In Cēsis Municipality, children vote alongside Saeima elections
On the day of Latvia's Saeima elections, Cēsis Municipality is also holding a parallel vote for children and young people, who are deciding on matters important to them. Latvijas Radio reported on the initiative.
On the same day Latvia holds its Saeima elections, Cēsis Municipality is running a parallel voting process for children and young people, according to a report by Latvijas Radio.
Two elections side by side
While adult residents of Cēsis Municipality head to polling stations to cast ballots for Saeima deputy candidates, the municipality's youngest residents are taking part in their own, specially organized voting exercise. Unlike the adult elections, which determine political representation in the national legislature, the children's and youth vote addresses questions closer to everyday life.
What the young voters are deciding
In their own election, children and young people in Cēsis Municipality are choosing which treats they would like served at state holiday celebrations, as well as deciding on new activities and events they consider interesting and worthwhile. This gives the municipality's youngest residents a chance to express their preferences on specific issues that affect their own lives.
Symbolic significance
The timing of this parallel vote, coinciding with Saeima election day, creates a notable parallel between the democratic experiences of adults and children. Although the results of the children's vote have no bearing on national-level decisions, the exercise gives the younger generation an early opportunity to become familiar with the voting process and to understand what it means to take part in collective decision-making.
The report on the initiative in Cēsis Municipality was published on 3 October 2026, based on information from Latvijas Radio.
