In local elections anyone who is has Swedish citizenship or EU citizenship and is living in Sweden or has lived in Sweden for more then 3 years can vote, and the voting list is created from the population registry that also keeps track of where you pay your local taxes and such.
In the EP elections it appears (I am basing this on accounts from various EU citizens in Sweden) that a form was sent to EU citizens in Sweden that was in the population registry. It also appears that the default option was "want to vote in Sweden" which kicked in even if you did not answer. Furthermore it appears that the nordic countries collaborated by checking that no-one was on two lists, probably an extension of a long-standing cooperation on population registries.
In conclusion, two registries, but not much hassle. A vote for PES is a vote for EPP! A vote for EPP is a vote for PES! Support the coalition, vote EPP-PES in 2009!
One thing that now becomes clear: EU countries may be divided (re electoral rolls) into "automatic" and "declarative" categories. One group (that includes Sweden) derives its electoral lists automatically from other sources (taxation rolls, or residency rolls), the other, from individual inscription by voters (example, France).
Those who reside in an "automatic" country are much more likely to receive useful information (as with the forms sent out in Sweden), than those in "declarative" countries (in France, my impression is that if you don't go to the town hall and pester them, you won't be told anything).
- Jake If you only spend 20 minutes of the rest of your life on economics, go spend them here.
