Parliamentary Elections on 18 March 2007

Advance voting

Advance voting in the Parliamentary Elections is arranged from 7 to 13 March 2007.

The number of advance polling stations in Finland is 862. Advance voting is arranged, for instance, in town halls, libraries and other municipal offices. Around 120 of the advance polling stations are post-offices.

Advance voting abroad is arranged from 7 to 10 March 2007. However, several advance polling stations abroad have restricted opening times during the above period. It is possible to vote in advance at 234 Finnish diplomatic or consular representations abroad. Advance voting is arranged in 87 different countries.

Those entitled to vote, may vote in advance at any of the general advance polling stations in Finland or abroad. The Population Registration Centre sends to everyone who is entitled to vote a notice of their right vote, which includes a list of advance polling stations in their own electoral district. In addition to that, information on advance polling stations is available on the Internet at www.vaalit.fi. It is also possible to get information on advance polling stations by calling the Ministry of Justice’s election information service number 0800-1-57575 (for information in Finnish) or 0800-1-38383 (for information in Swedish). The telephone service is free of charge.

A person whose ability to move or function is so limited that he/she cannot come to an advance polling station for advance voting or to a general polling station on the election day, has the right to vote in advance in his/her home. Those who wish to vote in advance in their home shall notify this intention to the Central Election Committee of their municipality on 6 March 2007 at the latest.

Voting on Election Day

Election Day is on Sunday 18 March. There are at least one polling station every municipality and in total 2 611 in the entire country. The polling station are open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

On the election day, voters may vote only at the polling station named on the notice of the right to vote. For more information about the right to vote or the right polling station voter may contact the local register offices in Finland.

Voters and candidates

Every Finnish citizen who has reached eighteen years of age on the day of the first election at the latest has the right to vote. The total number of persons entitled to vote in the Parliamentary Elections is near to 4.3 million.

Both in connection to advance voting and voting on Election Day, the voters must have their identity card with them. It is also good, although not necessary, to bring along the notice of the right to vote.

In Parliamentary Elections the voters may only vote for candidates in their own electoral district. The combined lists of candidates within a certain electoral district are displayed in the polling booth. The combined lists of candidates in all electoral districts are displayed at advance polling stations. From these lists a voter can check the number of a candidate in his/her own electoral district.

The number of representatives elected changed in two electoral districts

There are 15 electoral districts. The 200 Members of Parliament are elected from these electoral districts. The seats are divided as follows:

Electoral District of Helsinki 21, Electoral District of Uusimaa 34, Electoral District of Varsinais-Suomi 17, Electoral District of Satakunta 9, Electoral District of Häme 14, Electoral District of Pirkanmaa 18, Electoral District of Kymi 12, Electoral District of South Savo 6, Electoral District of North Savo 10, Electoral District of North Karelia 6, Electoral District of Vaasa 17, Electoral District of Central Finland 10, Electoral District of Oulu 18, Electoral District of Lapland 7, Electoral District of Åland 1.

The number of representatives elected from the Electoral District of Uusimaa is increased by one and one less representative is elected from the Electoral District of Pohjois-Karjala compared to the previous parliamentary elections.

Publication of the Election Results

After the polling stations have closed at 8 p.m. the results of the advance voting are published. Usually preliminary results for the entire election are ready at 11 p.m. The electoral district committees confirm the final results on 21 March.

Notification of Election Financing

Elected Members of Parliament and appointed Deputy Members must submit a notification of the financing of their election campaign (election financing) to the Ministry of Justice. The notification must be submitted on 21 May at the latest.
The notification must include the total costs of the election campaign of the candidate. The costs shall be itemised into the candidate’s own funds and outside support. The support from outside is classified in terms of contributions from private persons, enterprises, party organisations and other corresponding important donors.
The value of each contribution and the name of the donor shall be stated separately, if the value is at least 1700 EUR. The name of the private donor may not be given without his/her express consent, if the contribution is smaller than the above amount.

Centennial elections

An election information campaign, aimed at all citizens’, is carried out in connection with the Parliamentary Elections. The objective of the campaign is to increase the citizens’ awareness of elections and to encourage people to exercise their right to vote.

The campaign has been prepared in a working group, which included representatives from the Ministry of Justice, the parliament and Finnish Youth Co-Operation - Allianssi. For the campaign the working group has produced television and radio spots, web pages and an easy reading –brochure as well as posters. Near to 760 000 citizens under the age of 30 will receive a letter, which aims to emphasize the importance of voting and encourage them to vote.

The campaign starts at the end of February. In connection with the same campaign the Ministry of Justice carries out a campaign to increase the voting turnout, aimed at young people and areas with a low voting turnout.

To celebrate the centennial elections the Ministry of Justice has opened a website with information about the parliamentary elections 1907. The address of the website is www.vaalit.fi/eduskuntavaalit1907 .

Information and results on www.vaalit.fi

The elections website of the Ministry of Justice, www.vaalit.fi, provides information about elections and after the elections also the results.

Further information:
Mr Arto Jääskeläinen, Director/Electoral Administration, tel. +358 9 1606 7572
Mr Jussi Aaltonen, Senior Officer/Legal Affairs, tel. +358 9 1606 7620
Mr Jukka Leino, Senior Adviser, tel. + 358 10 36 64611
e-post: [email protected]