THE HAGUE, WILLEMSTAD – Dutch nationals living in Curaçao who wish to have a say in the composition of the Dutch Senate are being encouraged to register for the election of the Electoral College for Non-Residents.
The call comes from the Municipality of The Hague, which administers voting procedures for Dutch citizens residing outside the Netherlands.
The election for the Electoral College for Non-Residents is scheduled for March 17, 2027. Through this election, Dutch citizens living abroad, including those residing in Curaçao, can indirectly influence the composition of the Dutch Senate, known as the Eerste Kamer.
According to the Municipality of The Hague, many Dutch citizens overseas are already registered to vote in elections for the Dutch House of Representatives and the European Parliament. However, registration for the Electoral College for Non-Residents is not automatic and requires a separate application.
Dutch citizens who register before December 1, 2026, will automatically receive a postal voting package in mid-December. The legal deadline to register is February 3, 2027.
The Electoral College for Non-Residents consists of representatives elected by Dutch citizens living outside the Netherlands. Following the election, the members of the electoral college will cast their votes in The Hague on May 24, 2027, to help elect members of the Dutch Senate.
The system is similar to the electoral colleges operating in Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba, where residents elect representatives who subsequently participate in Senate elections.
Dutch nationals living in Curaçao who register for the Electoral College for Non-Residents will remain eligible to vote separately in elections for the Dutch House of Representatives and the European Parliament.
The Municipality of The Hague is encouraging eligible voters to register early and ensure that their address and contact information are up to date in order to receive election materials on time.
Registration and updates to voter information can be submitted through the Municipality of The Hague's Kiezers Buiten Nederland (Voters Abroad) program.