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Polls opened in the northern German city-state of Hamburg on Sunday, just one week after the country held national elections.<\/p>\n
Polling stations opened at 8 am (0700 GMT) and are due to close at 6 pm in what is set to be Germany’s only election at the state level this year.<\/p>\n
Hamburg is one of Germany’s three city-states, alongside Berlin and Bremen.<\/p>\n
The Social Democratic Party (SPD) – which suffered a crushing defeat in last Sunday’s federal election – is expected to remain the biggest force in the port city, with Mayor Peter Tschentscher hoping for another coalition with the Greens.<\/p>\n
Almost 1.3 million residents are eligible to vote in Hamburg, where the voting age is 16.<\/p>\n
Just under a third of those eligible to vote are likely to have already cast their ballot.<\/p>\n
According to the state electoral office, more than 420,000 postal voting documents had already been issued by Friday – significantly more than during the last Hamburg election five years ago.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n