Democracy and participation
The right to vote depends on the election, age, citizenship and population registration.
Goal: understand the basics and find the right official help route.
Translated from Swedish. Always rely on the Swedish text and the official source.
Show the original Swedish text
Demokrati och delaktighet
Rösträtt beror på val, ålder, medborgarskap och folkbokföring.
- Du ska ha fyllt 18 senast på valdagen.
- Riksdagsval kräver svenskt medborgarskap och att du är eller har varit folkbokförd i Sverige.
- I kommun- och regionval behöver svenska medborgare uppfylla åldern och vara folkbokförda där.
- EU-, isländska och norska medborgare behöver åldern och lokal folkbokföring för kommun- och regionval.
- Andra medborgare och statslösa behöver dessutom minst tre års sammanhängande folkbokföring i Sverige före valdagen.
- Bestäm vilket val frågan gäller.
- Läs Valmyndighetens villkor.
- Kontrollera din rösträttsinformation och kontakta Valmyndigheten vid fel.
Treårsregeln gäller inte alla utländska medborgare. EU-val, utlandssvenskar och full immunitet har särskilda regler.
Good to know
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You must have turned 18 by election day at the latest.
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Parliamentary elections require Swedish citizenship and that you are or have been registered in Sweden.
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In municipal and regional elections, Swedish citizens need to meet the age requirement and be registered there.
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Citizens of the EU, Iceland and Norway need the age requirement and local registration for municipal and regional elections.
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Other citizens and people without citizenship also need three years of registration before election day. They must have been registered in Sweden for that whole time, at least.
Three steps to get started
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Decide which election the question is about.
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Read the Election Authority’s conditions.
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Check your voting information and contact the Election Authority if something is wrong.
A practical checklist to try. It does not add any legal requirements.
Important distinctions
The three-year rule does not apply to all foreign citizens. EU elections, Swedes living abroad and full immunity have special rules.
Practice question
Show the right answer and explanation
A. No, citizens of the EU, Iceland and Norway have other conditions.
The Election Authority distinguishes between these groups.
This question is practice, not a test. Answers are not saved.
Sources
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Valmyndigheten
Rösträtten i svenska val (opens in a new tab)“För att ha rösträtt måste du ha fyllt 18 år senast på valdagen.”
Checked . Check the source again before you act. Rules and contact routes can change.
In depth
Modules and guides
17 modules in this area. Everyone can read the modules marked Free. The rest are part of Premium.
17 modules in this area. You have Premium and can read everything.
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Democracy and rule by the people
What democracy means in Sweden, how the people rule through elections and what role referendums and the king have.
Democracy and rule by the people. What democracy means in Sweden, how the people rule through elections and what role referendums and the king have.What does democracy mean?
Democracy means rule by the people. The people decide how the country should be governed. In a dictatorship, a single person or a small group decides instead, and the people cannot vote them out.
Sweden's constitution says that "all public power in Sweden comes from the people". Public power is the power that the Riksdag (the Swedish parliament), the government, the municipalities, the regions and the authorities have.
Representative and direct democracy
Sweden has a representative democracy. This means you vote for politicians who represent you, so they make decisions on your behalf. If you are not happy, you can vote for someone else in the next election.
In a direct democracy, the people vote on each question themselves. In Sweden this method is only used sometimes, in referendums.
What elections are there in Sweden?
- Elections to the Riksdag, which makes decisions for all of Sweden.
- Elections to the regional council (regionfullmäktige), which makes decisions in the region (county).
- Elections to the municipal council (kommunfullmäktige), which makes decisions in the municipality.
- Elections to the European Parliament, which is part of the EU.
Tip: The elections to the Riksdag, regions and municipalities are held on the same day: the second Sunday in September every four years. The EU election is held every five years.
What is a referendum?
In a referendum you vote on a question, not on a party. The Riksdag decides whether a national referendum should be held. Sweden has had six national referendums, including on nuclear power and on the EU. All of them have been advisory. This means the politicians do not have to follow the result.
