The conservative Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is continuing to make gains across the country.
The AfD secured nearly 15 percent of the vote in North Rhine-Westphalia, placing third, according to preliminary results reported by Politico.
That marks a sharp rise from the 5.1 percent it received in the state's last municipal elections five years ago.
"A huge success: According to initial projections, the AfD's result in NRW has tripled," AfD leader Alice Weidel wrote on the X platform.
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"Heartfelt thanks to all campaigners and to our voters!"
In Gelsenkirchen, once a hub of heavy industry, the AfD's candidate is expected to advance to a mayoral runoff against a center-left rival.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) maintained a clear lead, winning about 33 percent of the vote.