The Church Election on September 21, 2025, will determine the future direction of the Church of Sweden for the next four years. Eligible voters must be members of the Church and at least 16 years old. The election involves voting at three levels: local, regional, and national, with different colored ballots for each. Voters can cast their votes in person, in advance, or via proxy. The election will decide on the governance of the Church, with various interest groups, including political parties, participating.
Church Election 2025: Everything You Need to Know
Church Election 2025: Everything You Need to Know
On September 21, the Church Election will take place. Here, we gather everything you need to know about the election that will determine what the Church of Sweden will focus on for the next four years.
Who Can Vote in the Church Election?
To vote in the Church Election, you must be a member of the Church of Sweden and at least 16 years old. The youngest eligible voters can have their birthday on the election day itself, September 21. All eligible voters in Sweden should have received a voting card by September 3.
Compared to the general election, where about 85 percent of eligible voters have participated in recent years, the Church Election does not engage voters in the same way. In 2017, 19.1 percent of eligible voters participated, and four years ago, 18.4 percent—or nearly exactly 900,000 people—voted.
How to Vote in the Church Election?
On election day, September 21, you can vote at the polling station assigned to you on your voting card. You must bring identification and preferably your voting card.
You cannot vote at another polling station on election day. However, since September 8 and up until election day, you have the option to vote in advance. All votes cast in advance voting locations are considered advance votes, even if voting occurs on election day. For advance voting, you need identification and your voting card.
On the Church of Sweden's website, you can find locations for advance voting.
You can also vote via proxy, which means someone delivers your votes in a specially sealed envelope either at the polling station on election day or as advance voting in the parish or pastorate you belong to. Proxy voting has also been possible since September 8.
The proxy must bring identification, and on the outer envelope, you must have certified in writing that you placed the ballots in the envelopes in the presence of two witnesses. The two witnesses must also certify this on the envelope. The proxy and witnesses must be at least 18 years old.
What Are You Voting for in the Church Election?
In the Church Election, you vote on how the Church of Sweden should be governed, and the election takes place—just like in the general election—at three different levels. The voting card therefore contains three different ballots with three different colors.
- Election to the Church Council (local election) uses white ballots
- Election to the Diocese (regional election) uses pink ballots
- Election to the Church Assembly (national election) uses yellow ballots
The Church Council makes decisions affecting your nearest parish, such as which activities the parish should engage in. In the regional election—to the Diocese—you vote on the local diocese's activities, such as church renovations or the church's aid work. Sweden is divided into 13 different dioceses.
The election to the Church Assembly is an election to the Church of Sweden's equivalent of the parliament. The Church Assembly has 251 members, meets twice a year, and decides on issues that will apply to the Church of Sweden throughout Sweden, including the church's own regulations. Members of the Church Board, which is the Church of Sweden's highest executive management in administrative matters, are also elected here.
Who Are You Voting for in the Church Election?
You vote for so-called nomination groups, which are interest groups created for those who engage in influencing the church's governance.
In simple terms, voting for nomination groups is roughly equivalent to voting for parties in the general election. However, the nomination groups are not directly tied to specific political parties, although such examples exist; the Sweden Democrats, the Centre Party, and the Social Democrats are participating in the Church Election.
So, Who Should You Vote for in the Church Election?
Through the Church of Sweden's website, you can find everyone you can vote for in the Church Election. You can vote for individuals, just like in the general election. There are also voting guides available, one at Kyrkans Tidning and one at the newspaper Dagen.
Here at Expressen, you can of course also follow news coverage before, during, and after the election.
How Did the Church Election 2021 Go?
When the votes were counted on election day four years ago, it was clear that the big winner was the Left in the Church of Sweden, which almost doubled its seats in the Church Assembly. The Social Democrats won the most seats but lost support, as did the Centre Party and the Sweden Democrats.
The far-right nomination group Alternative for Sweden participated in the election for the first time and won three seats.