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
Newest first- LATEST UPDATEKEY EVENT
Prosecutors confirm Borlänge election-influence investigation
Sweden’s National Anti-Corruption Unit says prosecutors are leading a preliminary investigation into suspected improper influence on voting in Borlänge, connected to the Left Party. The investigation is being handled by the national police operations department and the Bergslagen police region.
Prosecutors say no one has been detained or formally notified of suspicion of a crime. They say investigative steps are under way but cannot give further details because the inquiry is covered by secrecy.
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Election Authority establishes final parliamentary result
Sweden’s Election Authority has established the final result of the 2026 parliamentary election. The 349 seats are allocated as follows: Social Democrats 99, Moderates 70, Sweden Democrats 62, Left Party 30, Centre Party 25, Christian Democrats 22, Greens 22 and Liberals 19.
The authority puts turnout at 84.9%, or 6,834,413 voters. The decision establishes the national parliamentary result; counting in regional and municipal elections continues.
Jämtland completes final check of parliamentary votes
Jämtland’s county administrative board says it completed the final check of all parliamentary votes in the county on Friday, 18 September, and submitted the figures to the Election Authority, which formally determines the result.
The county board is continuing its final checks of municipal and regional votes. This announcement covers Jämtland’s parliamentary count; it does not establish the nationwide final result.
Election Authority receives 188 further incident reports
Sweden’s Election Authority says it has received 188 incident reports from municipalities, county administrative boards and overseas missions since its previous status report on 16 September. Many concern events on election day.
The reports mainly involve ballot papers, vote reception and advance-vote distribution. Some concern improper influence or shortcomings in ballot secrecy. The authority says incident reporting remains open.
IMY opens inquiry into Sweden Democrats’ election texts
Sweden’s privacy regulator, IMY, has opened an inquiry into text messages sent by the Sweden Democrats during the parliamentary election campaign. The authority lists the investigation as ongoing under data-protection and political-advertising rules.
Sveriges Radio reports that investigators will examine how recipients were selected and the legal basis for processing their personal data.
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Speaker asks Andersson to explore forming a government
Speaker Andreas Norlén has asked Social Democrat leader Magdalena Andersson to explore the conditions for forming a government that parliament would tolerate. The assignment follows Friday’s consultations with party representatives and the deputy Speakers.
Andersson will report back to the Speaker elected by the new parliament, who will then announce the next steps in government formation.
Andersson offers to begin government-formation talks
Social Democrat leader Magdalena Andersson says she told the Speaker on Friday that she is available to begin work on forming a government. Speaking after their meeting, she said talks and negotiations with other parties would follow if she receives an exploratory mandate.
Åkesson rules out resignation and denies planned break
Sweden Democrats leader Jimmie Åkesson said on Friday morning that he would not resign as party leader. Speaking at a press conference, he also denied reports that he planned to take a break from the role, Sveriges Radio reports.
Police investigate threats to campaign workers in Gothenburg
Four campaign workers removing election posters at Askims torg in Gothenburg reported death threats at around 23:00 on Thursday, police say. A man allegedly threatened to kill them before leaving on an electric scooter.
Police have registered a report of harassment and unlawful threats. No suspect had been identified when the police update was published on Friday morning.
More than 3.7 million voted early
A total of 3,736,703 voters cast advance votes in Sweden’s parliamentary, regional and municipal elections, the Election Authority said on Friday.
The authority’s new figures put advance voting at about 55 per cent of voters in this year’s elections.
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Government confirms caretaker status
Sweden’s government is now serving in a caretaker capacity, the Government Offices confirmed on Thursday. The Speaker has formally discharged Ulf Kristersson and the other ministers, who remain in their posts until a new government takes office.
This follows the resignation request reported earlier today.
Speaker’s Friday talks begin at 10:00
Speaker Andreas Norlén will begin individual consultations with parliamentary party representatives at 10:00 Stockholm time on Friday, 18 September, parliament has announced. He will consult the deputy speakers afterward.
A press conference is provisionally planned for no earlier than 15:30. The meetings are part of the process of proposing Sweden’s next prime minister.
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Speaker begins government-formation process
Speaker Andreas Norlén has begun the process of preparing a proposal for Sweden’s next prime minister, parliament announced on Thursday. SVT reports that he has received Ulf Kristersson’s resignation request and will hold individual talks with representatives of the parliamentary parties.
