Since 8 a.m. across Hesse, polling stations are open for the municipal elections. Almost 4.7 million eligible voters are invited to decide on the makeup of district councils, city council meetings, municipal councils, and local advisory boards for the next term, which runs until 2031.
At the same time, four municipalities in Hesse hold citizen referenda, and in more than twenty places direct mayors are being elected. In Hanau, which became a district‑free city again in 2026, a mayoral election is also on the ballot. Any necessary runoff elections are scheduled for March 29.
The eligibility criteria require voters to be EU citizens who are turning 18 on election day and who have had residence in the municipality for at least six weeks. The date when the nationwide results will be available is still unclear; it could take several days, as has happened in Bavaria.