More new Danish voices at the ballot box: New Danish Voices

In November, there will be municipal elections in Denmark. Far too few citizens with ethnic minority backgrounds vote in municipal elections. In fact, they are voting less and less. This includes those who grew up in Denmark. Something must be done about this. That is why we at Brobyggerne have created the project ‘Nydanske Stemmer’ (New Danish Voices).

Looking at voter turnout among immigrants and their descendants, it is worryingly low. In the last municipal and regional elections in 2021, turnout among these two groups was 37.3 and 35.5 percentage points lower than among ethnic Danes. These are numbers that we should take seriously, because, as stated in a report from the Center for Elections and Parties (KU): "It is particularly worrying that descendants who were born and raised in Denmark have a significantly lower voter turnout than ethnic Danes."

During November, will Brobyggerne, led by Özlem Cekic, travel around the parts of the country where the proportion of immigrants and descendants is high – and voter turnout  therefore correspondingly low – with the aim of encouraging immigrants and descendants to use their vote, get involved in the debate, and choose democracy rather than reject it when it comes to voting in the municipal elections. In this way, they can help shape local democracy.

Özlem Cekic was one of the first women from a minority background to be elected for the Danish Parliament. This is not the first time Özlem Cekic has thrown herself into the fight to increase voter turnout. During the municipal elections in 2009, 2013, 2017, and 2021, she also visited disadvantaged neighborhoods across the country and spoke with local residents about the importance of voting.