äänestäjärekisteri

Äänestäjärekisteri is Finland’s voter register, a centralized database used to determine who has the right to vote in elections and referenda and to compile the official voter lists for electoral administration. It is used to ensure that only eligible voters are included in voting and to support communications related to elections.

The register contains information necessary to assess voting eligibility, such as a person’s identity, date of birth, citizenship, place of residence, and other data relevant to determining whether a person may participate in a given election. The exact data collected and stored are limited to what is necessary for electoral purposes and are subject to data protection rules.

Maintenance and administration of the Äänestäjärekisteri are handled by the authorities responsible for elections, in coordination with the population information system. In Finland, this involves cooperation between the Population Register Centre (now part of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency) and the Ministry of Justice, with data updated automatically from national population records to reflect changes in citizenship, address, or other factors that affect voting eligibility.

The register is used to produce the official voter lists that are used at polling stations and in election communications. Access to the data is restricted to persons and entities involved in electoral administration and related processes. Personal data in the register are protected under applicable privacy laws, including GDPR and Finnish data protection legislation. Individuals can verify their own data and request corrections if necessary, typically through the agency responsible for the register.

For more information or to exercise data rights, individuals can contact the Digital and Population Data Services Agency or the relevant election authority in Finland.