Graz municipal election scheduled for 28 June 2026

The city of Graz will hold its municipal election on 28 June 2026. Voters will elect the 48‑member city council, district councils and a migrant advisory board. Eligible voters are EU citizens residing in Graz as of 17 April 2026, aged 16 or older; non‑EU residents may only vote for the migrant board. About 225 000 residents are entitled to vote, with roughly 40 000 eligible for the migrant council.

The incumbent council is led by the Communist Party of Austria (KPÖ) with 15 seats, followed by the ÖVP (13), the Greens (9), the SPÖ (4), the anti‑corruption club (3), and single seats for NEOS and FPÖ. The KPÖ’s Elke Kahr currently serves as mayor. Campaign monitoring by the city’s Human Rights Council identified policy debates on gender budgeting, barrier‑free infrastructure, childcare guarantees and climate‑linked health measures, while also documenting racist and xenophobic statements posted by former councilor Gerald Grosz that were amplified by the FPÖ.

The election will determine the composition of Graz’s governing bodies and the direction of local policies on social services, infrastructure and environmental protection.