Implementation of elections
The City of Stockholm is responsible for the planning, implementation, and follow-up of elections that involve eligible voters residing in the municipality.
The assignment to conduct elections in Stockholm includes:
- general elections to the Riksdag (parliament), regional councils, and municipal councils
- elections to the European Parliament
- any re-elections or snap elections
- referendums.
Nearly ten percent of all eligible voters in Sweden live in Stockholm – approximately 790,000 people. To ensure that all of them are able to vote, the City, through the Election Committee, is responsible for providing:
- premises and staffing for advance voting
- premises and staffing for voting on election day
- preliminary vote counting and reporting of preliminary results.
The Election Committee is also responsible for arranging advance voting with restricted access, known as institutional voting, as well as offering mobile voting services during the advance voting period. The responsibility also includes the preliminary vote count conducted on the Wednesday after election day. The work of the Election Committee is largely regulated by legislation.
According to the City Budget for 2026, the Election Committee’s work must be based on the principle that all eligible voters should have good opportunities to exercise their democratic right to vote. Elections must therefore be organised and carried out in a way that ensures all eligible voters have favourable conditions for voting. Particular consideration must be given to voting conditions in areas with historically low voter turnout, as well as the need for accessible and safe voting premises. The committee must prioritise measures that protect the secrecy of the ballot and counter all forms of undue influence during voting.
Polling districts, constituencies, and voting premises
The City of Stockholm is responsible for preparing proposals on how polling districts and constituencies should be designed within the municipality. The final decision on the division is made by the County Administrative Board (Länsstyrelsen). Polling districts determine which polling station a voter may use on election day. During advance voting, voters may choose any voting location that suits them, both within and outside of the City of Stockholm.
The Election Committee’s guidelines for polling stations state that voters in the inner city should have no more than one kilometre to their polling station, and voters in the suburbs no more than two kilometres.
In the City of Stockholm, there are 152 buildings containing a total of 606 polling stations on election day. During advance voting, there are voting locations at 52 sites. The website Vote in City of Stockholm provides information on where and when voting is possible in Stockholm.
The website Vote in City of Stockholm (in Swedish)
Voter turnout
At the request of the City Executive Office, Sweco compiled a report on voter turnout in Stockholm in 2022 (available in Swedish only).
Statistics Sweden (SCB) compiles national statistics on voter turnout in Sweden.
Voter turnout in Sweden, SCB's website (in Swedish)
Voting clerks
Each polling station on election day is staffed by several voting clerks. Three of them have designated roles as chairperson and vice‑chairpersons, responsible for coordinating and leading the work in the polling station. In the voting building – often containing several polling stations – there are also ballot paper attendants. They ensure that ballot papers are available to voters and that the ballot stands are kept in order. Additional staff are often present to assist voters.
The Election Committee trains everyone hired to work with the administration of the election and provides them with guidance and support throughout the process. This to ensure that all elections can be conducted safely and in accordance with the law. For the 2026 elections to the Riksdag, regional councils, and municipal councils, approximately 5,000 people will staff the City’s polling stations. They receive information about their duties both during training and through other targeted communication channels.
Before each election, new voting clerks are recruited, and all who will serve must complete mandatory training to ensure that knowledge of election procedures is up‑to‑date and of high quality.
Work at a voting place
Work in a voting place is a public function. During advance voting, this applies throughout the opening hours, and on election day from 8:00 until the vote count is completed. This means the process is open to the public, and anyone may observe how it is carried out.
The work includes preparing the premises to ensure safe voting and the protection of ballot secrecy, handling ballot papers, receiving votes, and conducting a preliminary vote count after the polling stations close on election day.
The voting clerks are responsible for maintaining order at the voting place. Anyone present in or near the premises must follow their instructions to ensure the voting process can be carried out. Those who do not comply may be asked to temporarily leave the premises. If a disturbance prevents the voting process from continuing, it may be temporarily suspended.
Photography and filming are permitted, with certain exceptions, and must not compromise the secrecy of the ballot. These rules are governed by the Election Act, and the city follows the Election Authority’s guidance on visits, photography, and filming at voting locations and during vote counting.
Media receive special information ahead of visits, when such visits are announced in advance.
Campaigning in or immediately adjacent to a voting place is not permitted.
Vote counting
All vote counting is a public function, meaning anyone may be present to observe the process, provided they do not interfere with the work. This applies to:
- vote counting in polling stations on election night
- the Election Committee’s preliminary vote counting on Wednesday–Thursday after election day. In the City of Stockholm, this takes place in the City Hall, Ragnar Östbergs plan 1
- vote counting by the County Administrative Board (Länsstyrelsen). In Stockholm County, the final vote count takes place in a location designated by the County Administrative Board, which publishes the location a few days before election day.
Ballot papers
All voting places must have ballot papers available. The Election Committee is responsible for ensuring that party ballot papers without candidate names are provided for parties that received more than one percent of the vote in the two most recent elections. Blank ballot papers must also be available in every location. Parties themselves are responsible for delivering candidate ballot papers to the voting places. Voting clerks are responsible for placing ballot papers in the ballot stands in the order determined by the Election Committee.
Organisation
The City of Stockholm’s Election Committee is responsible for conducting elections involving eligible voters in the city. This includes equipping and staffing voting places, managing the preliminary vote count, and reporting results.
The Election Committee Department supports the committee in the practical implementation of elections in the City of Stockholm.
The County Administrative Board is responsible for decisions on the division of polling districts and constituencies, issuing replacement voting cards, and reporting final election results to the Election Authority. For European Parliament elections, the County Administrative Board administers the electoral register for all eligible voters.
The Election Authority is the national authority responsible for planning and coordinating the implementation of general elections and national referendums. Its responsibilities cover all fundamental aspects of the Swedish electoral system.
The Election Authority website
Policy documents
The Election Committee’s mandate and work are described in a policy document adopted by the City Council (available in Swedish only).
Inriktning inför de allmänna valen till riksdag, region- och kommunfullmäktige