Here's How the Referendum Works
Fair, transparent, and verifiable.
Here's how the citizens' vote works, who moderates it, and what the limits are. That way, you don't have to take my word for it—you can read about it for yourself.
What It's About—and What It's Not About
The Citizens' Forum brings together issues that Papenburg itself can address. It is not a place to judge individuals—that is something you decide at the ballot box. That is why this forum focuses solely on issues, never on candidates or elected officials.
We do not censor opinions
Any serious, constructive concern regarding Papenburg is posted online, including harsh criticism of the city.
Why We Keep Our Presentations Short
To keep the list clean and easy to read, my team will review your topic, assign it to a category and a neighborhood, and rewrite only the title in a neutral tone. We never change the content of your post itself. This usually only takes a moment. So your topic won’t be visible right away, but it won’t disappear.
What's Not Included, and Why
Issues beyond Papenburg’s local jurisdiction (federal, state, or county level); personal attacks and insults; naming private individuals (including candidates); sharing others’ private information; hate speech and discrimination; advertising; and illegal content. If we reject or reclassify something, you’ll receive a brief response explaining the reason via the email address you provided.
We join forces to address common concerns
If several people suggest the same thing, we’ll combine them into a single topic so that every vote counts and the list remains clear and organized. We’ll only combine suggestions that are truly the same; two different bike paths will remain two separate topics. If you’ve provided an email address, we’ll let you know where your topic is being discussed next.
Fair Voting
Voting is protected against manipulation (spam and bot protection via Cloudflare Turnstile); for each topic, one vote per device counts. We do not add votes or inflate the numbers. The current tally is live and visible to everyone; you can verify the count yourself at any time.
How Scoring Works
For the ranking and for my agenda, what counts is the total number of votes for a topic. The comparison of neighborhoods per 1,000 residents is simply a fair competition for visibility, so that even small neighborhoods can stand out. It does not determine what makes it onto the agenda.
What I Promise, Honestly Put
If you get 50 votes or more, I’ll speak out publicly about your issue. If you get 100 or more, I’ll stop by and show you the location. If you get 250 or more, I’ll put your issue on my priority list for my first 100 days in office and, if I’m elected, bring it before the appropriate committee. Ultimately, the Council makes decisions collectively—I cannot and will not do that alone. My promise is that your issue will be brought to the table, remain visible, and that I’ll tackle it.
Reviewed with a sense of proportion
The agenda includes things that Papenburg can implement on its own—from safe routes to school and a gathering place for young people to more cultural activities in town. Small, meaningful initiatives matter just as much as large ones. If something really isn’t possible, we’ll say so openly and explain why.
Not a black hole
You can track the progress of every issue: submitted, reviewed, on the agenda, in committee, and in progress. You can always see where it stands.
Your data remains yours
You can vote without logging in, and anonymous voting is allowed. Providing an email address is optional—it’s only so we can keep you informed about the status of your topic. Your data is stored in the EU, will be deleted after Election Day on September 13, you can revoke your consent at any time, and we don’t sell anything. See our Privacy Policy for more details.
Even after the election
For the most pressing issues, I'll present a 100-day report on what has come of them. That way, you can hold me to my word.
Sabrina Wendt · Citizens' Referendum · As of July 2, 2026