Information on Municipal elections available at Statistics Finland's election information service

Statistics Finland publishes statistics related to the Municipal elections 2008 in its free of charge online election information service. The first statistics on the nomination of candidates are already available at stat.fi/municipal elections. Starting from the election night on 26 October 2008 the statistics will be updated and supplemented with analyses and maps as election results become final. Key election information as well as the analyses are published in Finnish, Swedish and English, and the related maps in Finnish and Swedish.

Maps illustrate the results

Statistics Finland offers specifically for the media 14 different free of charge election maps of printable quality as PDF files. During the election night Statistics Finland publishes for the whole country 10 maps by municipality on the party with the most votes, voting turnout as well as support for parties. On Monday 27 October 2008 at approximately 3 pm four additional maps will be published on the final result with all votes counted. These maps present by municipality the party with the most councillors as well as the proportions of young people, women and new councillors among the elected councillors.

In addition, on the election night Statistics Finland launches the Citizen's election map service. The first election results will be available for browsing as thematic maps at approximately 9 pm. The themes covered will include voting turnout, the party with the most votes and support for parties. The data can be browsed by various area categories such as municipalities, constituencies and in the largest towns by voting districts.

Analysis provides background for parties' success in the elections

At 8 pm on election night Statistics Finland publishes a review on the backgrounds of the candidates in the Municipal elections, which will be supplemented with background data on the elected councillors during the election night. After the election results are final, an analysis will also be prepared on the parties' success in the elections in which support for parties is examined by voting district and different background variables. These background variables include, among others, employment, business structure, proportion of pensioners, level or urbanisation and income level. The results of the analysis are published as a review on the Internet home page of the Municipal elections statistics and as a table in the PX-Web database service.

The Tables section of the home page of the Municipal elections statistics provides access to the PX-Web database service where each user can compile customised statistical tables on the elections. At present the database service contains tables about the nomination of candidates in the Municipal elections 2008 as well as time series tables on earlier municipal elections starting from 1976. Furthermore, the service contains data on the results of the Municipal elections 2004, voting as well as votes cast per candidate by municipality and voting district. During the election night corresponding tables will be produced also on the preliminary results of the Municipal elections 2008.

In addition to these free of charge services, tailor-made maps and analyses will be produced to users on order.

Inquiries: Ms Eeva Heinonen +358 9 1734 3268, Mr Kimmo Moisio +358 9 1734 3239, Ms Jaana Asikainen +358 9 1734 3506, Ms Rina Tammisto (maps) +358 9 1734 3574, Mr Kari Seppä (maps) +358 9 1734 3572, vaalit.tilastokeskus@stat.fi

Links:
Municipal elections home page, tables and reviews
Election map service introduction and terms of use (in Finnish and Swedish)