for municipal elections.]
3. Decide whether you'll vote for a list or for specific candidates. You can vote for one list as a whole. Or you can support one or more individual candidates inside the same list, giving them an extra chance to win a seat. It's your choice. But you cannot vote for candidates from more than one list, because that will make your vote invalid.

Check out the FAQ for more advice and tips. If you've read the FAQ and still have questions, contact the Expat Welcome Desk for personalised advice.

Who should I vote for?

We are strictly neutral and won't encourage you to vote for any specific parties or candidates. However, we know that the Brussels political landscape can seem complex. How can you make your choice?

The first thing you should do is check out the lists and candidates who are standing for election in your municipality. The website of your municipality should have published the lists by now. If not, you can also find the full lists in Brussels on BX1 and Bruzz. There is also information available for francophone municipalities on RTBF and Dutch speaking ones on VRT.

The choice of lists can differ greatly from one municipality to another, so make sure you know what you'll see when you cast your vote. Unlike at regional level, there are no linguistic blocs in municipal councils. Many lists will therefore be bilingual - combining candidates from Francophone and Dutch language parties. You might also see joint lists of multiple parties, local interest groups which don't belong to a national party, or a “Mayor’s List” (Liste du Bourgmestre) led by the current mayor. These arrangements are all specific to each municipality, so make sure to check your local options in advance!

The Expat Welcome Desk is a free service that advises internationals on the practicalities of daily life in the Belgian capital, from accommodation and residence permits to employment rights and taxation, among a number of topics