Expressions about the Role of Election Officials
Inside the Swedish vallokal — röstmottagare, valnämnden, röstlängden and everything going rätt till.
Inside the vallokal: röstmottagare checking ID, sealing urnor, staying neutral — twenty-one phrases for democracy done efter konstens alla regler.
- 1
en röstmottagare
an election official
Tip: literally 'a vote receiver' — the official term for polling station staff
- 2
valnämnden
the local election committee
Tip: each Swedish municipality has one, responsible for running the vote
- 3
Valmyndigheten
the Election Authority
Tip: the national body overseeing Swedish elections
- 4
att kontrollera legitimation
to check ID
Tip: 'legitimation' is usually shortened to 'leg' in speech
- 5
att dela ut valsedlar
to hand out ballot papers
Tip: 'dela ut' = to distribute
- 6
röstlängden
the electoral roll
Tip: literally 'the vote length' — the register of who may vote where
- 7
att pricka av i röstlängden
to cross someone off the roll
Tip: 'pricka av' = to tick off a list
- 8
att hålla ordning i vallokalen
to keep order in the polling station
Tip: part of the röstmottagare's formal duties
- 9
att försegla valurnan
to seal the ballot box
Tip: 'försegla' = to seal, from 'sigill'
- 10
att räkna rösterna
to count the votes
Tip: the preliminary count begins as soon as the polls close
- 11
opartiskhet
impartiality
Tip: literally 'un-party-ness'; the core requirement of the role
- 12
att förhålla sig neutral
to remain neutral
Tip: 'förhålla sig' = to conduct or position oneself
- 13
att ha tystnadsplikt
to be bound by confidentiality
Tip: literally 'silence duty'; applies to many Swedish public roles
- 14
valskärmen
the voting screen
Tip: where you choose your ballots unobserved
- 15
att bistå en väljare
to assist a voter
Tip: 'bistå' = to assist; allowed for voters who need help
- 16
att hantera ett klagomål
to handle a complaint
Tip: 'klaga' = to complain
- 17
en valobservatör
an election observer
Tip: may follow the process without taking part in it
- 18
att rapportera resultatet
to report the result
Tip: results go from the vallokal to the valnämnd and onward
- 19
efter konstens alla regler
by the book
Tip: literally 'according to all the rules of the art' — done properly and thoroughly
- 20
allt ska gå rätt till
everything must be done properly
Tip: literally 'everything shall go rightly to' — the phrase for procedural correctness
- 21
vallokalerna är öppna
the polls are open
Tip: plural, as in English 'the polls'; typically 08:00 to 20:00 on Swedish election day