Make your voice heard
Annmari Salmela, project manager for the parish elections, is encouraging ordinary parishioners to go to the polls.
Advance voting for the parish elections is currently open, and will continue until this Saturday. The official election day is Sunday 15 November.
Project manager for this parish election, Annmari Salmela, is hoping that young people in particular will turn out to vote, as well as ordinary church members who only occasionally take part in parish activities. These include people who, for example, drop their children off at parish clubs or come to enjoy the wonderful Chrismas songs.
”If we could get them to take an active interest in church affairs, the Church’s elected representatives would better reflect what the Church really is”, says Salmela.
Facilities, finances and people
Parish elections can sometimes feel distant, especially when the issues that stand out in public debates are mainly controversies arising from differences of opinion. a large part of the decision-making bodies’ work is also dealing with very practical matters.
“The Church’s elected representatives make decisions that affect the everyday lives of all parishioners. They make decisions about the Church’s facilities, finances and people,” Salmela summarises.
In practice, these decisions concern property, staff, partnerships and the types of activities towards which parish funds are allocated.
“Taking care of activities in your own local area is also a good reason to take an interest in the elections. For example, the priorities set by elected representatives provide the framework within which parish employees organise the day-to-day activities of the parish. These priorities can also influence the nature of face-to-face club activities.”
Get familiar with the voting advice tool
At Seinäjoki Parish, one of the major decisions for the upcoming council term will be how to allocate funds between the parish buildings and its activities.
“Right now, the elected representatives are deciding how the parish’s funds will be used in the coming years,” Salmela reminds us.
You can find out more about the candidates standing in the parish elections and their platforms by using the easy-to-use voting advice application.
“The voting advice tool is a good way to clarify your own views and compare them with those of the candidates. For these parish elections, we have also published a separate tool aimed specifically at younger members. Among other things, it addresses young people’s opportunities to have a say,” Salmela explains.
TEXT: Jaakko Jokela
PITCTURE: Sakari Röyskö
TRANSLATION: Ennio Roberto Sapatiello
Parish elections 2026
- Election Day is Sunday 15.11. Polling stations are open from 11:00-20:00.
- Advance voting takes place from 3.–7.11. You can vote at any advance polling station of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland.
- On Election Day, you must vote at the polling station designated by your own parish.
- Anyone who is a member of the Church, has a municipality of residence in Finland and will be at least 16 years old by Election Day is eligible to vote. Confirmation classes and confirmation are not required.
- The term of office for elected representatives is 2027–2030.
- Voting advice application and polling stations: evl.fi/seurakuntavaalit-2026.
