The right to vote
The right to vote
Icelandic nationals who have reached 18 years of age and are domiciled in Iceland can vote in parliamentary and presidential elections.
Nationals of other Nordic countries who are at least 18 years old have the right to vote in municipal elections in Iceland, provided they have been domiciled in Iceland for three years or more.
All Icelandic nationals who have been domiciled abroad for less than 8 years (as of 1 December of the year before the election) are automatically entitled to vote in Iceland. They must be 18 years old on election day and have at some time been domiciled in Iceland.
Icelandic nationals who have been domiciled abroad for more than 8 years (as of 1 December of the year before the election) must apply to the National Register of Iceland to be entered on the electoral roll. An application must meet the following requirements:
- The applicant must have Icelandic citizenship.
- The applicant must be 18 years of age or older on election day.
- The applicant must have been domiciled in Iceland at some point in their life.
- A satisfactory application must be received by Registers Iceland before 1 December immediately preceding the election.
If the application meets the above conditions, the individual in question will be placed on the electoral roll for the next 4 years. Attention is drawn to the fact that special rules apply to deadlines for submitting applications. These rules apply to elections to the Icelandic parliament Althingi, the election of the President of Iceland and referendums, but not to municipal elections.
Parliamentary elections
In Iceland, parliamentary elections are usually held every four years, unless parliament is dissolved and elections are held earlier. Members are elected to the Althingi from the candidate lists of political parties reflecting the number of votes they receive.
Municipal elections
Municipal elections are held every four years.
Nordic nationals who have are domiciled in Iceland and have reached 18 years of age on election day are entitled to vote in municipal elections.
Other foreign citizens who have been domiciled in Iceland for more than 3 consecutive years and have reached 18 years of age on election day are entitled to vote in local elections.
Please fill in our contact form if you have any questions or if you have encountered an obstacle in another Nordic country.
NB! If you have questions regarding the processing of a specific case or application, or other personal matters, please contact the relevant authority directly.
