CVB clarifies: a "+" mark in the oval also makes a ballot valid

A story shared on social media described a voter who grew anxious after casting her ballot in Latvia's 15th Saeima election, fearing she had filled it in incorrectly. She had chosen to vote early so she would not need to navigate crowds with her crutches on election day, October 3. After voting, however, she became convinced she had made a mistake — instead of fully shading the oval next to one candidate, she had only drawn a plus sign, believing full shading was mandatory.

The voter's daughter posted about the incident on the platform "X" and initially suggested her mother return to vote again. After reaching out to the Central Election Commission (CVK), she received confirmation that the vote would count and there was no cause for concern.

Which marks count as valid

The CVK explained that, according to the vote-counting instructions for the 15th Saeima election, the oval does not need to be fully shaded. A "+", "x", "–", "v", or any other line- or area-type mark is also considered valid. Such a mark may appear fully or partially within the oval, and may even cross its edges, without affecting the ballot's validity.

The CVK also reiterated the general voting procedure: voters receive ballots for all registered candidate lists plus one sealed envelope, and must choose a single list to support, which may be left unmarked. If a voter wishes to specifically support or oppose an individual candidate, a mark should be made in the corresponding "FOR" or "AGAINST" field next to that candidate's name. After making a choice, the ballot must be placed in the envelope, which is then sealed.

Upon leaving a polling station, voters may take with them or leave behind any unused ballots, which are freely available near the exit, as set out in Article 23 of the Saeima Election Law.

The main voting day for the 15th Saeima election is Saturday, October 3, with polling stations across Latvia open from 8:00 to 20:00.