Latvia opens early 'deposit voting' ahead of Saeima elections

Latvia's Central Election Commission (CVK) has announced that starting today, September 28, through Friday, October 2, voters may cast their ballots in advance under a so-called 'deposit voting' procedure, available at any of the country's 933 polling stations ahead of the 15th Saeima elections. The method resembles previous early-voting procedures but includes a key difference: it allows a voter to change their submitted choice at any point before election day.

Voting hours

Ballots can be deposited today and on Wednesday, September 30, from 17:00 to 20:00; on Tuesday, September 29, and Thursday, October 1, from 8:00 to 11:00; and on Friday, October 2, from 12:00 to 15:00.

How the procedure works

According to the CVK, the voting remains secret throughout. At the polling station, a voter's documents are checked, after which they receive a set of ballot papers, a stamped voting envelope, and a registration envelope on which staff write the voter's name, surname, and number on the voter list. The voter privately makes their choice, seals the chosen ballot inside the stamped envelope, then places that envelope inside the registration envelope, which is also sealed. In the voter's presence, staff stamp the registration envelope and place it in the ballot box.

Recording the voter's name ensures each person's vote is counted only once. The sealed ballots remain in the box until counting begins after polling stations close on October 3. Before counting, the validity of each vote is checked; ballot envelopes are then removed from the registration envelopes, shuffled, and only afterward opened — a step the CVK says preserves the secrecy of each vote.

Election day

The 15th Saeima elections take place on Saturday, October 3, with polling stations open nationwide from 8:00 to 20:00. Voters must bring a valid Latvian citizen's passport or eID identity card.