REPORT – Pass Egal Wahl

Our class organized a “Pass Egal Wahl” to raise awareness about voting rights and include those pupils who cannot vote, as they are non-citizens or from countries outside of the European Union. This event served as an educational simulation of the upcoming Vienna elections. As a significant part of Vienna’s population is excluded from voting, we hoped to shed light on the importance of having a voice to be heard.

Before the actual election we started by gathering and spreading information about the parties participating in the Vienna elections. We did this by designing posters and reaching out to said parties for campaign material. After we raised awareness of the event, we set up booths, provided ballots, and registration stations to recreate an authentic voting experience.

All classes from the 6th to the 8th form, with different nationalities from 32 countries, were asked to put in their personal vote. In total, 226 ballots were cast—117 from non-citizens and 99 from citizens. After counting these ballots, our results are as follows: The winning party, with a result of 64.81%, is the SPÖ. The runner-up is the GRÜNE party with 9.72%, and the third overall is the ÖVP with 9.26%. The remaining parties in order are: FPÖ (8.33%), KPÖ (5.56%), NEOS (1.85%), and HC (0.46%).

In conclusion, the “Pass Egal Wahl” was a meaningful initiative that brought attention to an important issue that divides the country. It reminded us all that democracy is strongest when everyone has a voice.

(Bea and Mady, 7E)