HiQ simplifies local referendum in Helsingborg

The City of Helsingborg goes to the polls on 12 January to vote on whether the city should continue to be the majority owner in energy company Öresundskraft. HiQ is contributing to the democratic process by creating digital support for printing poll cards for the referendum on site.

“This is an assignment that is extra close to our hearts. Being able to deliver a fast, flexible, secure solution that enables this is completely in line with our ambition to simplify things for people by using technology,” says Anna Kleine, Managing Director of HiQ in Skåne

For national elections in Sweden you can vote without your physical poll card and you can always get a duplicate poll card printed at the polling station. But the conditions are different for local elections.

“When there’s a referendum that’s not linked to a general election, we can’t use the election authority’s IT system. That’s why HiQ has helped us develop one locally,” says Cecilia Holm, Election Coordinator for the City of Helsingborg.

Through the application that HiQ has created, a person who wants to vote can enter their personal ID number and show identification on site. A search is done in the electoral register and a duplicate poll card is generated and printed – quickly and easily.

“We want to make it as easy as possible for our citizens. Being able to vote even if you’ve lost your poll card or if you spontaneously want to vote early at one of our polling stations and don’t have your poll card with you is a matter of accessibility,” says Cecilia Holm.

"Our local presence in the city, where many of our own employees work and live, of course makes it extra nice for us to contribute in this way,” says Anna Kleine.

The referendum will be held on 12 January, with the opportunity to vote early as from 2 January.