Presidential Elections to be held on 15 January

The President of the Republic of Finland is elected by a direct vote, if necessary in two rounds.

If none of the candidates has received a majority of the votes cast, a new election shall be held between the two candidates who received most votes in the first election. The term of office is six years.

The first round in the Presidential Election will be held on 15 January 2006, and if necessary the second round will be held on 29 January 2006. An advance voting will take place from 4 to 5 and from 7 to 10 January. The advance voting for the second round takes place from 18 to 25 January.

There are eight persons that have been nominated as candidates: Seven candidates have been nominated by registered parties and one candidate by a constituency association. President of the Republic of Finland Tarja Halonen is one of the candidates.

Nearly 4.3 million persons entitled to vote

Every Finnish citizen who has reached eighteen years of age on the day of the first election at the latest has the right to vote. The total number of persons entitled to vote in the Presidential Elections 2006 is 4 276 967. The number of Finns living abroad who are entitled to vote is 209 213.

The Population Register Centre will send a notice of the right to vote to everyone who is entitled to vote and has his/her address registered in the Population Information System. One of the two information cards is intended to be used in the first election and the other one in the possible second election.

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