Voting Materials Expressions
Sweden's three-colour ballot system in words — gul, blå and vit valsedel, personkryss and valkuvert.
The Swedish ballot system, colour by colour: yellow, blue, white; kryss and kuvert — var lägger jag den här?
- 1
en valsedel
a ballot paper
Tip: literally 'election note'; Sweden uses separate paper ballots per party
- 2
den gula valsedeln
the yellow ballot (parliament)
Tip: yellow is the Riksdag election
- 3
den blå valsedeln
the blue ballot (regional)
Tip: blue is the region, formerly the county council
- 4
den vita valsedeln
the white ballot (municipal)
Tip: white is the kommun — the three colours are the first thing to learn
- 5
en partivalsedel
a party ballot
Tip: carries the party name only, with no candidates listed
- 6
en namnvalsedel
a ballot with candidate names
Tip: lists the party's candidates so you can mark one
- 7
en blank valsedel
a blank ballot
Tip: a deliberate non-choice; counted separately from invalid votes
- 8
att kryssa en kandidat
to mark a preferred candidate
Tip: 'kryssa' = to put a cross next to
- 9
en personröst
a personal preference vote
Tip: the cross itself is called 'ett personkryss'
- 10
valkuvertet
the ballot envelope
Tip: one envelope per ballot, sealed before you hand it over
- 11
att försluta kuvertet
to seal the envelope
Tip: 'försluta' = to close up or seal
- 12
valsedelsstället
the ballot display stand
Tip: the rack of ballots behind the screen
- 13
att ta en av varje
to take one of each
Tip: common advice so nobody can see which party you chose
- 14
valskärmen
the voting screen
Tip: where you make your selection in private
- 15
att lägga valsedeln i kuvertet
to put the ballot in the envelope
Tip: you do not fold Swedish ballots — the envelope does the hiding
- 16
en ogiltig valsedel
an invalid ballot
Tip: for instance one that is written on or has two ballots in one envelope
- 17
att lämna kuverten till röstmottagaren
to hand your envelopes to the official
Tip: they check your ID and drop them in the urn
- 18
röstkortet
the voting card
Tip: brought with you and shown along with ID
- 19
att brevrösta
to vote by post from abroad
Tip: a dedicated Swedish verb for postal voting from overseas
- 20
förtidsröstning
advance voting
Tip: open in libraries and other venues for weeks before election day
- 21
var lägger jag den här?
where do I put this?
Tip: the practical question at the urn; the röstmottagare will point