UvA votes | Election turnout so far falls behind last year
By Wednesday afternoon, nine percent of students had already voted in the Central Student Council (CSR) elections. This is shown by interim figures from the UvA’s Central Electoral Committee. Turnout is therefore lower than last year: at around midday then, 12 percent of students had already cast their vote.
Handing out flyers in the Oudemanhuispoort, boat tours with candidates departing from the Roeterseiland Campus, and free mini pancakes for voters at Science Park: the student council elections and the accompanying campaigns are in full swing. The fifteen participating parties are pulling out all the stops to attract votes. Nevertheless, turnout is so far lagging behind last year’s figures: whereas 12 percent of students had cast their vote by Wednesday at noon last year, the counter stood at just nine percent at 1:00 p.m. today.
It should be noted that the voting period for the student council elections is longer this year. Because the university will be closed on Thursday and Friday due to Ascension Day, students can cast their votes until Tuesday 19 May. As a result, the voting period spans nine days this year instead of the usual five. In theory, this gives parties more time to gather votes, although it remains to be seen whether many students will visit the digital ballot box over the weekend.
Interim turnout for the CSR elections on Wednesday afternoon in recent years:
Faculty councils
Turnout figures are also still trailing last year’s numbers in most faculty elections. At the Faculty of Humanities (FGw), only 5 percent of students have cast their vote so far: currently more than a halving compared to last year. The only exception is the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB): in this FSR election, preliminary turnout stands at 15 percent, well above last year’s figure of 12 percent.
As is traditionally the case, turnout is once again highest at the ACTA dental faculty – where only one party is participating in the elections – and in the PPLE elections.
Interim turnout for the FSR elections on Wednesday afternoon in recent years:
Note: Current turnout at the Faculty of Medicine stands at 18% (Bachelor’s programmes), 6% (Master’s programmes), and 17% (Medical Informatics).
Upward trend
In recent years, interest in the student council elections has been on the rise. While turnout for the CSR elections hovered around 12 percent for years, a shift became visible in 2023. That year, final turnout jumped to 16.2 percent. After a slight stabilisation in 2024, a historic high was reached last year: in 2025, 21.5 percent of students cast their vote. Whether that record can be broken again this year remains to be seen.
Students can vote via the personal invitation sent to their UvA email address or through stem.uva.nl. Voting is open until 19 May, 23:59. The results of the student council elections will be announced on Friday 22 May in the Muziekzaal at CREA on the Roeterseiland Campus.
Final turnout figures in recent years:
