You could be the next one to make a difference
Now is the time to stand as a candidate in the parish elections, which will give you the opportunity to influence key decisions for the Seinäjoki parish in the years to come. It is precisely your expertise that is needed.
The November parish elections may still seem a long way off, but if you are planning to stand as a candidate, you should act quickly. The deadline for submitting nominations is 15 September, so now is the time to join an existing electoral group or set up your own.
Annmari Salmela, project manager for the parish elections, wants to remind people that the parish’s decision-making bodies are always in need of new members.
“It doesn’t take any particular skill set. You don’t need any prior knowledge of budgeting, property management or activity planning. Elected representatives learn by doing,” she says.
Facilities, funds and people
Elected representatives make decisions that affect the everyday lives of all parishioners. Salmela summarises their work in three words:
“Facilities, funds and people.”
In practice, these decisions concern property, staff, partnerships and the types of activities towards which parish funds are allocated. The Parish of Seinäjoki will face some important decisions in these areas in the coming years. There will inevitably be debates about how much money should be spent on buildings and how much on the parish’s activities.
The discussions also concern how the revenue from church taxes is used.
“Right now, the elected representatives are deciding how the parish’s funds will be used in the coming years,” Salmela reminds us.
We need young people to get involved
The parish’s decision-making bodies need people with different perspectives. Growing residential areas, the needs of families with children, activities for young people, services for older people and volunteer work are all areas in which local residents often have valuable experience to share.
“Ordinary people bring their own life experience and perspectives to the decision-making table. They know where new families with children are moving, where youth work is needed and how the needs of older people are changing.”
In particular, we hope that more young adults will stand as candidates. In the previous elections, the proportion of elected representatives under the age of 30 remained very low across the country.
“Young people are not just the future; they are part of the present, too. That is why we need their ideas in the parish’s decision-making bodies,” says Salmela.
Any confirmed member of the Church who will be at least 18 years old on election day is eligible to stand as a candidate. You can join an existing electoral group or set up your own.
TEXT: Jaakko Jokela
PICTURE: Church communication office
TRANSLATION: Ennio Roberto Sapatiello
Parish elections 2026
- Deadline for nominating candidates: 15.9.
- Advance voting: 3.–7.11.
- Election day: Sunday 15.11.
- For more information: seurakuntavaalit.fi
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