Political
The mayoral election took place in Scharten (district of Eferding) on Sunday. ÖVP candidate Christian Steiner and SPÖ candidate Sabine Ameshofer have to go to the runoff on February 27th.
After the turbulence surrounding the former local chief, the current race for the mayor’s chair in Scharten remains exciting: in the polls on Sunday, the previous ÖVP deputy mayor Christian Steiner was unable to win the required majority of over 50 percent with 47.3 percent. On February 27th, Steiner and the SPÖ candidate Sabine Ameshofer will be in the runoff.
Voter turnout at 68.5 percent
Ameshofer had reached 29 percent of the 1,844 eligible voters in the ballot on Sunday, the FPÖ candidate Johannes Brandl 14.7 percent. The two had already run for office in the fall. Compared to the last election on September 26, the Greens nominated Herbert Petersdorfer, a candidate who received 8.95 percent of the votes. The turnout was 68.5 percent, in autumn 82.5 percent of the Schartner had cast their votes.
The election became necessary following Steiner’s predecessor received a prison sentence of several years following a conviction that was not final and subsequently resigned. The former ÖVP local chief has lodged an appeal once morest the verdict. Since then, Vice Mayor Christian Steiner (ÖVP) has been running the business. With eight mandates, the ÖVP holds a relative majority in the municipal council of Scharten. The SPÖ and FPÖ each have four municipal councillors, the Greens three.
Lindner congratulated Ameshofer
SPÖ state party chairman Michael Lindner congratulated Sabine Ameshofer on her result. “It’s a great success that she reached the run-off election and was able to maintain her share of the vote of almost 30 percent, while the ÖVP candidate lost around seven percentage points. We will actively support our mayoral candidate in the next two weeks, so that a real new beginning can happen in Scharten,” says Lindner.