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Kristersson submits resignation as prime minister
Ulf Kristersson has submitted his resignation as prime minister to the Speaker, according to Sveriges Radio. In the statement also reported by SVT, he said he was requesting release from office so the Speaker could begin the next steps in forming a government immediately.
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Preliminary parliamentary count complete
Sweden’s preliminary parliamentary vote count is complete, the Election Authority announced on Thursday. SVT reports that Gothenburg was the last supplementary district to finish, at around 13:15. The final count by county administrative boards remains a separate stage before the result is formally confirmed.
Finance Ministry cancels Thursday’s Google meeting
Sweden’s Finance Ministry has cancelled Thursday’s meeting with Google. Victoria Ericsson, press secretary to Financial Markets Minister Niklas Wykman, cited the election result as the reason, P4 Västernorrland reports. The meeting concerned electricity supplies for Google’s planned facility in Torsboda, Timrå. Officials will instead meet within days, without taking decisions.
Six districts remain as late-vote counting resumes
Counting of late advance and overseas ballots is resuming around 09:00 on Thursday in six remaining supplementary districts: Göteborg, Uppsala, Arvika, Vellinge and two in Kalmar, SVT reports. Arvika expects to finish around 14:00, while counting in Uppsala could continue throughout the day. These are estimates; the count is not yet complete.
Nacka rules out suspected advance-vote registration errors
Nacka municipality said on Wednesday morning that its investigation had ruled out suspected registration errors at Igelboda school and Älta library. Both locations have been removed from further investigation. The municipality says all advance votes cast in Nacka are secured and will be counted as normal.
Dadgostar claims victory for the opposition
Left Party leader Nooshi Dadgostar and her party have claimed victory for the red-green parties in an Instagram post, SVT reports. Dadgostar wrote “Adjö Tidö” — “Goodbye Tidö.”
This is the party’s assessment, not a certified result. Sweden’s Election Authority says the final parliamentary result is expected during the weekend after election day.
Gothenburg’s late-vote count will continue Thursday
Gothenburg will pause the count of its late advance votes on Wednesday evening and resume on Thursday morning, election-office spokesperson Ulrika Nanda told SVT. She said counting could finish around lunchtime on Thursday, but stressed that the estimate was uncertain. The city’s count will therefore remain incomplete overnight.
Stockholm expects to finish late-vote count tonight
Stockholm expects to finish counting its late advance votes on Wednesday evening, the head of the city's election office, Eva Debels, has told SVT. Earlier in the afternoon, she could not promise counting would begin that day because ballot checks were still underway.
This is an expected completion time for Stockholm's supplementary count, not confirmation that counting has finished or that the national result is final.
Election Authority warns delays could affect final count
Delays to the supplementary count could affect the final count, Sweden’s Election Authority said in its Wednesday situation report. Municipalities are still expected to finish their supplementary counting on Thursday; the authority did not give a revised deadline for the final count.
It also reported 221 additional incident reports from election administrators since Monday. Many concern election-day events, rather than new incidents occurring since then.
Moderates seek meeting with polling firms
The Moderates plan to call polling firms to a meeting, deputy party secretary Martin Borgs told SVT on Wednesday. He wants them to examine what he describes as repeated underestimation of support for the party during election campaigns.
Borgs argued that the surveys affected media coverage. SVT noted that pre-election polls measure opinion when conducted, rather than predict the result on election day. No meeting date was reported.
Stockholm still checking ballots before count can begin
Stockholm had not yet started counting its supplementary votes by Wednesday afternoon, the city’s election-office head Eva Debels told SVT. Staff were still checking roughly 35,000 ballots, a stage that must be completed before counting begins.
Debels said she could not promise that counting would start on Wednesday.
More than half of supplementary districts have reported
By around 15:00 on Wednesday, 160 of Sweden’s 314 supplementary counting districts had reported, according to SVT. That takes the reporting total past halfway, with 154 districts remaining.
This measures districts reporting, not the proportion of ballots counted. The results remain preliminary; the separate final count continues.
Norrköping count resumes after fire alarm
Norrköping’s vote count was interrupted on Wednesday morning when a fire alarm forced the counting venue to be evacuated, P4 Östergötland reports. A ballot box was carried outside, while a small number of people stayed to guard votes remaining inside.
Counting resumed shortly before lunchtime, according to the report.
