Democracy Volunteers has today described Finland’s municipal and county elections as “extremely well-run,” citing high standards in the running of polling stations and good accessibility across polling stations. The final observation report urges Finnish authorities to take action on several areas to further improve trust and participation in the process.
Deploying 16 observers to 77 polling stations across eight municipalities, the team rated 68% of polling stations “Very Good,” praising welcoming staff, well-run procedures, and good access for voters with disabilities.
But the mission also raised concerns that merit attention:
Family Voting: Observers witnessed family members, most frequently men, directing or overseeing votes in 12% of polling stations, potentially undermining the secrecy of the ballot.
Ballot Box Sealing Issues: In 11% of cases, ballot boxes were unsealed, improperly sealed or not clearly sealed, creating unnecessary risk to voter confidence.
Confusing Ballot Design: The use of only candidate numbers on ballots can disadvantage voters with dyscalculia. This was even more unclear in the context of two elections on the same day.
“Finland has very robust and well-trusted elections,” said Dr. John Ault, Head of Mission. “But even advanced democracies can do more to ensure that trust remains high and every vote that is cast gets counted.’
You can read the full report below, or listen to Matt Davis interview our director, Dr. John Ault, on the Observations Podcast.
