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 The Local Elections are just around the corner, many expats can vote in them (and some don't even realise this!) 65DN tells you all you need to know.
When are the Local (Municipal) Elections?
Election Day is Sunday 26th October between 9am and 8pm. You should already have been sent a polling card which will tell you where you are supposed to go and cast your vote - this is normally in a school or some other publicly owned building.
What if I'm not in Oulu on that day?
In that case you can vote in advance. Advance Voting begins on 15th October and ends on 21st October. Your polling card will tell where you have to go do this and when you can do it. Anybody can vote in advance if they want to.
What if I still can't make it to the polling station on any of these days?
You can apply for 'home voting' as long as you do it by 14th October.
Who is eligible to vote?
Anybody who is a citizen of any EU State (or Iceland or Norway) who is at least eighteen years old on 26th October and who has been a permanent resident in Oulu since 5th September is eligible to vote.
Foreigners who are from outside the EU (and this includes Switzerland, though not Iceland or Norway) face more stringent criteria. They have to have been resident in Oulu for two years in order to be entitled to vote.
Do I need to register to vote?
No. It's done automatically if you are a registered resident.
Who can stand for election?
Anybody who is eligible to vote can stand for election to the council as long as they are not deemed 'legally incompetent' (under somebody's guardianship). However, nominations have now closed.
HOW do I vote?
Go to the polling station and remember to take your polling card with you because you'll have to show it to the officials. You also have to take some form of photographic ID with you such as a passport or driving licence. You may also be asked for Finnish social security card.
Voting in Finland is different from the USA - where there is sometimes a voting machine - or Britain where you mark your candidate with a cross. Each political party has a (sometimes long) list of candidates and each candidate has a number - this information will be given to you. You must write on the ballot paper the number of the candidate you wish to elect. You then fold your ballot, get it officially stamped and put in the ballot box.
How do I know who to vote for?
Many of the parties have information in English on their websites about their policies. 65DN will be interviewing the different parties in the run up to the election over the next few weeks.
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