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Involvement and influence

The best time to exert influence and have an impact on the final decision-making in the city is when the matters are being prepared. You can participate and exert influence in, for example, the following ways:

  • Give feedback
  • Submit a resident’s initiative
  • Follow local decision-making
  • Take part in information and discussion events
  • Be active on platforms available to the local residents and organisations
  • Take part in service and area-specific panels
  • Answer the surveys directed at the citizens
  • Take part in the student council activities in your school
  • Take part in the youth council activities
  • Vote: by voting, you can influence the election of officials and representatives

Elections and voting

You can influence the decision making by voting in local and national elections. The right to vote is a fundamental right of all citizens who have reached the age of 18. Two general elections will be held in 2024: election of the President of the Republic (presidential election) and election of the Finnish Members of the European Parliament (European Parliament election).

Read more about elections and voting on the elections website of the Ministry of Justice.

European elections

The Finnish members of the European Parliament were last elected on 26 May 2019. The next European elections will be held in 2024.

 

You can participate and exert influence in, for example, the following ways

  • You can give feedback on city operations or, for example, a service provided for you. Your feedback will be directed to the appropriate city employee.

    Give feedback

  • As a resident of the municipality, you have the right to submit initiatives on matters concerning the municipality’s activities. If you submit an initiative, you will be notified of any measures taken as a result.

    The City of Kokkola is involved in the cost-free kuntalaisaloite.fi service (in Finnish and in Swedish) of the Ministry of Justice, which allows the local residents to submit initiatives to the City of Kokkola and to support and follow electronically the initiatives submitted by other people. All residents’ initiatives submitted through the service are sent to the city registry.

    You can also send a free-form initiative by mail to this address: City of Kokkola, Registry, P.O. Box 43, 67101 Kokkola, or bring your initiative to the registry at the city hall on weekdays between 8:00 and 16:00.

    The initiative is acknowledged as received and it is submitted for processing.

    The initiative must clearly state the name and contact information of the person submitting the initiative.

    Only the initiatives submitted through the kuntalaisaloite.fi service of the Ministry of Justice are published in said service.

    Kuntalaisaloite.fi service (in Finnish and in Swedish)

  • Voting is a fundamental right of each Finnish citizen over the age of 18. However, also citizens of other countries who are currently living in Finland have the right to vote in local elections and European elections. Citizens of other EU member states have the right to vote in European elections if they have registered for the voting register in Finland. Nationals of all countries are entitled to vote in municipal elections, provided that they have had a municipality of residence in Finland for at least two years.

    Information about the elections (Ministry of Justice)

    Parliamentary elections

    Members of the Finnish Parliament are elected every four years. Parliamentary elections were last held on 14 April 2019. The next parliamentary elections will take place in 2023.

    European elections

    The Finnish members of the European Parliament were last elected on 26 May 2019. The next European elections will be held in 2024.

    Municipal elections

    Councillors are elected for local councils in municipal elections.

    Municipal elections are held every four years on the third Sunday of April. If the third Sunday of April is Easter Day, the elections are held on the Sunday preceding Easter. The next municipal elections will be held in 2021.

    The next municipal elections will take place on Sunday 18 April 2021. The advance voting period is 7–13 April 2021 in Finland and 7–10 April 2021 abroad.

    Municipal elections in 2021

    Presidential elections

    The President of the Republic of Finland is elected by a direct vote for a term of six years. The same person may be elected President for no more than two consecutive terms of office. The election day is the fourth Sunday of January. The next presidential elections in Finland will be held in 2030.

     

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