Early voting for the upcoming Swedish election began on August 26th, with the Swedish Election Authority reporting a record-breaking turnout on its opening day. More than 145,000 voters cast their ballots, representing a 38 percent increase compared to the first day of early voting in the 2022 election.
Anna Nyqvist, an official at the Election Authority, welcomed the high participation. She noted that the authority views it very positively that so many voters are taking advantage of the early voting period. According to Nyqvist, spreading voting across the entire timeframe is beneficial because it helps reduce the risk of long queues closer to the official election day on September 13th.
The current early voting period, known as förtidsröstning, remains open through September 13th. Advance voting has become increasingly popular in Sweden; in 2022, 48.16 percent of voters cast their ballots in advance, compared to 47 percent in 2018 and 39 percent in 2010.
Eligibility to vote in advance depends on the specific election. Swedish citizens are the only group eligible to vote in the national election. However, residency requirements for regional and local elections are broader. Citizens of EU countries, Iceland, or Norway who are over the age of 18 may vote in regional and local elections in their area of residence. Non-EU citizens or stateless individuals are also eligible to vote in these local and regional contests, provided they have been formally registered as residents in the Swedish population register for at least three years prior to election day. Voters can consult their voting cards for specific information regarding which elections they are permitted to participate in.
Anyone who is eligible to vote in national, regional or municipal elections can vote in advance (förtidsröstning). If you have received your voting card, it will include information on which elections you are allowed to vote in here. You can also find out about the requirements to be eligible for each election in this article).
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