Am I allowed to vote?

All Dutch nationals aged 18 and over can vote in elections for the European Parliament, the Dutch House of Representatives, the Provincial Council, municipal councils and district water boards.

Voting rights for non-Dutch nationals:

  • Non-Dutch nationals who are of age (18 or over) and who have been living in the Netherlands for at least 5 years (with a residence permit) are allowed to vote in municipal elections, in the municipality where they are registered.
  • Citizens of European Union (EU) member states are allowed to vote in elections for the municipal council and the dictrict water board where they are registered. They can choose to vote in the election for the (Dutch) members of the European Parliament. For this election, EU-citizens residing in the Netherlands have to register at their local municipality with the so-called Y-32 form. NB: It is forbidden to vote two times, so if you register in the Netherlands, you can’t vote for your own country. And if you are excluded from voting in your home country or in the Netherlands, you cannot participate in the elections.
  • All non-Dutch nationals legally residing in the Netherlands may vote in district water board elections.

Some countries draw a distinction between the right to vote and the right to stand for election. In the Netherlands, these two rights are merged and subject to the same criteria. So anybody with the right to vote can (in principle) also be elected themselves. Non-Dutch nationals who have been legally residing in the Netherlands for at least five years can therefore be elected as municipal council members, and EU citizens can nominate themselves as candidates for the municipal council and the European Parliament.

(source: ProDemos)