2026 Participatory Budget – 34 proposals are up for a vote

Jena Participatory Budget – Your Vote Counts Starting October 1

A total of 102 proposals were submitted this year for the Jena Participatory Budget. After review by the city administration and the Advisory Board for Citizen Participation, 34 proposals with a total value of €50,000 are up for a vote. 

From October 1 through November 12, 2026, Jena residents can decide which ideas should be implemented using the participatory budget. All Jena residents aged 16 and older can vote—either online via the participation platform or in person at one of the five polling locations: 

• Stadtwerke Jena Customer Center (Saalstraße 8a) 
• Winzerla Neighborhood Office (Anna-Siemsen-Straße 49) 
• Lobeda Neighborhood Office (Karl-Marx-Allee 28) 
• Jahresringe e.V. Senior Citizens’ Center (Leipziger Straße 61) 
• DRK Senior Citizens’ Center Jena-Ost (Dammstraße 32) 

In addition, completed ballots can be deposited in the city administration’s deadline mailbox (Am Anger 15). 

“Through the participatory budget, the people of Jena have a direct say in shaping their city. I am very pleased that we have once again received so many ideas and suggestions from our citizens this year. They show us what matters to people and where they see opportunities for improvement. Now it’s up to your vote: Get involved and help decide which projects will be implemented next year,” says Kathleen Lützkendorf, Department Head for Social Affairs, Health, Immigration, and Climate. 

The participation platform mitmachen.jena.de has recently become available in nine additional languages in addition to German. This allows even more people to learn about the proposals and the voting process. 

Once the voting period ends, the votes will be tallied. The final voting results—like the results of the proposal review—will be determined by the Advisory Board for Citizen Participation. The board will meet for this purpose on November 24, 2026. The results will then be published, and the successful proposals will be implemented starting in 2027 within the limits of the available participatory budget.