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Municipal and county elections 2025

Decisions on key everyday matters are made in municipal and wellbeing services county councils. Read more on who can vote, why to vote, and how to vote on this page.

PAM members in municipal elections
PAM members in county elections


Municipal and county elections 13 April – the most important elections for your everyday life

A good municipality enables service sector employees to live a good life. They can work, live, and engage in hobbies. If they have children, the children receive a daycare place, a good school, and the opportunity to develop through hobbies.

The wellbeing services county is responsible for ensuring that social and healthcare services are accessible when needed. Service sector employees must be able to access these services, regardless of irregular working hours.

Income insecurity and financial difficulties highlight the importance of society’s safety nets. That is why the support and assistance provided by services must be genuinely accessible to everyone. Municipalities and wellbeing services counties must help ensure that people’s incomes are sufficient to cover their costs of living.

Make sure our voices are heard – vote!

Municipal and county councils make decisions on issues that are central to our everyday lives. It’s vital that there are also people in those positions who understand the realities of irregular work and low-paid employees.

In the last municipal elections, 74% of specialists voted—but only 47% of service and sales workers did. Now it’s time to make sure that our voices are heard in decision-making.

PAM members in municipal elections
PAM members in county elections

You don’t need to be a Finnish Citizen to have a influence in local matters

Voting is easy

  1. Grab your ID card, passport or driver’s license or other picture ID.
  2. Go to your polling station. Find it at aanestyspaikat.fi
  3. Write the number of your candidate on the ballot paper. White for municipal election and violet for county election.
  4. Get stamps on your ballot paper(s) and drop them in the ballot box.

What is decided in municipalities and counties?

  • schools and childcare services
  • libraries, youth work and culture
  • employment and integration services
  • water and waste management
  • public transportation, city planning and building supervision
  • and many other matters that affect your everyday life.

  • health stations and hospitals
  • rescue services
  • social services
  • services for children, young people, families and the elderly
  • mental health and substance abuse services
  • services for persons with disabilities.

PAM’s priorities

Childcare for shift workers’ children
Childcare must be guaranteed for all children and including small schoolgoers. The care facility should be within a reasonable distance from home or the parents’ workplace.


Affordable homes and pleasant living environments
Everyone needs a home. Municipalities must ensure there are enough homes and affordable rental housing. A pleasant living environment, access to nearby sports facilities and green spaces support people’s well-being.


Improving public transport
Good public transport makes commuting and taking on work easier. The needs of people who work irregular hours must be considered. Ticket prices must remain affordable.


Employment services for all unemployed people
Employments services should be accessible and meet individual needs, which can include job training, mental health services, or social services. The aim is to remove obstacles to entering the job market.


Boosting the economy through tourism
Tourism has a big impact on employment. Municipalities must make tourism part of their business development plans and work together with companies and nearby municipalities to grow the sector.

Sufficient and accessible health and social services for everyone
Easy access to care is key. The opening hours of health and social services must be extended.  Counties should have remote and digital consultations alongside physical health centres. Getting a doctor’s certificate of sick leave must be kept simple.

Health services for unemployed people
Counties must ensure that unemployed people receive the health services they are entitled to, regardless of where they live. Counties should work together with employment areas so that health issues do not prevent people from getting a job.

Responsibility in procurement
Municipalities and counties must prioritise quality when they buy goods and services. Fair working conditions and terms of employment must be ensured throughout the supply chain.

Fair fees
Patient fees, hobby fees, and permit fees and other fees by municipalities and counties, must be kept reasonable. The cost must not prevent people from using services when they need them.

Election schedule

More on county and municipal elections

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