Today is an important day in Rhineland-Palatinate. People vote for a new state parliament. The polling stations opened at 8 in the morning. They close at 6 in the evening.
Many people already voted by 12 noon. About 50 percent of eligible voters cast their ballot. This is a lot of people. In a small town called Dierfeld, all 8 eligible voters have already voted. That is 100 percent.
There is an exciting contest between two large parties. The SPD has governed the state for 35 years. Their leader is Alexander Schweitzer. The CDU wants to win this time. Their leader is Gordon Schnieder. Polls say the result will be very close between the two parties.
In total, almost 3 million people can vote. They decide who governs the state for the next 5 years. The election result is also important for all of Germany. Experts watch closely how people vote.
