Indian-born Pukhraj Ranjan, 35, said she became aware of her voting rights five years ago when a voting card arrived in the mail ahead of the municipal elections.
"The letter made me feel like I was considered to have been in the country long enough to earn the right to vote," Ranjan said.
April's double election will be Ranjan's second time at the Finnish ballot box. She said she uses election compasses, which she explained have helped her gain insight into the Finnish political system.
"It's easier in a way to still be a guest in the country and know you don't really have control...but when you get the letter, you really start to think about your actions and you do play a role in how the city works and how people are welcomed in the city," she explained.
The number of foreign voters like Ranjan has grown to 260,000 people — or nearly six percent of the electorate, according to the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV).
In the previous local election, foreigners made up 4.7 percent of eligible voters.
There are, however, significant regional differences.
In Helsinki, some 61,560 foreigners, accounting for nearly 11 percent of the electorate, can vote. In Vantaa, foreigners' share is 15.8 percent.
Being heard
Julian Rodriguez, a Mexican-Spanish national, is one of Helsinki's foreign voters. This election will be his first in Finland.
He moved to Finland with his wife and children two years ago. Rodriguez said he has a permanent residence permit and sees no need to apply for Finnish citizenship.
"My wife wanted to return to Finland after our children were born, so here we are."
Rodriguez said he's done Yle's election compass and is excited about the opportunity to choose a candidate who aligns with his views.
"It's great that I can express my opinion. Coming from Mexico, I know how important it is to vote and make your voice heard."
He said it makes sense that foreign citizens are limited to local elections.
"National elections are just for Finns, but I'm still pleased to have a voice on the local level, like in matters related to my children's education," he said.
Pukhraj Ranjan is also of the opinion that, as a foreign citizen, it is natural for her voting rights to be limited to local and national elections, even though she is in the process of applying for Finnish citizenship.
"I have no experience of rural Finland. The realities are totally different. Maybe I can at some point vote in national elections when I have more experience of rural places," she explained.