Breaking Down Sunday’s Vote: Parliamentary Election Procedure in Sweden

Under the Swedish Constitution, the Riksdag is the supreme legislative body in the country.

All Swedish citizens aged over 18, who are either living or have ever lived in the kingdom are allowed to vote and can be elected to the Riksdag. The members are elected under a proportional system as a result of free, secret and direct elections.

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A total of 310 seats out of 349 are distributed among the leading parties. The number of seats each party receives depends on the number of votes the party receives in each electoral district. Another 39 seats — adjustment seats — are distributed between the parties throughout the country to ensure the most proportional representation.

Parties have to obtain at least four percent of the overall vote or 12 percent of the vote in any one constituency in order to be entitled to participate in the distribution of mandates. There are 29 constituencies in Sweden.

Elections to the Riksdag are held every four years on the second Sunday in September. The Central Election Commission of Sweden is responsible for conducting the elections.

Before the election, voters receive a polling card by mail, with the name, address and hours of operation of the polling station. The card also contains information about early voting, which begins 18 days before the election.

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If a voter has not received their voter card or has lost it, a new one can be ordered from the municipality or the Swedish Central Election Commission. Voters come to the polling station on the appointed day, present a document proving their identity and fill out a yellow ballot. In the absence of the document, the identity of the voter may be confirmed by another person, as long as that person presents their identity card.

The person participating in the voting should choose one of three types of ballots: a name ballot, containing both names of party and candidates; a party ballot, containing the party name only; a blank ballot, which the voter can use to write in the name of the party.

After filling out the ballot, the voter puts it in a special ballot box. The ballot is considered invalid if it contains the names of two or more candidates, crossed out names or unnecessary symbols.

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Voters abroad have the right to vote by mail, in Swedish diplomatic missions or on Swedish sailing vessels. It is necessary to order a package of documents from the Central Election Commission when voting by mail. The voter can do this 45 days before the election. The ballot can be cast 24 days before the election if voting at an embassy or consulate.

Voters with disabilities are allowed to vote with an attendant. The municipality may provide a member of the election commission in the absence of a representative person.

Election workers conduct a preliminary vote count after the polling stations have closed on election day. The final count is made the following week by county administrative boards.

If necessary, a second round of voting may be held three months after the election.

The first meeting of the new parliament is held on the 15th day after the election day, but no earlier than four days after the announcement of the results.