A record number of early votes before the election

Almost 2.7 million people have voted early up to and including the Wednesday before the election, according to the Swedish Electoral Authority's figures. This can be compared with around 2.1 million during the same period in 2022. This means an increase of 25 percent.

- It's a big increase, says Anna Nyqvist, head of office at the Election Authority.

Since 2002, the percentage of early voting has increased in all elections. So if the trend continues until election day, there could once again be a record in the percentage of early voting. But Anna Nyqvist says that the large increase has tapered off as election day approaches.

- There were a lot of people who voted early last time, so we think there may be a shift where people like to vote early this year, she says.

Jakob Ahlbom, doctoral student in political science at Stockholm University, says that those who voted early in the last election voted for the Sweden Democrats and the Social Democrats to a higher degree than other voters.

- It also seems that those interested in politics and those who identify with a party vote early. The less interested get started last during the election campaign, he says.

In the last days, party leader debates and prime ministerial duels replace each other - and the parties continue with their final sprint campaigns. This is despite the fact that almost three million people have already voted.

But Jakob Ahlbom believes that a third of voters do not decide on a party until the last week before the election.

- It is a clearly smaller part of that third that could be potential block changers. But they can still change parties, and for example choose to vote in support.

In the last election, both the Liberals and the Green Party were behind the bar in opinion polls ahead of the summer.

- Both of their peaks came late, and it came through in late opinion polls and also at the time of voting. It now looks like the Liberals are peaking late, so they would probably not benefit from many early votes, says Jakob Ahlbom.

While more and more people have voted early, there have been reports of problems with early voting - where votes have been declared invalid due to technical problems.

The electoral authority has so far identified 214 municipalities out of 290 that were not at all affected by the problem that took place between August 26 and September 3.

Chancellor Anna Nyqvist says that anyone who has voted early must wait for information on whether the municipality they voted in was affected during the time they voted.

- Then you have to vote again on election day. But you should definitely not vote early again because then the early vote will be invalid, she says.

According to the electoral authority, the error may have affected around 500 voters.

- It is, of course, very serious for every voter who has been affected. But the probability that you yourself are affected is not great, says Anna Nyqvist.