Record number of advance votes abroad

NordenBladet — Based on preliminary data, 52,615 persons cast their votes in Finland’s missions abroad in advance in the first round of the presidential election. This is the highest ever voter turnout abroad.

The number of votes exceeded that of the presidential election of 2012, when 47,524 persons cast their votes in the first round.  According to the Population Register Centre, over 250,000 persons with a permanent residence abroad are eligible to vote in the presidential election of Finland.

Advance voting was arranged in 89 countries with 242 polling stations in all. In addition, some Finnish vessels’ crew member had an opportunity to vote in advance on board and over 200 crew members used their right to vote.  Advance voting was also arranged at the bases of the Finnish crisis management forces in Iraq and Lebanon.

Advance voting was the most active in Sweden, where a total of 12,236 votes were cast in 35 polling stations.  The second highest voter turnout was recorded in Spain, where 10,351 persons cast their votes. The United States with 3,558 advance voters came in third place. Over three thousand votes were cast in both Germany and the United Kingdom.

Source: Finland.ee
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