Citizens in 16 of 17 North Rhine-Westphalia cities approved by mail vote the KölnRheinRuhr region's bid for the 2036, 2040 or 2044 Olympic and Paralympic Summer Games. About 1.4 million of more than four million eligible voters participated. Only Herten missed the quorum.
The votes in the cities of Aachen, Bochum, Dortmund, Duisburg, Düsseldorf, Essen, Gelsenkirchen, Herten, Köln, Krefeld, Leverkusen, Mönchengladbach, Monheim am Rhein, Oberhausen, Pulheim, Recklinghausen and Wuppertal were held exclusively by mail. In 16 municipalities, yes votes reached about two-thirds, as reported by Minister President Hendrik Wüst (CDU). «I am thrilled with these results», Wüst said. Turnout was around one-third, setting records as the largest direct-democratic Olympic vote and the biggest citizen poll in NRW history.
In Köln as «Leading City», yes votes stood at nearly 57 percent after counting many districts, with the highest turnout of around 41 percent. Mayor Thorsten Burmester (SPD) saw it as «a boost» and a «clear majority trend». The city plans a temporary athletics stadium and athlete village. Herten failed quorum despite over 70 percent yes votes; alternative concepts are to secure mountain bike events.
Critics from the «NOlympia Köln» alliance criticized an emotional campaign and deemed the budgeted 4.8 billion euros too low. The NRW concept relies on existing venues for sustainable Games. The DOSB will select the German bidder on September 26; competition comes from München, Hamburg and Berlin.
