Published: Just now
The queues are still long to the polling stations.
Some may need to stay open up to two hours longer to allow everyone time to vote.
– It can take time. If there is a queue for an hour, then it takes an hour, says Anna Nyqvist, head of the Electoral Agency’s office.
The clock is ticking until the polls close. There are still long queues in several places.
– It goes back and forth a bit. But there are much more queues than normal, says Anna Nyqvist, head of office at the Electoral Authority.
It is not possible to extend the opening hours of the polling stations, as it is regulated by law. But those who are still queuing at 8pm can come in and vote, says Anna Nyqvist.
This means that the vote count may be delayed.
– We currently estimate that there is a risk that it will be a little later. We present a preliminary mandate distribution when enough votes have been counted. It usually happens around 11 p.m., it could be a bit later, I don’t want to speculate on that.
“May take the time it takes”
– We continue voting until the queue is gone. But in very many cases there will be no queue either. It may take the time it takes.
It is up to each municipality to ensure that no one stands in line after 8 p.m. Eva Debels, head of office at the electoral board in the city of Stockholm, is not particularly concerned.
– We have staff out in our polling stations who check it.
According to her, the queues in several places in Stockholm had also started to decrease around 7pm.
Fainted in line
But in Sandarne in Söderhamn municipality, some have had to wait up to two hours – and two people have fainted due to the heat, reports SVT Gävleborg.
New for this year is a rule following a Riksdag decision, which means that everyone who votes must collect their notes behind a barrier.
According to several municipalities that Aftonbladet talks to, it is the new law that is causing this.
– We feared long queues, but it has turned out to be more than we feared, says Sofie Blomgren, who is the waltz coordinator in Uppsala.
When the change in the law came, several election administrations raised the fact that this would have consequences, she says.
– Of course, we have tried to work so that it does not happen like that. But it clearly hasn’t been enough. It is something we have to think about when we evaluate.
Lost ballots
Gothenburg’s election manager Frida Nowotny agrees.
– There is a long queue of about an hour at our early voting location, she says at 5 p.m.
In Gothenburg, there has also been a spate of ballot papers that have mysteriously disappeared.
– We have received indications that people have taken away ballot papers, it is not a particular party or something, but more generally. By taking the ballots behind a screen, opportunities are created in a different way, says Frida Nowotny.
“Nice atmosphere” – despite queues
Even in Bjurholm, Sweden’s smallest municipality, the queues have been longer than usual.
– There has been quite a lot of queuing, probably upwards of half an hour, forty minutes at its peak. But it has gone well anyway, there is a nice atmosphere in the queue, says Malin Burström, waltz coordinator in Bjurholm.
Munkfor’s roller coordinator Thony Liljemark also feels that there have been more queues than normal, and believes that the new rule is the cause.
– At the same time, I think it is important, this is a good change and strengthens the secrecy of the election, he says.
READ ALSO:
arrow They are the best in the country at voting: “Right and obligation”
arrow Voters passed out in the voting queue – due to heat
arrow Jörgen didn’t get to vote – was already ticked off: “Too damned”
arrow It happens if L or MP leave the Riksdag