More than a quarter of supplementary districts report
More than a quarter of Sweden’s 314 supplementary counting districts have now reported parliamentary results. At 13:58 on Wednesday, the Election Authority showed 6,398 of 6,626 districts counted nationwide — including 86 supplementary districts — with 228 still outstanding.
These returns add late advance and overseas votes to the preliminary election-night count. The separate final count by county administrative boards continues.
First supplementary counts now reported
The first two supplementary counting districts have reported in Sweden’s parliamentary election. At 10:36 on Wednesday, the Election Authority’s preliminary results page showed 6,314 of 6,626 districts counted, leaving 312 outstanding.
This marks the first reported results from the supplementary count of late advance and overseas votes. The figures remain preliminary while the county administrative boards’ final count continues.
New vote totals expected this afternoon
Sweden’s Election Authority expects many supplementary counting districts to report new figures on Wednesday afternoon, potentially from early afternoon. Its chief of staff, Anna Nyqvist, told Sveriges Radio that each district’s figures will appear on val.se as soon as its count is complete.
These will update the preliminary result. The final parliamentary result remains subject to the county administrative boards’ recount.
Åkesson confirms SD held strategy talks
Jimmie Åkesson says the Sweden Democrats held a strategy meeting on Tuesday to discuss how to respond to possible parliamentary situations. Speaking to SVT as he left the Riksdag, he described the meeting as constructive and said the party would return with further comment once the election result was clear.
He did not announce a new government agreement or a change in the party’s demands.
Ronneby’s Moderate leader says he will leave politics
Roger Fredriksson, the Moderates’ group leader in Ronneby, says he plans to leave politics after Sunday’s election setback. He told SVT that the timing remains undecided because he holds several municipal posts.
His announcement does not establish an immediate departure date or identify a successor.
Umeå election board called to explain voting queues
Umeå’s election board has been called before the municipal executive’s working committee to explain Sunday’s long voting queues, SVT reports. Council leader Hans Lindberg said waiting several hours to vote was unacceptable.
The board is expected to report next week, although the timing is not confirmed. Lindberg said any further action would depend on the information it provides.
Habo and Varberg seek extra staff for Wednesday’s vote count
Habo municipality is seeking extra staff for Wednesday’s supplementary count after receiving far more late votes than expected. Municipal official Frida Wahlund told P4 Jönköping that Habo had planned for around 350 votes but received nearly 1,000.
In Varberg, election-office official Marcus Vahlström told P4 Halland that extra employees would also be called in to handle a larger-than-planned count.
Baudin calls for Kristersson to resign if opposition lead holds
Social Democrat party secretary Tobias Baudin said on Tuesday that Ulf Kristersson should concede to Magdalena Andersson and submit his resignation as prime minister if the opposition’s lead survives the remaining count, SVT and Sveriges Radio report.
Moderate party secretary Karin Enström said her party would await the Election Authority’s count. Baudin’s demand is conditional; it is not an announcement of a resignation or a confirmed election result.
Reports: SD prepares for internal election talks
Senior Sweden Democrats are preparing for internal talks on Tuesday about the election result, according to separate reports by TV4 and Aftonbladet. TV4 says party leaders, members of the executive committee and senior officials will meet. Aftonbladet reports that the party leader’s staff is due to meet at 13:00. These are planned meetings; neither report gives an outcome.
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Nearly 300,000 votes expected in supplementary count
Sweden’s Election Authority estimates that nearly 300,000 late advance and overseas votes will enter the supplementary count starting Wednesday, 16 September. In a statement on Tuesday, it said the volume means counting is expected to finish on Thursday, when an updated preliminary parliamentary result should be available.
The number is an estimate. After the municipal count, the ballots go to county administrative boards for the final recount; Thursday’s result will still be preliminary.
Malmö’s Social Democrats open door to Left Party
Malmö council leader Katrin Stjernfeldt Jammeh said on Monday that she was open to governing with the Left Party and Greens. The Social Democrats have governed the city with the Liberals and Greens.
Left Party representative Nina Jakku told SVT that her party wanted to join the administration. The reports describe possible cooperation; no coalition agreement was announced.
Left Party urges Centre to the negotiating table
Left Party deputy leader Ida Gabrielsson has urged the Centre Party to begin direct negotiations. Speaking alongside Centre secretary Hannes Hervieu in SVT’s election studio on Monday evening, she said neither party’s preferred government line-up was now achievable and called for compromise if they needed each other’s votes.
