Summary
In Sweden there are three elections (parliamentary,
county council, and municipal) on the same day. The votes are counted, by party
only, in the polling stations immediately after the closing of the poll.
Interim results are reported by telephone from the
polling station to the local election committees who report to the regional
office of the Regional Tax Board. From the Regional Tax Board, a computer
transmits the parliamentary results to the National Tax Board, where a
preliminary distribution of seats in parliament is carried out, and the interim
results are published.
The
ballots and reports are delivered to the Regional State Administration where a
recount is carried out. Based on the recount, the final distribution of seats
for the municipal and county levels is made, and the final results published by
the State County Administration. The distribution of seats for parliament is
made by the National Tax Board and the final results officially published,
based on reports from the State County Administration.
Electoral System
Sweden has a proportional list system, with a
possibility for preferential vote for one candidate on the list.
There is a separate list for each alternative (the
party can have more than one list in each electoral district).
The voter inserts the ballot, with or without
preferential mark, in an envelope, using a separate ballot for each election.
The ballots have different colours for each election, and separate ballot boxes
are used.
There
are around six thousand polling stations in Sweden, with a separate voters'
register for each polling station.
Normally,
voters choose to vote at the polling station where they are registered.
However, absentee voting is permitted at post offices up to eighteen days
before Election Day, and during a more limited period at Swedish missions
abroad. About thirty-five per cent of the electorate votes using the absentee
ballot.
The
voter can vote either in person or by proxy. Limited mail-in voting is allowed
in special cases. Most of the absentee votes are sent to the polling station
where the voters are registered and counted. However, a small proportion of
"late" absentee votes, and mail-in votes are counted by the local
election committees.
Vote Counting in Voting Stations
Immediately after the closing of the polls, the votes are counted in the voting stations in this order:
- parliament,
- municipal, and
- county council.
First,
the absentee votes are put in the ballot boxes.
The
number of voters who have cast their votes according to the voter register is
determined. The envelopes in the ballot box are counted and compared with the
numbers according to the voters' register.
If
there is a discrepancy, a recount is carried out. If there still is a
discrepancy, this is written in the polling station report and the count
continues. The envelopes are opened, and the ballots are sorted according to
party. Spoiled ballots are set aside and counted.
A
ballot is spoiled if:
- the ballot is marked so the voter can be identified;
- there is more than one ballot for different parties (if ballots are for the same party one ballot is valid);
- if there is more than one party name on the ballot; or
- if there is no party name on the ballot.
The
ballots are then counted per party and the numbers are written in the polling
station report. The ballots are put in special plastic envelopes. A separate
envelope is used for each party, and for spoiled ballots, and the envelopes are
sealed. The ballots, voters' register, and reports are delivered to the local
election committee, and from there, to the state county administration for the
recount.
Reporting of Interim Results
As soon
as the parliamentary election is counted in the polling station, the results
are reported by telephone to the Regional Tax Authority. The parliamentary
results are forwarded to the National Tax Board where a preliminary
distribution of seats is carried out and published.
The
results from the municipal and county council elections are reported in the
same way, but the procedures end at the Regional Tax Authority, where
preliminary distributions of seats are carried out and published.
Predictions
of the parliamentary results are made by the media based on sample results
delivered by the National Tax Board. The media bear the responsibility for
these predictions. However, the accuracy of the predictions has improved, and
normally the predictions are very close to the actual result.
Counting of Absentee Votes and Mail-in Votes
The
local election committees are responsible for "late" absentee votes
(that have not been sent to the polling stations), and mail-in votes. This count
takes place three days after Election Day, and by and large, the same rules
apply as in counting at the polling stations.
The
election materials are delivered to the State County Administration for a
recount immediately after the count is finished.
Final Count at the State County Administration
At the
final count, all ballots are examined and decided on once again. The ballots
are counted, not only by party, but each list within the party, and
preferential votes for candidates. The numbers are entered into computers, the
results are calculated, and seats distributed among parties and candidates.
These operations start the day after the election.
The
final parliamentary results are published after a little more than a week
later. The final county council and municipal council results are published
approximately three weeks after the election. All ballots, reports, and voters'
registers are kept in case of complaints.
