Selection Process for New Municipality Names: Finalists Revealed as Ham ter Loo, Kempenheide, Kepkensberg, and Tessenderlo-Ham

A total of 350 entries were received, often of course the same names came back. All names have recently been tested against a number of criteria. For example, it could not be an existing or offensive name, or one that referred to only one of the two merged municipalities. This left 150 names that were presented to a citizens’ panel with 40 drawn and voluntary candidates on Sunday evening. They were allowed to express their views on all options in three rounds of voting until four names remained: Ham ter Loo, Kempenheide, Kepkensberg and Tessenderlo-Ham.