Municipalities and regions can also hold referendums. They are always advisory.
What role does the king have?
The king is Sweden's head of state, but has no political power. The king opens the Riksmöte (the new parliamentary session) each year and chairs the Committee on Foreign Affairs (Utrikesnämnden).
Sources
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Constitutional laws and the rule of law
The four fundamental laws of Sweden, how they differ from ordinary laws, and what a rule-of-law state is.
This module is only available in Swedish for now.
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Constitutional laws and the rule of law. The four fundamental laws of Sweden, how they differ from ordinary laws, and what a rule-of-law state is.Vilka är Sveriges fyra grundlagar? Locked
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Regeringsformen – grunden för hur Sverige styrs Locked
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Hur ändras en grundlag? Locked
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Vad är en rättsstat? Locked
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Freedoms and rights
What freedoms the constitution protects, which grounds for discrimination are banned, and your rights as an EU citizen.
This module is only available in Swedish for now.
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Freedoms and rights. What freedoms the constitution protects, which grounds for discrimination are banned, and your rights as an EU citizen.Vilka friheter skyddar grundlagen? Locked
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Förbjudna straff Locked
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Skydd mot diskriminering Locked
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Dina rättigheter som EU-medborgare Locked
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Sources
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Riksdagen and elected representatives
How many people sit in the Riksdag [the Swedish parliament], how the seats are spread across the country, and what the Riksdag does.
This module is only available in Swedish for now.
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Riksdagen and elected representatives. How many people sit in the Riksdag [the Swedish parliament], how the seats are spread across the country, and what the Riksdag does.Hur många sitter i riksdagen? Locked
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Valkretsar – så får hela landet platser Locked
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Vad gör riksdagen? Locked
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Vem kan bli riksdagsledamot? Locked
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The government and its relationship with parliament
How Sweden gets a prime minister and a government, what the government does, and how the Riksdag [the Swedish parliament] can remove a minister.
This module is only available in Swedish for now.
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The government and its relationship with parliament. How Sweden gets a prime minister and a government, what the government does, and how the Riksdag [the Swedish parliament] can remove a minister.Vad betyder parlamentarism? Locked
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Så väljs statsministern Locked
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Vad gör regeringen? Locked
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Misstroendeförklaring – när riksdagen vill byta minister Locked
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How a proposal becomes law
How a new law is made, step by step – and how you can give your own comments on a proposal.
This module is only available in Swedish for now.
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How a proposal becomes law. How a new law is made, step by step – and how you can give your own comments on a proposal.Vem beslutar om lagar? Locked
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Från idé till lag – steg för steg Locked
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Lämna synpunkter på en remiss Locked
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Lag, förordning eller EU-regel? Locked
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The national budget and checking public spending
Where state money comes from, how the budget is decided during the year, and who checks how it is used.
This module is only available in Swedish for now.
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The national budget and checking public spending. Where state money comes from, how the budget is decided during the year, and who checks how it is used.Vad är statens budget? Locked
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Budgetåret – viktiga datum Locked
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Utgiftstak och skuggbudgetar Locked
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Vem granskar hur pengarna används? Locked
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Municipal duties and decisions
What the municipality must do, what it can choose to do, and who makes the decisions.
This module is only available in Swedish for now.
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Municipal duties and decisions. What the municipality must do, what it can choose to do, and who makes the decisions.Vad är en kommun? Locked
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Vad måste kommunen göra? Locked
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Vad kan kommunen välja att göra? Locked
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Vem bestämmer i kommunen? Locked
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Regional duties and decisions
What the region is responsible for, who decides there, and how responsibility is shared between the municipality, the region and the state.
This module is only available in Swedish for now.
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Regional duties and decisions. What the region is responsible for, who decides there, and how responsibility is shared between the municipality, the region and the state.Vad är en region? Locked
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Vad ansvarar regionen för? Locked
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Vem bestämmer i regionen? Locked
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Kommun, region eller stat – vem ansvarar? Locked
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Elections, voting systems and seats
How votes become seats, which percentage thresholds apply, and how preference votes and vote counting work.
