From most of the polling stations in the constituency of Dachau-Fürstenfeldbruck it can be heard on Sunday that the first big wave of voters made their way to vote between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. The polling stations open at eight o’clock. One or the other politician also casts his vote in the morning. For example, the direct candidate of the SPD, Michael Schrodi from Olching, who had not only campaigned for votes for his party in the past few weeks, but also for himself. Beate Walter-Rosenheimer (Greens), who also fought for the direct mandate in the past few weeks, posted a picture from the polling station on her Instagram account on Sunday afternoon.
Already while the voting was in progress, the election officials announced that, according to their impression, more people had voted; this could indicate a high turnout. In view of the number of citizens who previously requested postal votes, this proportion will probably be higher than it was four years ago. In the city of Dachau, more than 50 percent applied for postal voting, as reported by the head of the office, Josef Hermann.
Many who come to vote are happy, as the three election workers in the Ludwig-Thoma-Haus in Dachau observed. Katharina Köstler tells how a father and his child stood in front of the ballot paper on the wall and said to his child: “Today we can change the world.” When Hannah Stähle leaves the voting booth, she says that it was “a bit exciting” for her as a first-time voter. “It’s a bit of a responsibility,” she says. However, the young voter had informed herself thoroughly about the election beforehand and dealt with the parties’ election programs and used the Wahl-O-Mat and similar offers. When she went to the polling station on Sunday, the decision where to put her cross was clear. Her mother, Myriam Stähle, says that it is a great right to be able to vote. “It’s important that you do that.” And adds: “So far I haven’t missed a choice.”
The hygiene regulations in the polling stations are mostly well accepted. The election workers were also prepared for what to do if someone refused to put on the mask, says electoral officer and Bruck city councilor Karin Geißler (Greens).
In the morning at the Althegnenberg sports center in the Fürstenfeldbruck district, around 30 stickers that were attached during the night cause displeasure. These are stickers for the popular initiative propagated by the lateral thinker scene for the removal of the state parliament. On it is the writing: “Söder has to go.” Before the sports center opened as a polling station, the stickers were removed, said electoral board and mayor Rainer Spicker (citizens’ initiative). According to the impression of Markus Forstner, the deputy electoral officer in constituency 1 of Markt Indersdorf, the rush in the voting booths also depends on the eating habits of the people during this election. Shortly after noon, many people crossed the street, he says, and now it is a little quieter around coffee time. Between 5 and 6 p.m., Forstner expects the last voters in the town’s middle school at the urn.
In the city of Dachau, shortly before half past two, a large group of people gathers in front of the town hall. It was not a spontaneous rally, but election workers who were assigned to the postal ballot count. The first preparations start in the afternoon until the helpers can count the postal votes in the evening.
The citizens are aware that every vote counts in this election. She hopes for a positive result and is sure that she has made the right choice with Volt, says Alica Dittmar as she steps out of the polling station at the Dachau monastery school after casting her vote. “I didn’t want to let my vote lapse and I hope that the others also voted for the common good,” she adds.