Sweden's Prime Minister could still retain a majority in parliament if uncounted ballots cast abroad swing his way.

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The number of Swedes living abroad that voted in the general election has almost doubled, according to primarily figures obtained by The Swedish Wire, as it has became less complicated to make your democratic voice heard from other countries.

The foreign votes are very crucial as Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt still could retain a majority in parliament if uncounted ballots cast abroad swing his way.

Some 86.000 Swedes voted from around the world in the 2010 general election, according to figures from the Swedish election watchdog. That’s an increase of 80 percent compared to for years ago when 48,000 foreign votes came in.

The main explanation behind the increase is the fact that it is considerably easier for Swedes living or traveling abroad to vote today. Ahead of the election some 130,000 Swedish citizens had registered their foreign addresses with the election authorities, giving them the opportunity to send in their votes by mail.

The system to vote by mail was introduced 2002. Before that people abroad had to visit the Embassy or consulate.

“It has become much easier to vote”, Vivial Nilsson, spokeswoman at the Election Authority told The Swedish Wire. “In many countries, the distance to the consulate was big that those who wanted to vote had to take the airplane. Therefore, many abstained from voting”.

According to the organization Svenskar i Världen (Swedes in the World) approximately half a million Swedes live abroad, which could be compared with the country’s total population of nine million.

The final results were expected to be known late Wednesday or early Thursday.