Just got my voting card! (SWEDISH ELECTION 2022)

Spiritual_Chaos

Got my voting card in the mail. 

A voting card is automatically sent out to every citizen of this Country. Yes, including people in jail because their citizenship has not been stripped from them so they are citizens.

We will cast three ballots, as in there being three elections: The National one for the Parliament, the County Councils (runs e.g. hospitals) in and the local Municipalities.

From now and until September 11, I can walk to any voting place with my voting card and my ID and place my vote. So I have a bit over 3 weeks to do so.
I can ofc also go on election day, which many chooses to do out of tradition.

The election is always held on the second Sunday in September. Sunday being the day most people are free from work.

87% of the population voted in the last election in 2018.



BRIEF SUMMARY OF WHERE WE STAND:
We have 8 parties in our parliament. During the last election campaign they were separate into two blocks:

The left leaning - "The Red and Green Block"
S (Social Democrats)
V (The Left Party)
MP (The Green Party)

The right leaning - "The Alliance"
L (The Liberals)
C (The Center party)
KD (The Christian Demcorats)
M (The Conservatives)

And we also have a far-right party originating from Neo-Nazism SD (The Sweden Democrats), which until this election no party wanted (or dared due to public backlash) to work with. 

Due to no block getting a majority because of the racist SD getting so many votes there was an unprecedented hassle to get a government formed. In the end, "The Alliance" shattered and The Social Democrats formed a government with The Green Party - supported by The Liberals, The Center party and The Left Party. 

During these four years the hunger for power, and the acceptance by the population of far-right and climate-change denying shit all the parties of the former "The Alliance" have accepted to work with The Swedish Democrats - outside of The Center Party that refuses and therefore has been pushed to the other "block". 

So here is how everything is leading up to the last three weeks before the election:

cincybearcat

Do you have to drop it off?  Can you put it in the mail?

mrussel1

Spiritual_Chaos said:

Got my voting card in the mail. 

A voting card is automatically sent out to every citizen of this Country. Yes, including people in jail because their citizenship has not been stripped from them so they are citizens.

We will cast three ballots, as in there being three elections: The National one for the Parliament, the County Councils (runs e.g. hospitals) in and the local Municipalities.

From now and until September 11, I can walk to any voting place with my voting card and my ID and place my vote. So I have a bit over 3 weeks to do so.
I can ofc also go on election day, which many chooses to do out of tradition.

The election is always held on the second Sunday in September. Sunday being the day most people are free from work.

87% of the population voted in the last election in 2018.



BRIEF SUMMARY OF WHERE WE STAND:
We have 8 parties in our parliament. During the last election campaign they were separate into two blocks:

The left leaning - "The Red and Green Block"
S (Social Democrats)
V (The Left Party)
MP (The Green Party)

The right leaning - "The Alliance"
L (The Liberals)
C (The Center party)
KD (The Christian Demcorats)
M (The Conservatives)

And we also have a far-right party originating from Neo-Nazism SD (The Sweden Democrats), which until this election no party wanted (or dared due to public backlash) to work with. 

Due to no block getting a majority because of the racist SD getting so many votes there was an unprecedented hassle to get a government formed. In the end, "The Alliance" shattered and The Social Democrats formed a government with The Green Party - supported by The Liberals, The Center party and The Left Party. 

During these four years the hunger for power, and the acceptance by the population of far-right and climate-change denying shit all the parties of the former "The Alliance" have accepted to work with The Swedish Democrats - outside of The Center Party that refuses and therefore has been pushed to the other "block". 

So here is how everything is leading up to the last three weeks before the election:

Voting is a right that can't be stripped?  What a bunch of hippies! 

Spiritual_Chaos

cincybearcat said:

Do you have to drop it off?  Can you put it in the mail?

To my knowledge we have no mailvoting. Except for if you live abroad. Then there are some special rules with having to have witnesses sign the envelope or something. 

But if you can't drop it off for some reason, you can have someone drop it off for you (having to show their own and your ID) or you can have someone come and collect the ballots I think. In some special cases.

hedonist

The voter turnout is enviable. I wonder if that speaks more to the citizens or to the system in place, or to a combo of both/other aspects. 

cblock4life

mrussel1 said:

Spiritual_Chaos said:

Got my voting card in the mail. 

