Discover how your vote shapes Finland’s future in this interactive workshop! Dive into Finland’s world-renowned voting system, learn how to engage with its open-list elections, and explore ways to influence decisions from local councils to the Eduskunta (Parliament). Designed for Finns and residents alike, this session offers practical tools to navigate elections in Finland.

Goals:
Grasp Finland’s open-list voting system and election types.
Learn practical steps to vote and engage civically as a resident.
Develop a personal action plan to participate in Finnish democracy.

Workshop outline:
Open-list proportional representation explained: Voting for candidates, not just parties.
Key elections: Municipal, county, parliamentary, presidential, and European Parliament.
No voter registration needed—automatic via the Population Information System.
Advance voting and postal options for flexibility
How votes translate to seats
Finding your polling station (via voting notice) and using advance voting.
Choosing a candidate: Researching platforms and personal vote power in open lists.
Citizens’ initiatives
Connecting with local organizations or political parties.
Using digital tools like Suomi.fi or Vaalit.fi to stay informed.
Vote in the next election, attend a council meeting, or start an initiative.

Discussions:
What makes Finland’s system special?
One civic action you plan to take
How will you shape Finland’s future?