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Runoff election in Potsdam: Can the quorum be achieved?
The runoff election for mayor will take place in Potsdam on October 10, 2025. Who will get the votes needed?
Runoff election in Potsdam: Can the quorum be achieved?
On Sunday, October 10, 2025, the time has finally come: the people of Potsdam can elect their city leader. The non-party Noosha Aubel and the SPD candidate Severin Fischer are in the running for the post. But the election could face an unexpected challenge: if voter turnout is too low, it could happen that no new mayor will be elected. Maz Online reports that the quorum is 15 percent of those eligible to vote, i.e. 21,434 votes.
In the first round, Aubel performed strongly with 26,839 votes, while Fischer received 13,390 votes. The historical voter turnouts give cause for concern: voter turnout in previous runoff elections, such as 2010, was 42.1 percent and in 2018 it was only 37.8 percent. In this context, the assessment of Potsdam's election director Stefan Tolksdorf, who is optimistic about voter turnout, is all the more important.
New opportunities for candidates
What happens if quorum is not reached? In this case, the city council would elect a new mayor. What is exciting is that new candidates could also run, and not just the two from the main election. The city council needs an absolute majority of 29 votes to elect the new city leader. Aubel could hope for 18 votes from the Greens, Volt, The Party and The Others. Fischer, on the other hand, could get 13 votes with the SPD and FDP.
The election is therefore a hot topic that raises many questions. A look at the numbers shows: Over 31,000 Potsdam residents have already applied for postal voting documents. This could indicate increased interest in the election and strengthen voter sentiment. Recent surveys and statistics on voter turnout in Germany show that participation can vary depending on region and age. Statista highlights that older citizens in particular will actively participate in the democratic process in the 2025 federal election.
Historic voter turnout in Potsdam
A look at the voter turnouts in Potsdam in recent years paints a colorful picture. The 2024 local elections achieved a voter turnout of 70.4 percent, which represents an increase compared to previous elections. Historically, the highest voter turnout since reunification was 82.5 percent in 1998, while the lowest was 70.8 percent in 2009. Wikipedia's evaluation shows that these fluctuations can have a direct influence on the distribution of seats in the Potsdam city council.
The coming days and the election itself are likely to be exciting. It remains to be seen whether the citizens of Potsdam will elect the new mayor or whether the city council will have to take over. One thing is certain: elections are an important part of democracy, and high voter turnout is always a good sign that people are fighting for their vote. Let us be surprised to see how the Potsdam voters will decide!