A voting card is automatically sent out to every citizen of this Country. Yes, including people in jail because their citizenship has not been stripped from them so they are citizens.

We will cast three ballots, as in there being three elections: The National one for the Parliament, the County Councils (runs e.g. hospitals) in and the local Municipalities.

From now and until September 11, I can walk to any voting place with my voting card and my ID and place my vote. So I have a bit over 3 weeks to do so.
I can ofc also go on election day, which many chooses to do out of tradition.

The election is always held on the second Sunday in September. Sunday being the day most people are free from work.

87% of the population voted in the last election in 2018.



BRIEF SUMMARY OF WHERE WE STAND:
We have 8 parties in our parliament. During the last election campaign they were separate into two blocks:

The left leaning - "The Red and Green Block"
S (Social Democrats)
V (The Left Party)
MP (The Green Party)

The right leaning - "The Alliance"
L (The Liberals)
C (The Center party)
KD (The Christian Demcorats)
M (The Conservatives)

And we also have a far-right party originating from Neo-Nazism SD (The Sweden Democrats), which until this election no party wanted (or dared due to public backlash) to work with. 

Due to no block getting a majority because of the racist SD getting so many votes there was an unprecedented hassle to get a government formed. In the end, "The Alliance" shattered and The Social Democrats formed a government with The Green Party - supported by The Liberals, The Center party and The Left Party. 

During these four years the hunger for power, and the acceptance by the population of far-right and climate-change denying shit all the parties of the former "The Alliance" have accepted to work with The Swedish Democrats - outside of The Center Party that refuses and therefore has been pushed to the other "block". 

So here is how everything is leading up to the last three weeks before the election:

Voting is a right that can't be stripped?  What a bunch of hippies! 

Hahaha hippies…

Swedish civics class!  I love learning stuff like this from the people who actually live where they talk about.  So many post about how shitty the US is we hardly hear about other countries.  

static111

What is it like to live in a real democracy?

cincybearcat

static111 said:

What is it like to live in a real democracy?

You did see they have to have an id and can’t mail in the votes….

static111

cincybearcat said:

static111 said:

What is it like to live in a real democracy?

You did see they have to have an id and can’t mail in the votes….

Doesn't seem like a huge deal breaker considered imprisoned people still retain the right to vote and it appears you can have others drop the ballot off or have it collected.  @Spiritual_Chaos how hard is it to turn your ballot in and or get an ID?

Halifax2TheMax

Ballot harvesting? That’s crazy!

cincybearcat

static111 said:

cincybearcat said:

static111 said:

What is it like to live in a real democracy?

You did see they have to have an id and can’t mail in the votes….

Doesn't seem like a huge deal breaker considered imprisoned people still retain the right to vote and it appears you can have others drop the ballot off or have it collected.  @Spiritual_Chaos how hard is it to turn your ballot in and or get an ID?

I’m not saying deal breaker. Seems great overall. 

Spiritual_Chaos

cincybearcat said:

static111 said:

What is it like to live in a real democracy?

You did see they have to have an id and can’t mail in the votes….

You can vote without an ID, if someone with an ID is present to assert your identity.

But I don't see why having an ID would be an issue. Never met a person above 18 who doesn't have an ID (Passport, driver's licence or a "national ID card"? You even need one to prove your age when buying alcohol or when you pick up a package at the post office...

Is this some libertarian thing?

static111

Spiritual_Chaos said:

cincybearcat said:

static111 said:

What is it like to live in a real democracy?

You did see they have to have an id and can’t mail in the votes….

You can vote without an ID, if someone with an ID is present to assert your identity.

But I don't see why having an ID would be an issue. Never met a person above 18 who doesn't have an ID (Passport, driver's licence or a "national ID card"? You even need one to prove your age when buying alcohol or when you pick up a package at the post office...

Is this some libertarian thing?

In the US some claim that requiring ID is a form of a poll tax that can deny some Americans the chance to vote.

cincybearcat

Spiritual_Chaos said:

cincybearcat said:

static111 said:

What is it like to live in a real democracy?

You did see they have to have an id and can’t mail in the votes….

You can vote without an ID, if someone with an ID is present to assert your identity.

But I don't see why having an ID would be an issue. Never met a person above 18 who doesn't have an ID (Passport, driver's licence or a "national ID card"? You even need one to prove your age when buying alcohol or when you pick up a package at the post office...

