Ottensheim elects a new mayor and it could be exciting. However, the four-way battle for the mayor’s office is likely to turn into a duel, because Deputy Mayor Maria Hagenauer (VP) and her challenger Michaela Kaineder from the Pro Ottensheim Citizens’ List are said to have the best chances. Your two parties have dominated the political landscape in Ottensheim for 20 years.
“Expectations are high”
“The expectations are high that we can do it in the first ballot,” says Hagenauer after voting in an interview with OÖN. One hopes to save the Ottensheimers a second ballot. From Hagenauer’s point of view, the election campaign was “very fair” and good cooperation is important to her even after the election.
“The voters have their say”
“Our work is done, the voters have their say,” says her challenger Kaineder to the OÖN. A runoff election is expected, but you never know how the work of the past few weeks will be received and how people will actually decide.
SPÖ and FPÖ only outsiders
The parties of the two favorites currently dominate the municipal council with eleven (VP) and ten (Pro O.) mandates. SPÖ and FPÖ are only represented by three or one mandate. Gabriele Plakolm-Zepf will stand for the SPÖ and Helmut Kremmaier for the FPÖ. However, it would be a big surprise if one of the two won the runoff or even won the election.
High turnout?
According to initial estimates, voter turnout is likely to be good. “People use the beautiful day to vote,” says Hagenauer. Kaineder also finds “lively interest”; both work in one of the six electoral districts. The polling stations close at 3 p.m. and the result is not expected until 4 p.m. at the earliest. The date for a possible run-off election is December 18th.
The election was necessary because the mayor was re-elected just a year ago Franz Füreder (VP) died of cancer in August.
Source: Nachrichten
