Youngsters in Dortmund receive assistance on participating in local elections through the platform named "Vahlbuddy"
The city of Dortmund is gearing up for its municipal election on September 14, and a new tool is here to help first-time voters, particularly the youth, make informed decisions. The Wahlbuddy, developed by the Dortmunder Jugendring, is a youth-friendly digital aid designed to provide orientation and guidance specifically for the Kommunalwahl (local elections) [1][2].
This innovative tool offers a low-threshold way for young people to learn about the positions of political parties in a manner that resonates with their concerns as young Dortmunders. The Wahlbuddy consists of 25 questions aimed at providing better orientation for voters, focusing on youth political perspectives [1][2].
The questions cover a range of topics, from education and employment to the environment and social issues, demonstrating that all topics can be important to young people, not just school and playgrounds [2]. The agreement with the party positions is given in percent on the Wahlbuddy, and you can read the parties' positions on individual questions [1].
The Youth Ring Dortmund, the organisation behind the Wahlbuddy, has made it clear that they do not want to give a stage to right-wing extremist parties. The Wahlbuddy asks for the standpoints of all democratic parties running for the city council and provides data based on their answers [1]. However, the positions of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) are not included in the Wahlbuddy, as the Youth Ring Dortmund positions itself against human-hating politics and anti-democratic parties like the AfD [1].
Karima Echargui, a member of the 11-person preparation team that developed the Wahlbuddy's content, emphasises the importance of voting for a party because one thinks it will help society and do the right thing, not just because it's trendy [1]. The Wahlbuddy was developed by a small group of committed young people and supported by the LAG Jugendringe NRW [1].
If you're a first-time voter in Dortmund's local elections or simply want to learn more about the parties' positions, the Wahlbuddy can be found and tried out at https://dortmund.waehlt.nrw/. The Youth Ring Dortmund welcomes support for their project, as they strive to engage and inform younger voters in the local electoral process, helping them make more informed choices based on their values and priorities.
- The Wahlbuddy, designed by the Youth Ring Dortmund, not only covers traditional topics like education and employment but also delves into home-and-garden, lifestyle, policy-and-legislation, general-news, and politics, reflecting the wider concerns of young Dortmunders.
- To ensure transparency and inclusivity, the Wahlbuddy asks for the standpoints of all democratic parties running for the city council, except for right-wing extremist parties such as the Alternative for Germany (AfD), as the Youth Ring Dortmund advocates against human-hating politics and anti-democratic parties.
- Karima Echargui, a member of the Wahlbuddy's content development team, urges voters to consider parties that align with their values and priorities, not just those that are popular or trending, emphasizing the importance of voting for a company that promotes a healthy society.
