Sweden votes: follow election day live
Polling stations close at 20:00. Follow the voting, the count and the developments shaping Sweden’s next government.
Live updates
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Election Authority reports provisional turnout of 80.4%
At 01:50, the Election Authority displayed turnout of 80.4% among eligible voters in the districts counted so far. It had received results from 6,088 of 6,626 districts. The authority’s definition limits this figure to counted districts; it is not the final nationwide turnout rate. Late-arriving advance votes remain to be counted.
Tidö parties plan Monday dinner meeting
The parties in the Tidö alliance plan to meet over dinner at Sagerska huset on Monday evening, 14 September, Ebba Busch told SVT. The meeting was booked before election night and is still due to go ahead. It will be their first joint meeting after the election.
Busch rules out governing with the Social Democrats and centrist parties
Christian Democrat leader Ebba Busch has ruled out joining a government with the Social Democrats and centrist parties, SVT reports. She said that if Magdalena Andersson could not form a government, support for a government based on the current governing bloc should be tested. Busch was describing a possible next step; the election result remains incomplete.
Kristersson plans talks with other party leaders
Ulf Kristersson says he will contact other party leaders to explore a workable government, SVT reports from the Moderates’ election-night gathering. He warned that forming a government could be complicated and take time. Speaking to SVT after his speech, he declined to name the parties he would approach. The election result remains incomplete.
Dadgostar addresses the Left Party’s election-night gathering
Left Party leader Nooshi Dadgostar has addressed her party’s election-night gathering, SVT reports. She praised the party’s performance and said voters wanted jobs and relief from squeezed household budgets, opposing cuts to healthcare, schools and care. Her speech came as vote counting continued.
Umeå’s last polling station closed at 23:03
Umeå municipality has confirmed that its last polling station closed at 23:03 on Sunday, more than three hours after the scheduled closing time. Election committee chair Håkan Johansson said everyone who joined the queue before 20:00 was able to vote. Counting is underway, and the municipality has apologised for the long waits.
Andersson urges supporters to await the final result
Social Democrat leader Magdalena Andersson has addressed her party’s election-night gathering, SVT reports. She said the party was ready to take responsibility and that Sweden would get a new government if the current lead held. She repeatedly stressed that the final result must be awaited; her statement was conditional.
Mohamsson rules out backing Andersson as prime minister
Liberal leader Simona Mohamsson told her election-night gathering that her party would vote against Magdalena Andersson as prime minister, SVT reports. She thanked campaign workers and described the party’s recovery as historic.
Christian Democrat leader Ebba Busch also addressed her gathering, describing a comeback for the governing parties. These are the leaders’ assessments and stated intentions; counting remains incomplete.
Thand Ringqvist congratulates Mohamsson
Centre Party leader Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist has congratulated Liberal leader Simona Mohamsson in her election-night speech, SVT reports. She welcomed the prospect of two liberal parties in parliament and praised her own party’s campaign. Counting was still under way, with the result preliminary.
More than three quarters of districts have reported
The Election Authority’s preliminary parliamentary count has passed three quarters of districts. At 23:21, it recorded 5,082 of 6,626 districts and 5,108,853 counted votes. Counting continues: this measures district reporting, not the share of all votes counted, and does not establish a final result.
Green leaders address their election-night gathering
Daniel Helldén and Amanda Lind have addressed the Green Party’s election-night gathering, SVT reports. Helldén described it as a good election for the party. Lind cautioned that a result would probably not emerge until Wednesday. Their remarks came while counting was still under way; the outcome remains unconfirmed.
More than half of districts have reported
The parliamentary count passed the halfway mark in district reporting: the Election Authority recorded 3,370 of 6,626 districts and 3,238,220 counted votes at 22:26. These remain preliminary totals.
Late advance votes and overseas votes will be counted on Wednesday or Thursday, the authority's spokesperson Lars Adén Lisinski told SVT. The official results service also lists 314 collection districts for counting on 16–17 September.
More than a quarter of districts have reported
The Election Authority's parliamentary count had reached 1,849 of 6,626 districts at 22:01, with 1,680,244 votes counted. More than a quarter of districts have now reported their preliminary totals.
