News

Can I Vote? – an online tool for spreading the word about local democracy in Finland

Students from Aalto University and TAMK have joined with YLE to create an online tool that helps to determine whether one is able to vote in the local elections.
Can I Vote?

In the 2017 local elections, voting turnout was only 23.9 percent among eligible voters whose native language was not Finnish, Swedish or Sami. The overall voting turnout was 57.5 percent. In most cases, people living in Finland can vote regardless of citizenship.

"In 2017, YLE published an infographic with the eligibility criteria online, and it was wildly popular," said Egan Richardson, a journalist at the English language unit at YLE News. "We wanted to make it bigger and better and more effective this time."

Can I Vote? asks a series of questions based on residency status and home address to figure out voting eligibility. It then directs users to a selection of resources that can help inform them about the local elections.

YLE outreach team proposed an idea for raising voting awareness through social media during a course at Aalto University, and through that course Boeun Kim, a student from Aalto Media Lab, was connected to Richardson to collaborate on this project.

The team:
Boeun Kim, Aalto Media Lab – Design Lead
Ukko Alatalo, TAMK – Graphic Design
Mohamed Sallam, TAMK – Web Development
Šimon Lackovič, TAMK – Web Development

Check your voting eligibility .

  • Updated:
  • Published:
Share
URL copied!

Read more news

A person wearing a colourful shirt and brown hat speaks into a microphone with a background of an image of a forest.
Research & Art Published:

Having autonomy in your life is more important in wealthier countries, says new research on well-being

A worldwide analysis reveals a nuanced relationship between happiness, volition and wealth.
Piirroskuva älupuhelinta katsovasta ihmisestä, jonka pään yllä leijuu stressiä kuvaava pilvi.
Research & Art Published:

Retail therapy fail? Online shopping linked to stress, says study

Shopping, social media use and gaming are the most likely online activities to correlate with stress, according to a new study
SemiSummer 2026. Apply for semiconductor summer jobs. Logos of companies and Aalto University. Join us now.
Cooperation Published:

The semiconductor sector jobs open in research groups

Semi-Summer 2026 programme will provide an opportunity to gain the skills needed in a growing and international semiconductor sector.
Two men in suits sit at a table with documents. Behind them is a mirror and a vase with flowers.
Cooperation Published:

New cooperation agreement between the City of Helsinki and Aalto University to strengthen a sustainable, vibrant and knowledgeable city

The main themes of the cooperation are vitality, innovations and entrepreneurship, as well as research cooperation and knowledgeable labour, drawing heavily on the research and education expertise of the university.