House of Representatives Elections

The House of Representatives Elections. By voting, you have a say in who will be in the House of Representatives Elections for the next 4 years. The House of Representatives is responsible for creating new laws, some of which may also apply to Bonaire. Therefore, decisions made in the House of Representatives can have an impact on you, so it's important to vote.

When can you vote?

You can vote if you are 18 years or older and have Dutch nationality.

You vote for a candidate from a political party

You can cast your vote for a candidate from a Dutch political party whose ideas you believe in. If candidates receive enough votes, they will become members of the House of Representatives. There, they can influence the laws and regulations for both the Netherlands and Bonaire. You can discover which party aligns best with your views on the Stemwijzer (link). Different parties have different ideas about Bonaire, and they outline their policies in their party programs.

After the elections, the parties create a plan

After the elections, the votes are counted. The more votes a party receives, the more seats they gain in the House of Representatives. The largest party can then choose other parties to form a government with. Together, they create a governing agreement outlining how they will govern the Netherlands for the next 4 years. The House of Representatives consists of 150 members. The House of Representatives, together with the Senate, forms the Dutch Parliament.

Normally, these elections occur every 4 years, but this summer, the cabinet resigned earlier. The government requires a minimum of 75 votes to govern. If a party no longer wishes to participate, the number of votes can drop below 75. This results in a minority, and the government must resign. That is why the elections are happening earlier than planned this year.

Key Moments

Below are some important dates from the election calendar that are important for voters. The complete overview of all moments with accompanying information can be found at: House of Representatives Elections 2023 - Important dates in communication to voters (overheid.nl).
 

Candidate submission day:

Monday, October 9. Political parties that want to participate in the elections submit their candidate list on this day. The candidate list contains the names of the people you can vote for.
 

Deadline to have your voting pass:

Wednesday, November 8. If you haven't received your voting pass in your mailbox by this day, you can request a replacement voting pass here (link). You can also do this in person at the counter of the Civil Affairs Department at Kaya Neerlandia 40, phone number +599 7172211, email verkiezingenbonaire@bonairegov.com .
 

Last day to submit your form for a replacement voting pass:

Friday, November 17. On this day, you can submit a completed form for a replacement voting pass for the last time. Download the replacement voting pass form here. (Link to download form.)
 

Last day to submit you’re a written proxy vote:

Friday, November 17. On this day, you can submit a completed form for a written proxy vote for the last time. Download the proxy vote form here. (Link to download form.)
 

Last moment to request a replacement voting pass at the counter:

Tuesday, November 21, at 12:00 PM.
 

Election Day:

Wednesday, November 22. All polling stations are open from 7:30 AM to 9:00 PM.
 

Preliminary results per candidate:

Thursday, November 23.
 

Results of the House of Representatives Elections:

As soon as possible but not before November 30.