Global Initiative to Enfranchise People with Disabilities: Sweden - www.electionaccess.org
Back to Europe and Eurasia  
  Best Practices: IFES and other groups have implemented innovative practices around the world.
Laws and Regulations: A country-by-country analysis of election laws, constitutions and regulations, and how these affect citizens with disabilities.     Publications  
   
   

Sweden

General Right to Vote
Constitution
The Instrument of Government
(1974)

  • Chapter 1, article 1 states, “All public power in Sweden proceeds from the people. Swedish democracy is founded on the free formation of opinion and on universal and equal suffrage. It shall be realized through a representative and parliamentary polity and through local self-government.”
  • Chapter 3, article 2 states, “Every Swedish citizen who is currently domiciled within the Realm or who has ever been domiciled within the Realm is entitled to vote in a Riksdag election. A person who has not attained the age of eighteen on or before election day is not entitled to vote.”

Specific Inclusion of People with Disabilities
Constitution
The Instrument of Government
(1974)

  • Chapter 1, article 2 states, “The public institutions shall promote the ideals of democracy...The public institutions shall combat discrimination of persons on grounds of gender, colour, national or ethnic origin, linguistic or religious affiliation, functional disability, sexual orientation, age or other circumstance...”

Voter Assistance
Electoral Law
The Elections Act
(2005)

  • Chapter 3, section 3 states, “In elections relating to the whole of Sweden, each municipality is also responsible for voting places being available in the municipality that, as regards opening hours, accessibility and location, provide voters with good opportunities to vote.”
  • Chapter 4, section 20 states, “Every municipality shall ensure that there are appropriate premises that can be used as polling stations and that, as regards location, accessibility and opening hours, they provide voters with good opportunities to vote...If a municipality considers that there are special reasons to use a polling station that does not satisfy the requirements on accessibility, the procedure referred to in Chapter 3, Section 3, last paragraph shall be applied.”
  • Chapter 7, section 3 states, “Voters who owing to a disability or the like cannot personally arrange their votes, shall upon request by given assistance with this by the voting clerks to the extent that it is necessary.”

Off-Site Voting
Electoral Law
The Elections Act
(2005)

  • Chapter 3, section 5 states, “If the election committee has decided that a vote reception shall take place at a hospital, a penal institution, a remand centre or similar establishment, the committee may allow the head of the establishment to appoint voting clerks there.”
  • Chapter 7, section 4 states, “Voters who owing to illness, disability or old age cannot personally make their way to a vote reception point may deliver their ballot papers there by messenger...” Sections 5 - 10 detail the procedure of voting by messenger.
  • Chapter 9, section 4 states, “If a polling station is not available for voters with disabilities, the voting clerks can receive their vote envelopes outside the polling station, provided this can be done in a secure manner.”

 
 
  Laws and Regulations: A country-by-country analysis of election laws, constitutions and regulations, and how these affect citizens with disabilities.
   Rights and Standards: IFES and other groups have drafted global standards on the electoral rights of citizens with disabilities.
   Best Practices: IFES and other groups have implemented innovative practices around the world.
  Publications
 		   Contacts and Links