Wim Cool
Willem (Wim) Cool (born 12 February 1943, Gieten) is a Dutch business consultant, mediator and politician. As a member of Democrats 66 (D66) he has been a member of the States-Provincial of North Holland since 18 April 2011.[1]
Cool studied law at the University of Amsterdam. He was a D66 member of the municipal council of Noorder-Koggenland from 1994 to 2002 and independent alderman of the municipality of Niedorp from 2004 to 2010.
Senate election, 2011
Cool became national news because he made a mistake during the Dutch Senate election, 2011. As a member of the North Holland States-Provincial he was entitled to vote for the new Dutch Senate on 23 May 2011 but was not able to find the red writing device (usually a pencil) prescribed for voting. Instead he voted with a blue one (his fountain pen). As a result, his vote was declared invalid and Democrats 66 missed a seat in the new Senate. His mistake was in favour of the Socialist Party (SP) which gained an extra seat. Cool regretted his mistake and apologised.[2] Appeal of his party to the Election Council was not granted.[3]
Personal life
Wim Cool lives in Hauwert, which is a town in the municipality of Medemblik.
References
- (Dutch) D66 North Holland biography
- ↑ (Dutch) North Holland States-Provincial biography
- ↑ (Dutch) Stem ongeldig: met pen ingevuld, De Telegraaf, 23 May 2011
- ↑ (Dutch) D66-stem senaat blijft ongeldig, Nieuws.nl, 31 May 2011