First instance body dealing with electoral disputes

Vallag(Election Act), (published 1998-10-02, last amended 2013-06-28)

http://www.finlex.fi/sv/laki/ajantasa/1998/19980714#L8

102 ? (8.5.2009/300)

Anf?rande och behandling av besv?r

Besv?r anf?rs hos den beh?riga f?rvaltningsdomstolen inom14 dagar fr?n det att valresultatet har offentliggjorts. VidEuropaparlamentsval ska besv?r dock alltid anf?ras hos Helsingforsf?rvaltningsdomstol.

P? besv?rsf?rfarandet och behandlingen av besv?rtill?mpas i ?vrigt f?rvaltningsprocesslagen.

Besv?r ska behandlas i br?dskande ordning.

OSCE final report on 2011parliamentary elections in Finland, p. 19

http://www.osce.org/odihr/81121

InFinland, it is not possible to make appeals related to registration andnomination of political contestants. Such complaints can be filed after theelection results have been published, based on the claim that the mistake inregistration/nomination has caused the election results to be invalid:

OSCE final report on 2011parliamentary elections in Finland, p. 19

http://www.osce.org/odihr/81121

“Opportunityfor appeals to courts prior to the election results being announced is limited,restricting access to judicial redress should an electoral problem arise. Voterlist omissions and the composition of electoral administration bodies can beappealed before election day. In other key stages of the election process, however, judicial appealsare explicitly prohibited. Most significantly, there is no access to judicialreview on decisions relating to candidate nomination until after the electionresults are declared. […] Limiting appeal opportunities until after theelections is argued to be beneficial in avoiding the use of appeals forpolitical motives. However, the possibility of meaningful redress iscompromised as remedy is not provided until after elections. Re-running anelection may unduly burden the candidates, voters, the election administration,and the state budget.”