Election information
How municipal elections work
A short explanation of how elections to a Swedish municipal council work. This page is informational and contains no appeals about how to vote.
- 01
The municipal council is a separate election
Several elections are held at the same time — municipal, regional and national. Each has its own ballot paper and its own envelope.
- 02
The vote goes to a party first
You choose the ballot paper of the party you wish to vote for. Seats on the municipal council are distributed between the parties according to the number of votes each party receives.
- 03
A personal vote is voluntary
On the ballot paper you may mark one candidate if you wish. This is called a personal vote and can affect the order in which a party's candidates take their seats. No candidate has to be marked.
- 04
The vote counts in full without a personal vote
If no candidate is marked, the vote still counts in full for the party. An unmarked ballot paper is not an invalid vote.
- 05
If you vote on election day
On election day you vote at the polling station assigned to your registered address. Bring identification. You do not need to bring your voting card, but it shows which polling station is yours. Without ID, another person who has ID can confirm your identity.
- 06
If you vote in advance
Advance voting takes place at dedicated voting stations and you may vote in any municipality in the country. Bring both your voting card and identification — if you need a new voting card, it can usually be printed for you on site.
Opening hours, polling stations and advance voting stations are published by Sigtuna municipality and the Swedish Election Authority. Their information takes precedence over this page.