3 candidates reportedly create pressure on voters in Turku

Three candidates of the municipal elections reportedly created pressure on voters at Varissuo area in Turku for casting votes in favour of them, police said on Tuesday.

The Southwestern Finland police department first received a report that voters in Varissuo-area have been pressured to vote for a certain candidate.

Based on the information, members of the law enforcing agency launched investigation into the matter.

According to information received by police, voters have possibly been pressured in favor of three different candidates of the Turku municipal elections.

The police are investigating into the matters as three separate electoral offences.

Election officials, however, are not suspected of criminal activity.

The police reminded the voters that the right to vote, or not vote, is personal and every voter has the right to exercise this right as they see fit.

To pressure voters using threats is a punishable offence, said the Police.

The Police, however, did not divulge anything more in this regard at the initial stage of the investigation.

The municipal elections are scheduled to be held on 13 June.

The advance voting in the municipal elections began on 26 May and will be continued two weeks till 8 June.