Here’s how to vote early

Published: 10 June 2026

You can vote early anywhere in Sweden between 26 August and 13 September (election day) 2026. If you can’t vote at your local voting location on election day, you can still vote on this date. However, you will then need to vote at an early voting location instead. Here’s a step-by-step guide to voting early.

Early voting period

You can vote early in the elections to the Riksdag and regional and municipal councils between 26 August and 13 September 2026.

Here’s where you can vote early

You can vote early at any early voting location in Sweden.

Here’s what you need to bring with you

You need to bring ID such as your ID card, driving licence or passport. If you do not have any ID, another person who has ID can confirm your identity.

Here’s how to vote early in the elections to the Riksdag and regional and municipal councils: a step-by-step guide

Here you can check what you need to do when you vote early in Sweden.

Choose your ballot papers alone

Ballot papers are displayed on a rack in a screened-off area at the voting location.

Take one of the following ballot papers for each election in which you intend to vote:

  • a yellow ballot paper for the elections to the Riksdag
  • a blue ballot paper for the elections to the regional councils
  • a white ballot paper for the elections to the municipal councils.

If you can’t find any ballot papers for your preferred party, you can select blank ballot papers. Write the name of the party on each blank ballot paper. If you want to vote for a specific candidate, you can write their name too.

Take three ballot envelopes

When you have selected your ballot papers, a member of the polling staff will give you some ballot envelopes. Alternatively, there might also be envelopes on display, so you can take some yourself.

Go to an empty voting booth alone

You must be alone when you prepare your votes so that nobody can see or influence how you vote.

If you need assistance, a member of the polling staff can go to the voting booth with you. Polling staff have a duty of secrecy and are not allowed to tell anyone how you have voted. This is to maintain your voter secrecy.

You can bring someone else with you to the voting booth if you need assistance, but a polling staff member must also be present.

Prepare your votes

You prepare your votes at a voting booth.

Voting for a specific candidate as well as a party

If you want to vote for a specific candidate, you can choose one of the following options:

  • Put an “x” in the box by the name of that candidate on the ballot paper.
  • Write that candidate’s name on a ballot paper on which only the name of a party is printed.
  • Write the names of a party and a candidate on a blank ballot paper.

You can only vote for one specific candidate in each election, using one ballot paper.

If you only want to vote for a party, choose one of the following options:

  • Don’t put an “x” in a box by the name of a candidate on the ballot paper.
  • Use a ballot paper on which only the name of a party is printed.
  • Only write the name of a party on a blank ballot paper.

Put one ballot paper in each envelope

Put your ballot papers in ballot envelopes. Do this carefully, ensuring that there is only one ballot paper in each envelope.

Close the envelopes by tucking the flaps down or sealing them.

Bring your ballot envelopes and ID to a polling staff member

Give your closed ballot envelopes to a member of the polling staff, and show them your ID.

There are various ways to prove your identity:

  • you can show your ID (ID card, driving licence, passport)
  • a polling staff member who knows you can confirm your identity
  • another person who is at least 18 years old can confirm your identity (they must show their ID)

A member of the polling staff takes your ballot envelopes, checks them, and verifies your identity.

The polling staff member searches for your name on the digital voter list

Polling staff always work in pairs. The other polling staff member scans your ID or enters your personal identity number in order to find your electoral roll number.

For various reasons, for example due to technical issues or if you are a Swedish citizen living abroad and are no longer on the electoral register, a polling staff member may need to receive your vote outside the digital voter list.

In that case, the polling staff member will record your details by hand on a paper voter list.

The authority will then link your vote to the digital voter list so that it is sorted together with the other early votes.

The polling staff member puts the ballot envelopes in a window envelope

The polling staff member puts all of your ballot envelopes in a window envelope and seals it. There is a code on the window envelope. The polling staff member scans the code and links it to the address of your local voting location.

Now you have voted early

The window envelope is placed in a preliminary ballot box and your vote is then sent to your local voting location.

The polling staff at the voting location make a note on the electoral roll that you have voted. After the voting location has closed, your ballot envelopes are placed in the ballot box with the other votes. This ensures that no one can see how you voted.

Assistance with voting

You can be assisted in various ways when voting:

  • Assistance will be available to you if you need it, both outside and inside the voting location.
  • If it’s difficult for you to get to a voting location – for example, due to disability, illness or old age – you can get help with voting where you’re situated. The same applies if you’ve been admitted to hospital, a pretrial detention centre or a correctional institution.

Find out more about the various options available under “Assistance with voting” on this website.

Assistance with voting

Frequently asked questions

Here you can find answers to frequently asked questions about voting early.

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