A paper with party names used for voting. Available in the voting locations. Yellow = Riksdag, blue = region, white = municipality.
Ballot box
A box where ballots are placed when casting a vote. It is closed until the votes are counted after the election.
Democracy
A system of government where the people decide through free elections, have freedom of speech and is equal before the law.
Early voting (Förtidsröstning)
The option to vote before election day at a dedicated early-voting location (förtidsröstningslokal), not your regular polling station.
Early-polling station / Early-voting location
A location where you can cast an early vote. You can vote in any early-voting location in Sweden.
Elected member (Ledamot)
An elected person who holds a seat in a decision-making assembly, such as the Riksdag, a regional council, or a municipal council.
Election (Val)
The democratic process where citizens vote to choose their political representatives.
Election compass (Valkompass)
An online tool that asks questions about political issues and shows which parties match your views.
Electoral roll (Röstlängd)
A list of everyone eligible to vote. You are checked off when you cast your ballot.
Freedom of expression
Freedom of expression is the right to express your opinions, thoughts, and ideas freely through speech, writing, images, or other forms of communication. In Sweden, freedom of expression is protected by the Constitution, but it has certain limits, such as laws against threats, defamation, and incitement against protected groups.
Municipal council (Kommunfullmäktige)
A municipality's highest decision-making assembly, which is a group of members deciding on various topics. Its members are elected in the municipal election and decide on schools, elderly care, and other local services.
Municipality (Kommun)
One of Sweden's 290 municipalities, responsible for local services like schools, preschools, elderly care, libraries, and water.
National Parliament (Riksdag)
Sweden's parliament with 349 members. It passes laws and decides the national budget.
Personal vote (Personröst)
When you mark a specific candidate on the ballot in addition to voting for a party. You can only mark one per ballot. By casting a personal vote you give that candidate more support within that party.
Political issue (Sakfråga)
A specific political topic that parties can disagree on, such as taxes, healthcare, schools, or the environment.
Political party
A group of people with similar political ideas that stands in elections.
Polling staff member
A person who receives your vote at the polling station and can help in answering questions.
Polling station / Voting location
A location where you can vote on election day. You can only vote in a specific voting location, specified in your voting card.
Proxy (Bud)
Someone you know who can deliver your vote if you cannot get to a polling station.
Region
One of Sweden's 21 regions, responsible for healthcare and public transport.
Regional council (Regionfullmäktige)
A region's highest decision-making assembly, which is a group of elected members deciding on various topics. Its members are elected in the regional election and decide on healthcare and public transport.
Voting card (Röstkort)
A paper sent by the Swedish Election Authority to everyone eligible to vote. It shows your polling station and which elections you can vote in.
Hjälp mig rösta 2026!