Invisible Experiences: An Ethnography with Migrant Voters in Municipal and County Elections

Over the past few decades, the migrant population in Finland has witnessed a noticeable increase and diversification. Despite these demographic changes, migrants remain underrepresented among voters in Finnish elections, including at the local and regional levels. This underrepresentation creates a democratic deficit, limiting migrants’ political influence and participation in democratic processes. As a result, it reduces migrant voters’ opportunities to engage in decision-making through the election of representatives who can advocate for, negotiate, and legitimize their access to social rights, including but not limited to education, employment, healthcare, and integration services. This paper presents my ongoing ethnographic research, which explores the invisible experiences of migrant voters in municipal and county elections in Finland. Employing a multi-sited ethnographic approach, I conducted fieldwork by observing electoral campaigns, events, and activities in physical and digital settings, followed by ethnographic conversations and interviews. Specifically, I collected and produced observational, interview, textual and questionnaire data in close collaboration with migrant voters from diverse backgrounds, as well as with internal and external actors involved in electoral processes. Overall, this ethnographic research aims to uncover the hidden opportunities and challenges in election practices and policies that affect migrant voters’ participation in municipal and county elections within the Finnish context.