Hervieu reiterated that Centre wanted to negotiate with the Social Democrats, leaving Magdalena Andersson to decide how to approach those talks. No agreement was announced.
Norlén links prime minister choice to budget support
Speaker Andreas Norlén says the choice of prime minister and support for the government’s budget should be considered together. Speaking to SVT’s Rapport on Monday evening, he recalled situations during the 2018–2022 term when parliament accepted a prime minister but rejected the government’s budget.
Norlén said he wanted to avoid a repeat, so that a government also has support for its policies.
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All election-night districts have reported preliminary counts
The Election Authority’s parliamentary results page now records all 6,312 election-night districts, with its latest update at 18:28 on Monday. That is 6,312 of the 6,626 districts in the full preliminary count.
The remaining 314 collection districts cover late advance and overseas votes and are due to be counted on 16–17 September. The result remains preliminary; the separate final recount is under way.
Busch arrives for Tidö leaders’ post-election dinner
Ebba Busch has arrived for Monday evening’s dinner with the other Tidö party leaders, SVT reports. The Christian Democrat leader said she still saw a route to government for the alliance but declined to explain her reasoning before the Speaker’s talks.
Speaking ahead of the meeting, Liberal leader Simona Mohamsson said she remained open to the Centre Party and stressed that not all votes had been counted.
Election Authority logs 1,673 election-day incident reports
The Election Authority received 1,673 incident reports from election administrators in 198 municipalities during election day and up to 04:00 on Monday. It separately received 843 reports from the public over the same period. These are reports, not a count of proven offences.
Nearly half of administrators’ reports concerned ballot papers, while 27% concerned vote reception. The authority’s national assessment was that voting proceeded without major deviations, although long queues forced some polling stations to remain open after 20:00.
Agencies report no major cyber disruption to the election
Sweden’s Psychological Defence Agency says it observed no extensive coordinated activity by the foreign actors it monitors during the election. The National Cyber Security Centre says it recorded no cyber incidents affecting the conduct of voting.
In their assessment published on Monday, the agencies warned that the period before a new government takes office remains sensitive. Their operational work and close cooperation will continue in the coming weeks.
Centre Party sets terms for talks with Social Democrats
The Centre Party says it is ready to explore a government with the Social Democrats once the final election result is known. In a statement to Aftonbladet, it called for centrist policies and political stability, opposing an economic shift to the left or substantial Sweden Democrat influence.
After the Social Democrats’ internal meeting, Tobias Baudin told SVT that government talks had not begun and future negotiations would require compromises. No agreement has been announced.
Social Democrats and Left Party confirm contact
Social Democrat party secretary Tobias Baudin says he is exchanging text messages with opposition counterparts, Aftonbladet reports. Left Party secretary Maria Forsberg also confirmed contact with the Social Democrats and said her party would speak with the Centre Party. She did not confirm that those talks had taken place.
Baudin described the Social Democrats’ internal meetings as a debrief while awaiting the election result. No government agreement was announced.
Baudin leaves government line-up open
Social Democrat party secretary Tobias Baudin says a government led by Magdalena Andersson could take several forms, with one or more parties in cabinet and separate policy agreements. Speaking to SVT on Monday morning, he declined to specify how the Centre and Left parties would fit together. He expressed confidence that Andersson would become prime minister but acknowledged that forming a government could be lengthy and difficult. No agreement was announced.
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Final count begins today, Election Authority says
County administrative boards begin the final count today, Monday 14 September, the Election Authority says in a new announcement. They will recount election-night ballots and assess votes for every registered party, including personal votes for candidates. Results will appear as counting progresses and may be corrected until formally confirmed. The parliamentary result is expected in about a week.
Norlén raises shorter deadlines for government talks
Speaker Andreas Norlén says shorter deadlines for parties could help move government-formation talks forward. Speaking to SVT on Monday morning, he said the result was not yet complete and forming a government could prove complicated. Parliament will elect its speaker later this month, so Norlén’s remarks do not establish who will lead the process or set a new timetable.
Liberal youth leader calls for party overhaul
Liberal youth wing chair Anton Holmlund has called on Simona Mohamsson to overhaul the party after the election. Speaking to SVT on Monday morning, he criticised what he described as top-down control from government and parliamentary offices, saying grassroots members’ wishes had been ignored and engagement had suffered.
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.