Most districts remain outstanding. The district share is not a national turnout figure, and the count does not yet establish the final result.
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First districts report preliminary results
The first district totals are now appearing in the parliamentary count. The Election Authority's results service showed 58 of 6,626 districts reported at 21:09, with 33,420 votes counted.
Fewer than 1% of districts had reported. These are very early preliminary returns and do not establish the national outcome.
Voting continues after 20:00 in parts of Umeå
Voters were still waiting to cast their ballots after the scheduled closing time in parts of Umeå, SVT reports. Its reporter at Ålidhem described a queue of up to two hours at 20:00, while a later report from Täfteå estimated an hour’s wait.
Umeå’s election office says everyone who joined the queue before 20:00 will be allowed to vote. Staff mark the end of that queue at closing time.
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Election Authority confirms preliminary counting has begun
Sweden’s Election Authority says preliminary counting is now under way. Polling-station staff are counting ballots cast today alongside advance votes delivered to their stations, and districts will report their totals as they finish.
Tonight’s figures will be preliminary. County administrative boards begin the final count on Monday, 14 September, including checks of personal votes.
Andersson, Dadgostar and Thand Ringqvist arrive for election night
Magdalena Andersson has arrived at Stockholm Waterfront for the Social Democrats’ election-night gathering, while Nooshi Dadgostar and Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist are at their parties’ gatherings, SVT reports. Andersson said a change of direction was within reach and the choice now rested with voters.
Dadgostar reiterated that the Left Party would demand cabinet posts if its seats were needed to form a government. Centre leader Thand Ringqvist again opposed Left Party participation and said a centrist government remained her preferred option.
Kristersson arrives at the Moderates’ election-night gathering
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has arrived at the Moderates’ election-night gathering, SVT reports. He said power now lay in the hands of Swedish voters and that his party would humbly accept the result. He also said he had felt momentum in recent days.
Busch and Green leaders arrive for election night
Christian Democrat leader Ebba Busch has arrived at her party’s election-night gathering, while Green co-leaders Amanda Lind and Daniel Helldén have arrived at theirs in Stockholm, SVT reports.
Lind said the Greens had run a strong campaign but cautioned against taking victory for granted. Helldén described feeling nervous but positive. Asked what she would do if the Tidö parties fell short of a majority, Busch said responsibility would then pass to Magdalena Andersson.
PostNord says delayed ballots have reached all Stockholm County municipalities
PostNord says all municipalities in Stockholm County have now received their delayed advance ballots, SVT Stockholm reports. Täby, Vaxholm and Vallentuna were the last municipalities to receive them.
In Södertälje, election coordinator Johan Karlsson told SVT that staff had begun preparing the newly arrived ballots. Delivery is complete according to PostNord; this does not yet establish whether the delays will affect tonight’s counting timetable.
Man arrested after alleged threats against SD politician in Karlshamn
Police detained a man after a lunchtime incident on Stortorget in Karlshamn. Sweden Democrat politician Fredrik Thomasson told SVT the man threatened him.
Police say sharp objects were found in the suspect’s car and he is suspected of unlawful threats and an aggravated knife-law offence. Police spokesperson Evelina Olsson told SVT nobody was physically injured.
Umeå changes polling-station layout to shorten queues
Umeå’s election office has separated ballot-paper collection from the booths where voters put papers into envelopes at all polling stations, returning to its previous layout. Election-office manager Marie Sandström told SVT that the change had improved the flow of voters.
At Nolia, the reported wait fell from more than an hour to around 40 minutes after the change, Sandström said. That improvement is specific to Nolia; it does not establish waiting times across Umeå.
KD rushes replacement ballot papers to four Falkenberg stations
The Christian Democrats say they rushed replacement ballot papers to four polling stations in Falkenberg after the party’s papers for the municipal and regional elections were missing when voting opened this morning. Local KD coordinator Monika Eriksson told SVT the party had few spare papers and hoped they would suffice.
The cause remains unclear. P4 Halland also reported the missing papers; local parties share packing and delivery arrangements.