This module is only available in Swedish for now.
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Elections, voting systems and seats. How votes become seats, which percentage thresholds apply, and how preference votes and vote counting work.Hur blir röster till mandat? Locked
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Spärrar – hur många procent behöver ett parti? Locked
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Personval – när en kandidat får egna röster Locked
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Rösträkning och resultat Locked
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Voting rights and special situations
Who can vote in which election, why the three-year rule does not apply to everyone, and what you do if something is wrong.
This module is only available in Swedish for now.
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Voting rights and special situations. Who can vote in which election, why the three-year rule does not apply to everyone, and what you do if something is wrong.Rösträtt i riksdagsvalet Locked
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Rösträtt i kommun- och regionvalet Locked
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Rösträtt i EU-valet Locked
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Utlandssvenskar, immunitet och fel i röstlängden Locked
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The EU and Sweden’s membership
What EU membership means, how the European Parliament is elected and how Sweden takes part in EU decisions.
This module is only available in Swedish for now.
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The EU and Sweden’s membership. What EU membership means, how the European Parliament is elected and how Sweden takes part in EU decisions.Sverige i EU sedan 1995 Locked
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Europaparlamentet och EU-valet Locked
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Hur är Sverige med när EU beslutar? Locked
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Förordning eller direktiv – vad är skillnaden? Locked
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Public access, openness and private information
Your right to read documents held by authorities, how you ask for them, and when information may be kept secret.
This module is only available in Swedish for now.
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Public access, openness and private information. Your right to read documents held by authorities, how you ask for them, and when information may be kept secret.Vad är offentlighetsprincipen? Locked
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Vad är en allmän handling? Locked
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Så begär du ut en handling Locked
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Sekretess – när uppgifter får hållas hemliga Locked
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Taking part between elections and having a local voice
Ways to have influence even when there is no election: citizen proposals, citizen initiatives, consultations and contact with politicians.
This module is only available in Swedish for now.
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Taking part between elections and having a local voice. Ways to have influence even when there is no election: citizen proposals, citizen initiatives, consultations and contact with politicians.Följ vad politikerna beslutar Locked
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Lämna ett medborgarförslag Locked
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Folkinitiativ – begär en folkomröstning Locked
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Fler sätt att påverka Locked
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Media, checking sources and false information
Why free media matter in a democracy and how you check information before you believe it or share it.
This module is only available in Swedish for now.
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Media, checking sources and false information. Why free media matter in a democracy and how you check information before you believe it or share it.Varför är fria medier viktiga? Locked
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Meddelarfrihet – lämna tips till en journalist Locked
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Frågor att ställa innan du litar på något Locked
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Missledande information och AI Locked
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Tänk efter innan du delar Locked
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Holding officials responsible, courts and ombudsmen
Which courts exist, how you appeal a decision and when you can contact JO [the Parliamentary Ombudsman] or JK [the Chancellor of Justice].
This module is only available in Swedish for now.
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Holding officials responsible, courts and ombudsmen. Which courts exist, how you appeal a decision and when you can contact JO [the Parliamentary Ombudsman] or JK [the Chancellor of Justice].Vilka domstolar finns i Sverige? Locked
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Överklaga ett beslut från en myndighet Locked
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Anmäl till JO Locked
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Justitiekanslern (JK) Locked
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Guide: Voting at a polling station
From the voter card to the ballot box – what you do with the three ballot papers, step by step.
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Guide: Voting at a polling station. From the voter card to the ballot box – what you do with the three ballot papers, step by step.Innan du går till vallokalen Locked
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Tre valsedlar – vilken färg hör till vilket val? Locked
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Personröst – kryssa för en kandidat Locked
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I vallokalen: steg för steg Locked
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Förtidsrösta före valdagen Locked
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Om du behöver hjälp att rösta Locked
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Sources
General information, not individual legal, medical or financial advice.