Postal voting 2019

A possibility to vote by post will be introduced in the parliamentary elections of spring 2019. This means that eligible voters who reside abroad permanently (expatriate Finns) and eligible voters who reside in Finland but are abroad at the time of the elections may vote by post. Advance voting will be arranged at Finnish diplomatic and consular missions abroad in the same manner as before.

What to do beforehand

1. A notice of right to vote (polling card) will be sent to you to the address entered into the Finnish Population Information System. 
2. Check with the Local Register Offices that your contact information is up-to-date. If your address abroad has changed, notify the Local Register Offices of this by sending email to address@maistraatti.fi.
3. You do not need the polling card to be able to vote. The polling card does, however, contain useful information, such as information on the electoral district where you are entitled to vote and the name and address of the central municipal election board to which you must send your postal vote. 
4. Order the postal voting materials from the Ministry of Justice. The online service will be opened on 14 January 2019. Please read the materials carefully.

How to vote by post

1. You may vote on 14 March 2019 at the earliest, when the candidate numbers have been published.
2. Fill in the ballot and put it in the ballot envelope. Close the envelope. You will need two impartial and qualified witnesses of age to attest that election secrecy and electoral freedom have been preserved in the voting.
3. Put the ballot envelope and the covering letter in the covering envelope and send it to the central municipal election board of your municipality of residence or population registration municipality in Finland. The postal vote must arrive at the central municipal election board no later than on 12 April 2019 at 19.00. The voter pays the postage.

Further information

Elections website of the Ministry of Justice www.vaalit.fi
Telephone service Mon–Fri at 8–16 (Finnish time) +358 (0) 295 150 030
Customer service by email kirjeaanestys@vaalit.fi