A Fairer Helsinki

A Fairer Helsinki

These elections have the greatest impact on your everyday life

The right-wing government has cut funding for social and healthcare services, education, neighborhood development, and immigrant integration.

In Helsinki, we can make a difference. By voting for the Social Democratic Party (SDP), you support fair policies. We want to make Helsinki fair for everyone—a city where people can access care and treatment without unnecessary waits. We want schools to be safe, positive environments for children and young people to learn in and for teachers to teach in.

Politics always involves making value judgments. These choices become even more critical when public finances are tight and there simply is not enough for everything we might like to cover. Our current right-wing government is taking Finland in the wrong direction. Therefore, it falls onto the shoulders of municipalities and wellbeing services counties to make decisions that improve the lives of everyone in Finland.

We want to build a fairer Helsinki, and fair choices are also sensible.

Municipal Elections – Sunday, April 13, 2025

By voting, you influence who will make key decisions affecting daily life for the next four years.

In the municipal elections, representatives are elected to municipal councils, which determine the municipality’s operations and finances.

Council members and other elected officials have decision-making power over matters such as:

• The condition and liveability of residential areas and stations
• The quality, cost, and accessibility of social and healthcare services
• Opportunities for hobbies and recreational activities
• The quality of schools and daycare services
• The wages and working conditions of city employees
• The quality and pricing of public transportation

Who is eligible to vote?

In the municipal elections, the right to vote is granted to residents of the municipality who are:

• Citizens of Finland, other EU member states, Iceland, or Norway, and who have turned 18 by April 13, 2025.
• Other foreign nationals who have turned 18 and have lived continuously in Finland for at least two years.
• In certain cases, employees of the EU and international organizations residing in the municipality, along with their family members.

Eligible voters will receive a voting notice by mail or via the Suomi.fi service. More information is available at suomi.fi/viestit.

Why vote for the SDP?

The SDP advocates for policies in Helsinki that consider all residents. In the latest city budget negotiations, we:

• Prevented the introduction of health center fees and ensured a 14-day care guarantee
• Secured €5 million in funding for wage and retention programs
• Protected affordable housing in Helsinki
• Continued efforts to ensure educational equality
• Acted against increasing child poverty
• Secured opportunities for hobbies and recreational activities
• Increased funding for cultural grants

We aim to achieve even more; to do so, we need your vote and strong representation in the city council. A vote for the SDP is a vote for a fairer Helsinki.

2025 Municipal Election Schedule

Election Day: Sunday, April 13, 2025

Advance voting in Finland: April 2–8, 2025

Advance voting abroad: April 2–5, 2025

Voters may cast their ballot in advance or on election day. During advance voting, voting is possible at any polling station. On election day, voting is only permitted at the designated polling station.

Information about the assigned polling station for election day is in the voting notice and, starting March 18, 2025, in the Digital and Population Data Services Agency’s polling station service.

For more information on voting, contact the free service numbers:

0800 9 4700 (Finnish and English)

0800 9 4771 (Swedish and English)

WhatsApp: 050 438 8730