Is this some libertarian thing?

No I’m ok with it. In the US it’s a liberal thing…

Spiritual_Chaos

cincybearcat said:

Spiritual_Chaos said:

cincybearcat said:

static111 said:

What is it like to live in a real democracy?

You did see they have to have an id and can’t mail in the votes….

You can vote without an ID, if someone with an ID is present to assert your identity.

But I don't see why having an ID would be an issue. Never met a person above 18 who doesn't have an ID (Passport, driver's licence or a "national ID card"? You even need one to prove your age when buying alcohol or when you pick up a package at the post office...

Is this some libertarian thing?

No I’m ok with it. In the US it’s a liberal thing…

Is the everyday need of an ID not prelevant in the US?

Spiritual_Chaos

I was at the Left Party’s leader’s summer speech here in Gothenburg yesterday. 

Their big issues in this election are:
- Forbid companies from running schools for profit. 
- Stop the privatization of our health care system and build up our healthcare with more personel. 
- invest to battle climate change

cincybearcat

Spiritual_Chaos said:

cincybearcat said:

Spiritual_Chaos said:

cincybearcat said:

static111 said:

What is it like to live in a real democracy?

You did see they have to have an id and can’t mail in the votes….

You can vote without an ID, if someone with an ID is present to assert your identity.

But I don't see why having an ID would be an issue. Never met a person above 18 who doesn't have an ID (Passport, driver's licence or a "national ID card"? You even need one to prove your age when buying alcohol or when you pick up a package at the post office...

Is this some libertarian thing?

No I’m ok with it. In the US it’s a liberal thing…

Is the everyday need of an ID not prelevant in the US?

Pretty much is for the large majority. The concerns from those against requiring an ID is that the poor do not have one…they have no car so no need for drivers license and that is the most common form of id for us.  So requiring an ID is requiring the poor to pay for an ID card and that is $ they don’t have. And, as someone mentioned, they believe it to be a poll tax…making someone pay $ to vote.

static111

For reference in Texas a non Driver License ID cost $6-$16 depending on age and renewal status and is good for 6 years. So a cost of $2.67 a year.  Texas also has a no fee Election Identification Card, so the only real cost there is getting to a DMV location and submitting your application which could cause lost wages or other financial hardship.

mrussel1

There's no law,  on any books that I'm aware,  that requires citizens to carry ID. So that's why it causes consternation in voting.  However,  voting laws are typically delegated to the states under the tenth amendment.  So there's no doubt they are constitutional,  UNLESS,  they are designed to disenfranchise under the Voting Rights Act,  which is where all of these arguments revolve. 

cincybearcat

mrussel1 said:

There's no law,  on any books that I'm aware,  that requires citizens to carry ID. So that's why it causes consternation in voting.  However,  voting laws are typically delegated to the states under the tenth amendment.  So there's no doubt they are constitutional,  UNLESS,  they are designed to disenfranchise under the Voting Rights Act,  which is where all of these arguments revolve. 

I honestly think it’s just a situation where we have to stop being stupid and discussing all the reasons we shouldn’t…and just figure out how to do it. It shouldn’t be terribly difficult. We just have leaders that like to use stupid stuff like this to drive voters. 

Anyhow - I saw that as an interesting difference between Sweden and the USA here.

cblock4life

cincybearcat said:

mrussel1 said:

There's no law,  on any books that I'm aware,  that requires citizens to carry ID. So that's why it causes consternation in voting.  However,  voting laws are typically delegated to the states under the tenth amendment.  So there's no doubt they are constitutional,  UNLESS,  they are designed to disenfranchise under the Voting Rights Act,  which is where all of these arguments revolve. 

I honestly think it’s just a situation where we have to stop being stupid and discussing all the reasons we shouldn’t…and just figure out how to do it. It shouldn’t be terribly difficult. We just have leaders that like to use stupid stuff like this to drive voters. 

Anyhow - I saw that as an interesting difference between Sweden and the USA here.

Agree.  We need countrywide voting regulations.  When you turn 18 you’re required to register to vote and get ID right then.  Older non registered handle like the census.  Transportation to and from facilities.  Charge both sides to equally split the cost.  Lots of ideas but it definitely needs fixed.