Participatory budget voting open until midnight on December 3
Tallinn's 2024 participatory budgeting vote continues for four more days, with the deadline for casting votes being midnight on Sunday, December 3. As of today, approximately 5,430 Tallinn residents have already voted for their favorite projects.
Residents of the Lasnamäe district have been the most active, contributing 1,240 votes. In Kesklinn, 742 votes have been cast, followed by 694 in Haabersti, 679 in Mustamäe, 615 in Põhja-Tallinn, 515 in Pirita, 475 in Kristiine, and 469 in Nõmme.
Mayor Mihhail Kõlvart notes the growing participation, with an increase of 700 voters since yesterday. “To ensure the voting process has impact, each district must reach a certain threshold. Pirita has already crossed the finish line, while Nõmme and Kristiine are close behind. Other districts still have some ground to cover, but I am confident they will reach their goals. I encourage everyone who hasn’t voted yet to do so, ensuring vital investments are not missed in any district,” Kõlvart said.
To ensure the legitimacy and added value of the participatory budget, minimum voting thresholds have been established for each district: 500 in Kristiine, Nõmme, and Pirita; 1,000 in Haabersti, Mustamäe, Kesklinn, and Põhja-Tallinn; and 1,500 in Lasnamäe. Currently, Lasnamäe is awaiting at least 358 more voters, Kesklinn 331, Haabersti 306, Mustamäe 321, Põhja-Tallinn 385, Nõmme 31, and Kristiine 25. Pirita has already surpassed its threshold, but votes there continue to be important.
From the 492 proposals submitted for this year's participatory budget, 149 were shortlisted for public voting through an expert committee's pre-selection. In Nõmme, 35 proposals are on the ballot, 26 in Kesklinn, 20 in Kristiine, 18 in Lasnamäe, 15 in Pirita, 13 in Mustamäe, 12 in Põhja-Tallinn, and 10 in Haabersti. Each district will implement at least one project that meets the participatory budgeting criteria and receives the most votes.
Popular proposal themes included eco-friendly urban space, sports and leisure, and safety. The majority of proposals focused on establishing or renewing playgrounds, outdoor gyms, adventure parks, dog walking areas, community saunas, vandal-proof bike stations, and more. Some unique ideas include a village swing in Snelli Park, bottle deposit bins for trash cans, a book lovers' garden, a zip line in Hirve Park, a drone flying course in Paevälja, more birdhouses, among others.
Residents can support their preferred projects in the public voting until midnight on December 3. Eligible voters are individuals aged 14 and above whose official residence is in Tallinn. Each participant can vote for up to two ideas in their respective district. Votes can be cast on the participatory budget website, at local district governments, or at the Tallinn City Office (Vabaduse väljak 7).
One million euros have been allocated in the 2024 budget for the implementation of this year's participatory budgeting results. Seventy-five percent of this sum will be distributed equally among the districts, with the remaining 25% allocated based on each district's population as of July 1 of the current year.
The participatory budgeting process is organized by the Tallinn Urban Environment and Public Works Department.
For more information and to vote, please visit: tallinn.ee/en/participatorybudget.