Queues for advance voting in Stockholm on Wednesday

Advance voting for the Finnish parliamentary elections got off to a lively start in Stockholm at noon on Wednesday, 7 March. Even before the polling station opened, people had gathered in front of the Finnish Embassy to wait for the voting to begin. Once the doors were opened, a line of voters extended from the registration desks to the main doors of the Embassy. In all, 111 Finnish citizens cast their votes during the first hour.

Altogether 99,128 Finns living in Sweden are entitled to vote in Finnish elections. It is estimated, however, that the voter turnout rate won’t even reach ten per cent; in other words, the number of votes cast in Stockholm at these parliamentary elections – which mark the 100th anniversary of universal suffrage for Finland’s new unicameral Parliament – is likely to be somewhat over 2,000. Four years ago the turnout rate was 7.9 per cent. Then the number of voters in Stockholm was 2,386 and in the whole of Sweden 7, 886.

There are in total 34 advance polling stations in Sweden. Besides the Embassy in Stockholm, votes can naturally be cast at the Finnish Consulate in Gothenburg, at three honorary consulates and in 29 Finland Society offices.

Voting was also brisk in Estonia. Many Finns living in or visiting Estonia arrived when the Finnish Embassy in Tallinn opened its doors for voters. Brisk voting is expected to continue until Saturday, 10 March, when advance voting abroad ends.

At the previous parliamentary elections in 2003, altogether 379 Finns voted in Estonia. According to the Population Register Centre, 851 Finnish citizens eligible to vote reside permanently in Estonia. It is estimated that in total about 2,000 Finns live in Estonia.

On the other side of the globe, in Tokyo, as many as 24 people came to vote at the Embassy on the first election day. The morning’s first voters were Anna-Maria and Kalevi Lehikoinen, who were glad that Finns living abroad also have the opportunity to cast their ballot.

Most voters in Tokyo were permanent residents, but even a few tourists came to the polling station during the day.

At the previous parliamentary elections four years ago, altogether 94 votes were received from Japan; of these, 71 were cast in Tokyo and 23 in Osaka. The highest voter turnout was recorded during the second round of the presidential elections held last year. Then the number of voters exceeded 140. This is more than half of all Finns living in Japan and entitled to vote.

Among all elections, parliamentary elections have generally been the ones arousing the greatest interest among Finnish voters living abroad. At the parliamentary elections in 2003, altogether 26,750 votes were cast abroad. Advance voting for the parliamentary elections this year is arranged abroad from 7 to 10 March, but there are differences in the opening hours of the various polling stations. In all, there are 234 polling stations in 87 countries.