Local elections are your chance to have a say in who makes decisions in your municipality – decisions concerning daily services, education and the environment as well as culture and climate actions. Municipal decision-makers are closest in proximity to our everyday life and their decisions influence each of us.
The central role of municipalities in our everyday life cannot be emphasised enough. It is precisely municipalities that will decide how to develop, for example, basic education, early childhood education, street maintenance, culture, vitality in the form of sports and cultural services in the coming years. They will also be responsible for making the necessary adaptations to combat climate change.
You can vote in advance at any advance polling station in Finland or abroad. You will need to present proof of your identification.
You can vote in advance:
On election day, 13 April 2025, you can vote only at the designated polling station specified in the notification of the right to vote sent to you either by post or via the Suomi.fi service. On election day, you can cast your vote between 9:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. You will need to present proof of your identification.
Read detailed instructions on the website of the Ministry of Justice.
A valid identity card.
The local elections of April 2025 give you the possibility to choose who represents you in municipal councils and committees, thereby affecting the decisions that will steer everyday life in your municipality.
More than 60% of the municipal expenses are accrued by early childhood education, preschool and basic education and upper secondary level education. Education and learning are the most important investments for the future.
Municipalities provide a large share of our everyday services. Municipal services and how municipalities succeed in providing them are of essential significance for the functioning of our society and national economy. Municipalities will decide, for example, whether billions in investments will be realised, whether experts will be trained, whether newcomers will be integrated and whether schoolchildren will be endowed with the curiosity and skills for further studies. That's no small impact!
From the beginning of 2025, employment and economic development services (TE services) became part of the basic services offered by municipalities. This means that the services are now more flexible, more effective and more focused on specific local needs.
Municipalities know their residents and businesses best, and can, therefore, tailor their services to suit both jobseekers and employers – according to their individual needs.
The local touch makes a difference. TE services are located where they are truly needed.
Every day, municipalities carry out important work for children. Good early childhood education supports the growth and learning of children and provides families with valuable support in their busy daily lives.
What makes a municipality vital? A vital municipality is one where businesses flourish, people thrive and the environment is respected. Such a municipality attracts new residents, skilled employees and investments, thereby ensuring vitality for its future as well.
Municipalities have unique opportunities to act as promoters of vitality. They are responsible for organising employment and integration services and they know local needs better than anyone else.
Did you know that 90% of the inhabitants of Finland already live in municipalities that have set their own climate goal? Municipalities perform local climate acts every day: A total of 160 municipalities have prepared or are working on a climate plan.
Municipalities are local superheroes that contribute to land use planning, traffic, services and environmental education. They aim at both fighting climate change and preparing for the future.
Local elections are held to elect local councillors, who then form the local council. The local council is the highest decision-making body in a municipality. It is responsible for, among others, the finances, services and strategy of the municipality.
In addition to the council, the result of the local elections also affects the composition of other municipal decision-making structures, such as committees and other bodies, because their members are decided on by the local council. This means that the persons elected in the local elections will have wide influence in municipal decision-making.
