Every four years, there are water authority board elections, on the same day as the Provincial Council elections. On 15 March 2023, everyone aged 18 or over is eligible to vote for a new water authority board. Before then, you will receive your voting paper by post. You take this and a valid ID to the voting station. But before entering the voting booth with the red pencil and voting paper, it is useful to know exactly why there are water authority board elections.

Why are there water authority board elections?

As a resident of the Netherlands, you benefit from good water management, for which you pay taxes. Water management affects how we live, work and spend our leisure time. So every four years we organise elections. By voting in the elections, you help to choose the members of the water authority board in your area.

What are the choices?

How do we protect people from flooding by water? In addition, how to protect water from people? The choices that the water authorities make on these matters affect every resident in the Netherlands. But after all, doesn't everyone want safe dykes and flood control measures? Of course they do. And there are regulations on how tasks like sewage treatment and dike maintenance should be performed. But many problems have multiple solutions. For instance, do you think we should invest taxpayers' money to prevent damage from extreme weather. Or should we wait and see if any damage occurs and then fix it?

Which parties are involved?

In the run-up to the elections, political parties use their campaigns to explain what they stand for. This year, 13 political parties are taking part in the Waterschap Rivierenland board elections. Via the voting guide Mijnstem.nl (available in English and Dutch), you can see which party best represents your ideas.

At Waterschap Rivierenland, the following parties are participating:

  1. CDA(externe link)
  2. Water Natuurlijk(externe link)
  3. VVD(externe link)
  4. Partij van de Arbeid (P.v.d.A)(externe link)   
  5. Partij voor de Dieren(externe link)
  6. 50PLUS(externe link)
  7. Staatskundig Gereformeerde Partij (SGP)(externe link)
  8. ChristenUnie(externe link)
  9. AWP voor water, klimaat en natuur(externe link)
  10. JA21(externe link)
  11. Belang van Nederland (BVNL)(externe link)
  12. Water Lokaal(externe link)
  13. BBB(externe link)

Reserved seats

The general board of Waterschap Rivierenland consists of 30 seats. Of these, 26 seats are directly elected by the water authority board elections. The other four are reserved seats. Agricultural and Horticultural organisations (LTO Noord and ZLTO) have two seats in the category 'Unbuilt'. The Vereniging van Bos- en Natuurterreineigenaren (VBNE) has two seats for the category Natural Terrains.

Where can I vote?

Sometimes there are several water authority boards in one municipality. Via the postcode check, you can easily see which water authority board you are voting for. You can find out where to vote in the letter you receive with your voting paper or on the website of your municipality. (externe link)   

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