When polling stations close at 8 p.m. on 13 September, preliminary counting begins. Ballots are counted manually several times: first at polling stations, then in the election committees' Wednesday count and finally by county administrative boards. The preliminary result may therefore change before the Election Authority confirms the parliamentary election.
What happened?
The Swedish Election Authority has set out the national timetable for counting. On election night, polling-station staff first count ballots for the Riksdag, then for municipal councils and finally for regional councils. In this first count, parties expected to have a chance of winning seats are reported separately and a preliminary allocation of seats is produced.
On the Wednesday after election day, municipal election committees continue the preliminary count. This includes late advance votes and overseas votes that did not reach the correct polling station in time. The work may continue on Thursday if necessary.
Location
Sverige
Impact and significance
Election-night figures are fast but not final. County administrative boards begin the final count on 14 September. They assess every ballot, all participating parties, personal votes and whether each vote is valid or invalid. Only after that process can the Election Authority allocate parliamentary seats, appoint members and substitutes, and establish the result.
The distinction matters especially when seat margins are narrow. A change between election night and the final result does not necessarily indicate an error; it may reflect additional ballots and the completion of the full checks.
Background
Sweden uses a decentralised system with control points at several levels. Trained staff manually count the physical ballot papers, which are retained by the county administrative board so that recounts can be conducted if required. Counting is public, meaning that members of the public may attend and observe it.
The Election Authority continuously compiles reported figures on val.se. The site shows both preliminary and later final data, so users should check the status attached to a result.
Latest update
The Election Authority currently expects the final parliamentary result to be established about one week after election day. County administrative boards are expected to complete and establish regional and municipal council results about two weeks after election day. Exact timing depends on all ballots and checks being completed.
Sources
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Reviewed: 2026-09-11. Independent editorial content. WUA Sverige is not affiliated with any political party.