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20.3.2023

Everything you need to know about the parliamentary elections

Editors
Advance voting is open from March 22 to 28. Election day is Sunday, April 2 2023.This information package contains all the basic information about the elections and other resources in Finnish, English and other languages. Check it out and spread the word!

This blog can be found in English, Russian (PDF) and Arabic (PDF). If you translate this text in another language, then please let us know, so we can share it.

Why vote in the parliamentary elections?

By voting, you influence the kind of parliament and government that Finland will have for the next four years. Voting in elections is a right and a civic duty, but it is not compulsory. You can vote for a decision-maker who promotes issues and values that are important to you. Political decisions in Finland affect everyone, including people who do not vote in elections!

You can find information on elections in different languages here: https://vaalit.fi/tietoa-eduskuntavaaleista-eri-kielilla

What is the Eduskunta?

The Eduskunta is Finland's parliament. The parliamentary elections elect 200 Members of Parliament, who make up the Eduskunta. A Member of Parliament is a legislator, an influencer of society, a representative of their region and an international actor. Almost anyone who is entitled to vote can stand as a candidate to become a Member of Parliament. For four years, parliamentary duties are a full-time job.

What does the Eduskunta do?

The Eduskunta decides on Finnish law, i.e. the rights (what you can do) and obligations (what you must do, what you may not do) that apply in Finland. Everyone living in Finland must obey Finnish law.

The Eduskunta also decides on the state budget, i.e. where to spend the money that comes from taxes.

The Eduskunta selects the Prime Minister and supervises him or her and the ministers he or she chooses (the government).

The Eduskunta approves international agreements and influences EU affairs.

Can I vote?

You can vote in the Parliamentary elections if you are a Finnish citizen (Finnish passport) and if you are 18 years old by April 2, 2023.

How do I decide which candidate to vote for?

The right to vote is personal, so it's up to you to decide who to vote for. This decision is secret: no one can know which candidate you have voted for (vaalisalaisuus). You are free to tell others who you voted for, but it is always voluntary.

In the parliamentary elections, you can vote for a candidate from your own constituency (vaalipiiri).

Vaalikoneiden The election compasses (vaalikoneet) allow you to find the best candidate for you by answering questions that the election compass compares with the candidates' answers.

There are several different types of election compasses, offered by different media such as YLE, MTV, Helsingin Sanomat, Hufvudstadsbladet, and some regional newspapers. Some organisations also have election machines that focus on topics important to the organisation, e.g. the Duunitori election compass, or the youth election compass. In addition to the national languages, the YLE election machine can be answered in English, Arabic and Russian: https://vaalit.yle.fi/vaalikone/eduskuntavaalit2023/?lang=en

Please note that the results provided by the election compasses are only suggestions. If you answer more than one election compass, you may get different candidates and parties for each.

What is a constituency (vaalipiiri)?

In parliamentary elections, you can only vote for a candidate from your own constituency (vaalipiiri). Your constituency is indicated on the voting rights notice that everyone receives by post before the election. You can also read your voting rights notice by logging on to https://www.suomi.fi/viestit.

Finland is divided into 13 constituencies. The constituencies are Lapland, Oulu, Vaasa, Central Finland, Savo-Karelia, Satakunta, Pirkanmaa, Southwest Finland, Häme, Southeast Finland, Uusimaa, Helsinki and Åland.

The constituency system ensures that sparsely populated areas are also represented in Parliament. The 200 seats in Parliament are divided between constituencies according to the number of Finnish citizens living in each constituency. This means that there will be representatives from each constituency in proportion to the number of Finnish citizens living in the municipalities in each constituency.

Does the candidate's party matter?

Yes! Even though you vote for a person by candidate number, your vote counts for the candidate's party or electoral alliance. Electoral alliances receive a share of the seats in the constituency proportional to the number of votes all candidates on their list receive, out of all votes cast. At the same time, the candidates of each electoral alliance are ranked according to the number of votes they received and the seats are allocated in the order of the comparative number of votes. It is therefore important for you to know what issues are important to the party of your chosen candidate and what the party stands for.

Almost all parties have drawn up an election programme for the parliamentary elections. The election programmes and campaigns can be found on the parties' own websites. The parties and their websites can be found here: https://vaalit.fi/rekisteroidyt-puolueet.

How can I vote?

You can vote in advance at any advance polling station in Finland or abroad. The advance voting period is from March 22 to March 28, and you only need an valid ID. Read more about voting in advance here: https://vaalit.fi/en/voting-in-advance

This video shows how you can vote in advance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feKCn892Z6c

On Election Day you can only vote vain in your own polling station! The place will be indicated on the voter registration form, which everyone will receive by post before the election.

If you have Suomi.fi messaging enabled, you will be notified in Suomi.fi messages. Take into use the Suomi.fi messaging.

If you are elderly, disabled or permanently ill and cannot get to the polling station, you can ask for assistance to vote at home. Contact the central electoral commission in your area.

Take with you to the polling station a valid IDYou do not need to bring the paper notice of voting rights, but it is good to take it with you. If you are voting abroad in advance, the notice will speed up the voting process.

If you live abroad permanently or are temporarily abroad for the whole voting period, you can also vote by post. If you want to vote by post, you must order yourself the postal voting documents from Finland to your address abroad, and send your vote back on time for it to arrive at the latest on March 31. Read more about how to vote by post here: https://vaalit.fi/en/postal-voting

 

Text: Elisa Pokkinen

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