Hjällbo voters wrongly turned away, election chief says
A handful of voters in Hjällbo, Gothenburg, were sent home without voting after staff cited delayed advance ballots, TT reports via SVT. Gothenburg’s election chief Frida Nowotny called this a mistake and said they had been asked to return later.
She stressed that an election-day vote takes precedence: voters can cast it even if their advance ballot has not yet reached the polling station.
196 ballot-paper incidents reported by 11:30
Election administrators had reported 196 ballot-paper incidents by 11:30 today, according to figures the Election Authority supplied to SVT. These mainly concerned papers that were missing, moved or removed.
The authority advises voters who encounter problems to speak to polling staff. Its voting guide confirms that you can write a party’s name on a blank ballot paper, adding a candidate’s name if you want to cast a personal vote.
Kristersson casts his vote in Strängnäs
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M) has cast his vote in Strängnäs, SVT reports. He was accompanied at the polling station by his wife, Birgitta Ed.
Voters report waits of over two hours in Umeå
Voters at Hagaskolan in Umeå say they have waited more than two hours to vote, SVT reports. The municipal election office says it is working to shorten queues but has no figures for waiting times at individual polling stations.
The Election Authority has not confirmed the reported two-hour waits. Its chief, Anna Nyqvist, told SVT that waits that long would be very unusual.
Andersson votes in Nacka; several party leaders voted early
Magdalena Andersson (S) voted in Nacka this morning, while Jimmie Åkesson (SD) voted early in Rinkeby yesterday. Other leaders cast advance votes earlier: Simona Mohamsson (L) at Brommaplans library on 1 September, Nooshi Dadgostar (V) in Rinkeby on 3 September, and Daniel Helldén (MP) at Årsta library on 26 August. Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist (C) had also voted by 26 August, according to her party.
Ulf Kristersson (M) is scheduled to vote in Strängnäs at 13:00 today, according to Moderaterna.
PostNord says Stockholm city’s delayed ballots have arrived
PostNord says it has delivered the delayed advance ballots to Stockholm city. Press chief Anders Porelius told SVT shortly before noon that deliveries to other municipalities in the county would still take longer.
The Election Authority says the delays leave election workers less time to check advance ballots and could delay counting. The latest delivery update concerns Stockholm city, rather than the whole county.
Late ballot deliveries do not stop voters changing their vote
You can still change an advance vote at your designated polling station today despite PostNord’s delivery delays, the Election Authority’s Anna Nyqvist told SVT. When ballots are checked, the election-day vote takes precedence and the earlier vote is rejected.
The authority also urges voters to allow time for queues. Polling stations close at 20:00; voters already in the queue before closing will still be allowed to vote.
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Advance ballot deliveries delayed in Stockholm County
Deliveries of advance ballots are running late in Stockholm County, SVT reports, citing confirmation from the Election Authority. Ballots due at 08:00 are now expected around lunchtime.
The authority told SVT that election workers would have less time to check the ballots before placing them in the ballot box, and that counting could be delayed. PostNord attributed the delivery delays to the high volume of advance votes. The report does not establish that ballots have been lost.
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Affected advance voters urged to vote at their polling station today
The Election Authority advises people who voted at a listed advance-voting location during an affected time slot to vote again at their designated polling station today. Its list identifies the locations, dates and times where votes may have been registered incorrectly.
Check the exact location and time against the authority’s list. This advice concerns those affected by the registration error, not everyone who voted early. Anyone affected who cannot reach their polling station should contact their home municipality, the authority says.
Polling stations are open until 20:00
Sweden votes today in parliamentary, regional and municipal elections. Polling stations are open from 08:00 to 20:00, according to the Election Authority. Your voting card gives the address of your designated polling station.
If you are away from home, advance voting remains available today, with at least one advance-voting location open in each municipality. Check its opening hours before travelling.
Counting starts after 20:00; the first seat estimate comes later
The preliminary count begins after voting ends at 20:00. Parliamentary ballots are counted first, followed by municipal and regional ballots, the Election Authority says.
The authority usually releases its first preliminary parliamentary seat allocation around 22:30, or once enough districts have reported. That is an estimate, not a guaranteed deadline. The final count starts on Monday 14 September, with the parliamentary result expected to be formally confirmed about a week after election day.