Elections: How Would Young People Vote? U16 Ballot Begins

Young people who are not yet eligible to vote in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania can still show how they would vote before the state election on September 20. The U16 election runs from Monday through September 11, with online information available about polling locations.

The parallel vote is being held under a new name this year. Because 16- and 17-year-olds can vote in the actual state election for the first time in 2026, the accompanying ballot is being conducted as a U16 election for the first time, the state youth council said.

“The U16 election is more than a project. It is an opportunity for young people to experience democracy up close,” said Tino Nicolai of the Landesjugendring. He said participants would engage with political issues, learn about parties and their programmes, and discuss their own concerns.

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The U16 election is more than a project. It is an opportunity for young people to experience democracy up close.

The vote will follow the procedures of a real election, using ballot papers, voting booths and a ballot box, with votes cast anonymously. The youth council has also prepared a guide to help young people understand the parties’ positions on issues that particularly affect them, including education, transport, climate, leisure and youth participation.

Young people at local level will count the ballots. The overall results are scheduled for publication on September 15.

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They engage with political issues, inform themselves about parties and their programmes, and discuss their own concerns.