Municipal Elections

Municipal elections are held to elect the councillors of the municipalities. At the beginning of 2022 there are altogether 293 municipalities in continental Finland and 16 in the Province of Åland.

Municipal elections are held every four years on the third Sunday of April. If the third Sunday of April is Easter Day or the Sunday following Easter Day, the elections are held on the Sunday preceding Easter. The 2021 municipal elections will not, however, be held in April due to the COVID-19 epidemic, but election day is 13 June 2021 (Act on the Postponement of the 2021 Municipal Elections 256/2021).

The number of councillors elected depends on the population of a municipality. According to Section 16 of the Local Government Act (410/2015) the number of councillors varies as follows:

Population Councillor          
at most 5 000 13
5 001 - 20 000 27
20 0001- 50 000 43
50 001 - 100 000 51
100 001 - 250 000 59
250 001 - 500 000 67
over 500 000 79