ROTTERDAM, 19 February 2026 – Voting day in Rotterdam on 18 March comes with two standout extras: night voting at The Capital and a full early-morning programme at the Laurenskerk. If you like the idea of combining your vote with culture, music, or a sunrise climb, this is the city leaning into the moment.
Rotterdam is voting in two elections on 18 March 2026: the municipal council elections (gemeenteraadsverkiezingen) and the neighbourhood and village council elections (wijk- en dorpsraden). This announcement highlights two locations where voting is paired with public programming.
Night voting at The Capital
Rotterdam will again offer night voting (nachtstemmen) at polling station The Capital (stembureau), giving you a chance to cast your vote just after midnight. The polling station is open from 00.00 to 02.00 at Van Oestendestraat 39D. The Capital is a venue run by Productiehuis FLOW, and the night voting is paired with an evening programme next door at Pleinweg 226D starting on 17 March from 22.00. Your voting pass (stempas) doubles as your entry ticket.
Music, spoken word and a live programme
The evening programme next to The Capital is described as a mixed line-up: live music, a silent disco, spoken word, comedy, and a livestream. The idea is simple: show up, enjoy the programme, and vote during the night opening. On election day itself, the polling station at The Capital opens again at 07.30, and Productiehuis FLOW is also planning cultural programming around voting during the day.
Rock deVote at the Laurenskerk
The Laurenskerk is also turning voting into an experience, with doors opening at 06.30 so you can vote an hour earlier than most polling stations. At the same time, the church launches a programme called Rock deVote. The programme is built around early morning energy: a tower climb at sunrise, a silent disco, and a lunch concert. There are also children’s activities, including a stained-glass mini craft (glas-in-lood-ministeck) and a breakdance workshop.
Do you run a business? RotterdamStyle is looking for a main sponsor. Get exclusive visibility across our website for a fixed fee. Interested? Contact us 🤝
Voting times and what to bring
Standard voting hours in Rotterdam on 18 March are 07.30 to 21.00 at more than 350 polling stations. Two exceptions open earlier: Rotterdam Centraal station and the Laurenskerk, both from 06.30. Always bring your voting pass (stempas) and a valid ID. Rotterdam says you should receive your voting pass by 27 February, and the candidate lists are expected later, in the week of 9 March.
Where you can vote for which election
For the municipal council elections (gemeenteraadsverkiezingen), you can vote at any polling station in Rotterdam. For neighbourhood and village councils (wijk- en dorpsraden), you can only vote within your own neighbourhood. Your voting pass (stempas) will show the polling station linked to your address. For other polling station details, Rotterdam points you to: www.stembureausinrotterdam.nl
A small timing note for mid-afternoon
There is a planned staff change at all polling stations at 15.30, expected to take about 15 minutes. If you arrive around that time, you may have a short wait. After the polling stations close, vote counting takes place over the following days, as usual in Ahoy. The municipal council votes are counted and reported first, followed by the votes for candidates and for the neighbourhood and village councils.
Accessibility support at polling stations
Rotterdam says every polling station has a disabled parking space nearby for people with a valid disability parking permit. Polling stations are described as well-accessible, with ramps and threshold aids where needed, and each location has at least one voting booth (stemhokje) with a lower writing surface for wheelchair users. Each polling station also has a reading magnifier available at the table where polling staff sit.
Do you run a business? RotterdamStyle is looking for a main sponsor. Get exclusive visibility across our website for a fixed fee. Interested? Contact us 🤝
Extra support for blind, partially sighted and deaf voters
Rotterdam lists three polling stations with extra tools for blind or partially sighted voters, including guidance lines, a voting template (stemmal), and a sound box (soundbox):
- Huis van de Wijk De Kip, Kipstraat 37
- Huis van de Wijk ’t Klooster, Afrikaanderplein 7
- Publiekslocatie Delfshaven, Looiershof 1
At polling station SWeDoRo, Michelangelostraat 46, you can vote in sign language. Rotterdam also says you can scan a QR code at polling stations to connect with a Dutch Sign Language interpreter (Tolk Nederlandse Gebarentaal) via a digital link. For the full accessibility overview, Rotterdam points to: www.stembureausinrotterdam.nl/toegankelijkheid
How to get there
The Capital is in Rotterdam-Zuid near the Pleinweg area. If you are coming by public transport, you will likely combine metro and tram or bus connections into Zuid, then walk the last stretch. If you are cycling, this part of Zuid is straightforward to reach, and late-night arrivals tend to be easiest by bike or taxi depending on where you are coming from.
The Laurenskerk is right in the city centre by the Markthal and Blaak area, so it is an easy walk from Rotterdam Blaak station and a simple cycle from most central neighbourhoods. If you are aiming for the 06.30 opening, public transport is still workable, but cycling is usually the most reliable for early starts in the centre.
