The National Electoral Commission is an independent administrative committee that oversees the conduct of elections and oversees the implementation of the Election Act. The task of the The National Electoral Commission is, among other things, to combine projects that were previously carried out by many parties, thus coordinating procedures, increasing efficiency and promoting professionalism concerning elections and developing elections and processes.

When general elections have been called, the The National Electoral Commission determines the boundaries of the constituencies in Reykjavík, North and South, based on the registration of residents in the electoral roll 56 days before election day. The threshold is that the number of voters in each constituency, behind each parliamentary seat, is about equal.

The National Electoral Commission shall provide polling data for general elections, such as ballot boxes, election manuals, absentee ballot data and polling data for voting at a polling station, but not ballots for municipal elections.

The National Electoral Commission shall provide election data for absentee voting. It also provides guidance on the voting procedure.

The National Electoral Commission issues an annual report on its activities and also reports to the Minister after each election on the preparation and implementation of the elections. The Minister shall present the report to the parliament (Althingi).

The National Electoral Commission shall, when presidential elections and national elections are held, announce the results of the counting.

The elections affairs are governed by the Minister of Justice and the Ministry generally supervises the operations, finances and assets of the the National Electoral Commission.

The role of the Ministry regardin elections changed a lot with the passing of the new Alection Act.

Municipalities shall handle elections in the region.

The municipal council shall engage staff to assist it with elections. Advertisement of such positions is not required.

Electoral commissions are local administrative bodies that manage the conduct of elections
in constituencies and municipalities as further prescribed by the provisions of the Election Act.

In each election at the parliamentary elections, presidential elections and national elections, there is a presiding senior electoral commission of the constituencies. Their task is to oversee elections in the constituency.

The senior electoral commission shall appoint staff to assist them with elections. Advertisement of such positions is not required. The presiding senior electoral commission may assign municipal staff tasks in connection with the conduct of elections.

The presiding senior electoral commission of an of constituency shall, in sufficient time before elections, advertise its location where it is to stay during elections, and shall place its seat as closely as possible to transportation.

All electoral commissions shall keep record books and record their actions.

At the end of the counting, the presiding senior electoral commission shall announce the results of the counting at the parliamentary elections.

Senior electoral commissions of municipalities shall oversee the conduct of municipal elections in each municipality.

Senior electoral commissions of municipalities may assign tasks related to the conduct of elections to municipal staff.

The presiding senior electoral commission of a municipality shall, in sufficient time before elections, advertise its place where it is to remain while elections are held.

All electoral commissions of municipalities shall keep record books and record their actions.

At the end of the counting at municipal elections, the presiding senior electoral commissions of municipalitity shall announce the results of the counting.

District commissioners are the election commissioners, each in their own district, who shall oversee the conduct of absentee voting at elections.

The election commissioner shall advertise where and when voting can take place, and in such a manner as is customary in each place, to publish public notices.

Voting documents shall at all times be available from those who take care of voting outside the election.

Absentee elections shall be initiated as soon as possible after candidate lists have been advertised, although no later than 29 days before election day.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs is the contact body between the National Electoral Commission and election directors abroad and is responsible for, e.g. sending them election data and election guides and publishing information overseas to election directors.

Centralised processing of the electoral roll shall be carried out by Registers Iceland.

The election Act stipulates that the electoral roll is electronic, but that municipalities may apply for an exemption from this.

Registers Iceland is to advertise that the electoral roll has been prepared and when and how it will be accessible.

The reference date for the register of voters is 38 days before election day.

Complains on the electoral roll shall be addressed to Registers Iceland, which shall process them immediately and make appropriate corrections to the electoral roll, if applicable. Such adjustments may be made until election day.

The electoral roll may be corrected if:

• Registers Iceland has neglected to register the domicile of a voter in accordance with his/her notification of a transfer,

• Registers Iceland has received knowledge of the death of a voter,

• Registers Iceland has received information that a foreign national has acquired Icelandic citizenship or that a voter has lost Icelandic citizenship,

• Registers Iceland has received information that a Danish citizen has the right to vote in Iceland in accordance with, cf., measures in connection with the divorce of Iceland and Denmark,

• an Icelandic citizen who has never been domiciled in Iceland or who has lost the right to vote has moved to Iceland and re-registered for his/her domicile in Iceland after the reference date of the electoral roll,

• In other respects, Registers Iceland has become aware that an error has been made in registering a voter during the electoral registration process.

Statistics Iceland collects and publishes statistics on elections, from the municipal electoral commission and election commissioners, such as assistance at the polling station, election attendance by gender, age and citizenship.

Electoral commissions must submit election reports to Statistics Iceland.

The Ruling Committee on Elections shall rule on various complaints concerning elections and electoral practices.

Amongst other things, one can appeal the following decisions to the committee:

• Refusal by Registers Iceland to accept a voter on the electoral roll and to correct the register of voters.

• Decision of the National Electoral Commission and the presiding senior electoral commissions of municipalities on the validity of candidate lists and other matters concerning them.

• Decision by the presiding senior electoral commissions of municipalities on the eligibility of candidates for municipal elections.

• Complaints regarding the illegality of municipal elections.

• Decisions made by the National Electoral Commission by other Acts.

Further information: Stjórnarráðið | Úrskurðarnefnd kosningamála (stjornarradid.is)

E-mail the Ruling Committee on Elections at urskurdarnefndkosningamala@dmr.is.