General elections 2010:
Number of first-time voters continues to increase
Statistical news from Statistics Sweden 2010-01-19 9.30
The preliminary number of first-time voters in the Riksdag election 2010 will increase and is expected to amount to about 497 000 voters. The highest percentage of first-time voters is in Salem municipality. The municipality that is expected to have the highest percentage of eligible voters age 65 or older in the Riksdag election 2010 is Pajala.
Estimates show a total of about 7 033 000 Swedish citizens registered in Sweden will be eligible to vote in the Riksdag election in September 2010. The figures are associated with an uncertainty because an over-estimation of eligible voters is made in the preliminary estimations. This is because some people emigrate or die before election day. The presentation does not include information on eligible Swedish voters living abroad. In the 2006 general elections, this group amounted to about 125 000 persons.
The number of first-time voters is expected to be about 497 000 persons, which is an increase of 15 percent compared to the 2006 Riksdag election. In total, first-time voters are expected to comprise around 7 percent of all eligible voters in the Riksdag election 2010.
Salem municipality appears to have the largest percentage of first-time voters in the Riksdag election with about 9 percent of all eligible voters. The lowest percentage of first-time voters is expected to be in Solna, with about 5 percent.
Table 1. Preliminary number of eligible Swedish citizens registered in Sweden at the time of the 2010 Riksdag election. Number
| Women | Men | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
First-time voters* in the general elections 2010 | 241 341 | 256 076 | 497 417 |
Total number of eligible voters | 3 569 222 | 3 463 797 | 7 033 019 |
*First-time voters refer to those persons who have reached voting age since the general election on 17 September 2006.
Table 2. Eligible first-time voters among Swedish citizens registered in Sweden. Riksdag elections in 2002 and 2006
| 2002 | 2006 | |
|---|---|---|
First-time voters* | 384 093 | 432 273 |
*First-time voters refer to persons who have reached voting age since the previous election.
Comments: Please note that the above table presents definite information concerning the number of eligible voters on election days in 2002 and 2006.
| Number of first-time voters | Percentage of first-time voters | |
|---|---|---|
|
Salem
|
944 | 8.9 |
|
Aneby
|
443 | 8.8 |
|
Vännäs
|
563 | 8.7 |
|
Lerum
|
2 397 | 8.6 |
|
Ekerö
|
1 524 | 8.6 |
| Number of first-time voters | Percentage of first-time voters | |
|---|---|---|
|
Solna
|
2 263 | 4.5 |
|
Stockholm
|
33 973 | 5.6 |
|
Sundbyberg
|
1 523 | 5.6 |
|
Arjeplog
|
145 | 5.7 |
|
Borgholm
|
523 | 5.9 |
The number of those age 65 or older in the 2010 election is estimated at 1 777 000. The preliminary figure over-estimates the number of eligible voters because some people emigrate or die during the period up until election day.
The municipality with the highest percentage of eligible voters age 65 or above is Pajala with nearly 40 percent. The lowest percentage of eligible voters age 65 or older is Knivsta municipality.
| 18–29 years | 30–49 years | 50–64 years | 65 or older | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Preliminary number
of eligible voters 2010 |
1 297 356 | 2 266 301 | 1 692 756 | 1 776 606 |
| Number of eligible voters who are age 65 or older | Percentage of eligible voters who are age 65 or older | |
|---|---|---|
|
Pajala
|
1 994 | 39.6 |
|
Bjurholm
|
772 | 39.3 |
|
Åsele
|
944 | 38.2 |
|
Överkalix
|
1 155 | 38.1 |
|
Dorotea
|
899 | 37.9 |
| Number of eligible voters who are age 65 or older | Percentage of eligible voters who are age 65 or older | |
|---|---|---|
|
Knivsta
|
1 773 | 17.6 |
|
Huddinge
|
11 931 | 18.8 |
|
Sundbyberg
|
5 152 | 18.9 |
|
Umeå
|
17 136 | 19.5 |
|
Värmdö
|
5 132 | 19.6 |
Municipal council election
In the 2010 municipal council election, about 7 441 000 persons will be eligible to vote. Even persons with foreign citizenship are eligible to vote in these elections (see Facts about the statistics for information on criteria for voting). As in the Riksdag election, first-time voters comprise about 7 percent of all eligible voters in the municipal council election. The percentage of first-time voters among foreign citizens who are eligible to vote is about 4 percent, or somewhat less than in the entire electorate.
The number of foreign citizens in this year's municipal council election is expected to be about 408 000 persons, corresponding to about 5 percent of the eligible voters.
| Women | Men | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
First-time voters
|
250 138 | 265 004 | 515 142 |
|
Total number of eligible voters
|
3 765 570 | 3 675 828 | 7 441 398 |
| Women | Men | Totalt | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Foreign citizens
|
196 348 | 212 031 | 408 379 |
|
Swedish citizens
|
3 569 222 | 3 463 797 | 7 033 019 |
|
Total number of eligible voters
|
3 765 570 | 3 675 828 | 7 441 398 |
| Women | Men | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
First-time voters
|
8 797 | 8 928 | 17 725 |
|
Total number of eligible voters
who are foreign citizens |
196 348 | 212 031 | 408 379 |
Definitions and explanations
First-time voters refer to persons who have reached voting age since the previous election. Persons who can vote for the first time after becoming Swedish citizens are not included in the group of first-time voters in this presentation.
Tables
The preliminary figures on eligible voters in the Riksdag election are presented by sex, age and region. The preliminary figures on eligible foreign voters election are presented by sex, age country of citizenship and region. Information is based on Statistics Sweden's Total Population Register as of 30 November 2009.
Feel free to use the facts from this statistical news but remember to state Source: Statistics Sweden.