The practice of early voting in Sweden originated during World War II when hundreds of thousands of men were conscripted to guard the country’s borders. Ahead of the municipal elections in 1942, officials recognized that these deployed soldiers could not reach traditional polling stations, leading to a proposal allowing citizens to cast ballots at post offices before election day.
This early system debuted in a parliamentary election in 1944, where just two percent of participating voters utilized post offices to cast their ballots, according to historical data. In those initial decades, the option remained strictly limited to individuals facing severe obstacles that prevented physical attendance at regular polling booths, such as patients hospitalized or residents living in eldercare facilities.
Expansion of Rules and Rising Turnout in 1970
By the 1968 parliamentary election, advance voting remained low at six percent. A major shift arrived with the 1970 election, which marked the first time citizens voted for a single-chamber parliament rather than a bicameral legislature. Alongside this structural change, the government reformed voting regulations to allow all eligible citizens to cast ballots early, removing the requirement for a special hindrance.
The reform proved popular, as 14 percent of voters cast ballots before election day in 1970—more than double the rate recorded two years prior. Advance voting participation climbed steadily throughout the 1970s, reaching 37 percent by the 1985 parliamentary election. During the 1990s, however, early voting rates declined alongside a broader drop in overall voter turnout.
Did You Know? Advance voting is permitted to begin 18 days prior to election day and continues through election day itself, spanning a total of 19 days. Every municipality is legally required to ensure that at least one location remains open to accept advance votes on election day.
The 2006 Reform and Record Participation in 2022
A new turning point occurred in 2006 when the administration of advance voting transferred from the postal service to local municipalities, alongside a formal name change to förtidsröstning, or early voting. Municipalities began organizing early voting in designated polling stations opened prior to the elections, injecting new momentum into the practice.
Participation grew consistently following the 2006 reforms. By the 2022 parliamentary election, a record 48 percent of voters—nearly half of all participants—chose to vote early. Official data shows that the vast majority of these early voters cast their ballots during the final week leading up to election day.
When was early voting first introduced in Sweden?
Early voting was first proposed ahead of the 1942 municipal elections to accommodate conscripted soldiers stationed at Sweden’s borders during World War II, and it was used in a parliamentary election for the first time in 1944.
Who was allowed to vote early during the early decades of the system?
During the initial years, advance voting was restricted strictly to individuals with severe obstacles preventing them from reaching a regular polling station, such as people staying in hospitals or living in eldercare facilities.
How long does the early voting period last today?
Early voting may begin 18 days before election day and continues through election day, running for a total of 19 days.
Valmyndigheten: om förtidsröstning
How will the continuous rise in early voting change how political campaigns target voters in the final weeks before an election?
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