September 13th is election day in Norway. By voting, you get to help decide who will be making laws, deciding which sector gets more money and who will be the new prime minister.
I was so happy and excited to vote for parliament for the very first time in Norway! My husband and I went together, to vote in advance. I was shaking as I entered the polling station. To my surprise, it was easier than I thought. As my husband told the officials that it was my first time voting for parliament in Norway, they said: Oh you must take a picture. That’s the picture on the cover. I’m holding the ballot paper. What a sense of belonging I felt, contributing to the Norwegian society. Having a say. I am much more engaged in politics in Norway than I was in Brazil. The system here is easier to understand and it’s not corrupt. The debates are around ideas, not personal offenses. Here’s my guide for you. I hope you like it. Good luck.
Who to vote for. Here’s the list of candidates, according to the region. Click here for the official website. There are around nineteen parties with around twenty candidates each. It varies from region to region. The current prime minister is from Høyre, Right Wing Party. Their biggest opponent is Arbeiderpartiet, The Labor Party. Other parties are Venstre (Left), Krf (Christian), Senterpartiet (Center), FrP (The Progress Party).
Who can vote. All Norwegian citizens above 18 years old. Those who are sick as well as those who need assistance to vote can get help from their municipality to vote from home.
How they count the votes. The electoral count tells us which parties have won seats in the Storting (parliament), how many seats they have won, and which candidates have been elected. Source: Valg.no
Corona pandemic elections. We can vote in advance, from August 10th to September 10th in order to avoid crowds on election day (September 13th). If you forget your mask, you can get one at the polling station. Also those in quarantine must contact their municipality to be able to vote from home.
How to vote. Bring a mask and your id to a polling station of your choice (if you vote in advance), or to the one appointed to you by your digital polling card.
- Once you get to the polling station, you go to a cabin. There will be many shelves displayed on the wall. Each shelf corresponds to a political party, with ballot papers.
- Pick the ballot paper of the party you like. Just one. Inside the ballot paper there is a list of the candidates (around 20).
- In case you want to change the order of importance to a specific candidate, you can write another number by the side of the candidate number. Or you can make a cross after the candidate number, to delete him/her. This way, they get fewer points. If you don’t make any changes, the vote will follow the given candidate order.
- Fold the ballot (once) so that the party’s name and candidates will be hidden inside. Outside there is the place for stamp.
- Go to the election official and get the ballot stamped. Show your id.
- Place the ballot in the ballot box. Here you go. Good job.
Sources: Valg.no , Regjeringen.no , TV2.no.
Do you need help to decide which political party to vote for? Check this quiz made by TV2. Click here. Or this one by NRK. Click here.
Follow my Instagram for my experience and updates.
Good luck.
