Furnishing the voting location
Published: 23 February 2026
When you’re planning how to furnish a voting reception, there are some important principles for you to follow to optimise voter flow during vote reception. Keep these in mind when you’re deciding how to design the voting location.
Optimise voter flow
Optimised voter flow inside the voting reception makes things simple and secure for voters. It increases accessibility and reduces the likelihood of queues forming. Voter flow is affected by the design of the voting location and the ways in which you furnish it, use signage, and provide voters with information.
Accessibility
If a queue outside the voting reception is likely todeteriorate the accessibility of the location , you may need to provide special instructions.
It must be straightforward to enter and exit the voting reception, and to move around inside. If there are stairs or steps outside or inside the voting reception, a lift or a ramp with a gentle incline must also be provided.
If a voter is not able to enter the voting reception because a lift is temporarily out of service, for example, they must be given the opportunity to prepare their vote and hand it to a member of the polling staff outside. The voter must be able to maintain their voter secrecy.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to furnishing your voting location
You can choose how to furnish the voting reception, but there are some important principles to keep in mind. The picture below is an example of how a voting reception can be furnished. The steps in the voting procedure are numbered, and there is information about each one below the picture.
Entrance
The entrance to the voting reception must be easy to find.
If necessary, use the Swedish Election Authority’s posters with images to show how the voting procedure works.
In addition to the posters issued by the Swedish Election Authority, information materials and signage templates are available here on the Election Centre website.
Download templates for posters, signs and labels (in Swedish) External link.
Ballot paper display rack
A ballot paper display rack can be placed close to or inside the voting reception. Voters must have the opportunity to select their ballot papers in privacy. Ballot paper display racks must therefore be screened off from view. You should also place each ballot paper display rack out of sight so that it cannot be seen through a window, for example.
It’s a good idea to have several ballot paper display racks, and at leastone of them must be placed at a low level for voters who need to select them while seated. All ballot papers must be visible and within reach.
Please put up the poster that illustrates how to select a ballot paper behind the screen.
Ballot envelope
A member of the polling staff can hand the voter a ballot envelope, or the voter can pick one themselves. Ideally, the voter should be given their ballot envelope after selecting their ballot papers to prevent them from preparing their votes by the ballot paper display rack.
If a voter prepares their vote by the ballot paper display rack instead of at a voting booth, this is likely to create a bottleneck which could lead to queues.
Voting booth
The voter prepares their vote at one of the voting booths. The voter must be able to do this in secrecy. Position the voting booths so that there is adequate space between them. Make sure that it’s not possible to see behind the booths through a window, for example.
Please set up several voting booths, including at least one at a lower level for people who need to be seated while preparing their vote. Place a pen at each voting booth.If you don’t have any voting booths, a separate room can be used to enable voters to prepare their votes in privacy.
Reception desk
When the polling staff is receiving the voter’s vote, they need to be seated at a table. The ballot box must be on the table. It must be visible to the voter but out of reach.
The Swedish Election Authority recommends using a locked or sealed ballot box that has a lid with a slot. If you don’t have a ballot box with a slot, you can use one with a lid. This should only be opened when the polling staff need to place a window envelopes in it.
Tip
It’s a good idea to photograph the votingreception and furniture layout before vote reception starts, and save the images for planning future elections.
Frequently asked questions
Are filming and photography permitted in the voting location?
Yes, filming and photography are permitted. However, these activities must not interfere with vote reception or compromise voter secrecy.