Galenbeck's mayor Herrholz: SPD candidate for the 2026 state election

Galenbeck's mayor Herrholz: SPD candidate for the 2026 state election

Things are getting exciting in the heart of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania: Thomas Herrholz, the mayor of the municipality of Galenbeck, is running for the SPD in the 2026 state elections in constituency 22. This includes, among others, the offices of Friedland, Neverin, Penzliner Land, Stargarder Land and Woldegk. In his first statements, the 48-year-old emphasizes how important it is to correctly identify the challenges on site and to develop solutions together with citizens. He lives with his family in Schwichtenberg and has not only found his political home in the SPD, but also volunteers in the volunteer fire department and in the local community.

Herrholz, who has been a member of the SPD and mayor since 2025, states that if he is elected as a member of the state parliament, he would like to continue to serve as mayor. He succeeds Dagmar Kaselitz, who won the direct mandate in the last election, which sets the bar high for his ambitions.

Dates at a glance

The elections are getting closer: In Bavaria, the Council of Ministers has set a crucial date. The next general municipal and district elections will take place on March 8, 2026. This decision was made in accordance with the municipal council, city council and district council, and is intended to help increase voter turnout. Particular attention is also being paid to planning to ensure that possible runoff elections on March 22, 2026 do not fall during the school holidays.

Voter participation is an exciting topic and is increasingly being discussed. As current data shows, voter turnout in Germany in the most recent federal election is a remarkable 82.5% in 2025, with regional differences varying from eastern to western German states. The Cologne II constituency is particularly interesting: the highest voter turnout was achieved here at 88%, while other regions such as Duisburg II only had 73.4%.

Demographic developments

A look at the demographic data shows that voter turnout increases with age. The age groups between 50 and 69 years of age are particularly well represented, while younger voters up to the age of 20 have lower participation. The trend towards older voters cannot be overlooked as demographic changes have a profound impact on elections. The data also shows that the gender difference in voter turnout is slowly leveling out, but has not completely disappeared.

So it will be exciting to see how the elections will go next year and whether Thomas Herrholz can win the trust of the citizens. Citizens are invited to cast their votes and help shape it. After all, the next election is an opportunity to actively influence the future of the region. The challenges are there and solutions must be found together.

Find out more about the background: Nordkurier, Bavaria, Statista.