Why your vote matters in Norway, and what it changes in everyday life

Published 2026-10-29

Elections are closer to everyday life than you think

Many people assume elections are something only politicians care about. But in Norway, election results shape things you feel every day: which school your children attend, the kindergarten, care for older people, the roads and the public transport you use.

Who decides what?

In Norway we vote directly at three levels:

• The national parliament (Stortinget) passes the laws that apply to the whole country. It is elected every four years.
• The municipal council (kommunestyre) decides on the services closest to us, including kindergartens, primary and lower secondary school, primary healthcare and care for older people.
• The county council (fylkesting) is responsible for things such as upper secondary school, and shares responsibility for public transport with the state and the municipality.

The local elections, for the municipal and county councils, are held halfway through the parliamentary term. The next election day is Monday 13 September 2027.

What do the numbers say?

According to Statistics Norway (SSB), turnout was 62.4 per cent in the 2023 local elections, compared with 80.0 per cent in the 2025 parliamentary election. That means more than a third of those who could vote stayed away from the local election, even though it is about the services they use every day.

Why your vote counts for more than you think

In a municipal council, a small number of votes can change how the seats are shared out. And groups that vote less often tend to get less attention for their issues, because the people who vote are the ones who get heard. A vote cannot guarantee you get what you want, but not voting guarantees that nobody knows what you want.

What can you do now?

• Check that you are in the electoral roll (manntall).
• Find out what the municipal council in your municipality decides.
• Share reliable information with your family and neighbours.

For official information on who can vote, early voting (forhåndsstemming) and where to vote, go to valg.no.

We are a politically independent association. We do not urge anyone to vote for any particular party or candidate, only that everyone who is entitled to vote knows how to use that right.