11.38% of Latvian voters cast ballots in advance voting

Ahead of Saturday's Saeima (parliament) election, 177,319 people — 11.38% of Latvia's 1,557,615 eligible voters — have cast ballots during a week-long advance voting period, according to data compiled by the Central Election Commission (CVK).

Friday saw the highest turnout of any working day during the week. In the Riga electoral district, 71,797 people voted, also 11.38% of eligible voters there. That figure includes 4,907 voters abroad who registered for postal voting — the CVK notes that for postal voting, a person is counted as having voted once ballot materials are sent to them and they have not shown up in person to change or withdraw their vote.

Regional turnout

Turnout was highest in the Vidzeme region, where 50,567 people voted, or 12.61% of eligible voters there. In Zemgale, turnout stood at 10.2%, with 20,338 residents voting. In Kurzeme, 18,475 people cast ballots, or 10.61%, while Latgale recorded the lowest turnout — 16,143 voters, or 8.78% of eligible voters in the region.

Among municipalities, Saulkrasti municipality recorded the highest turnout, while Rēzekne municipality had the lowest.

A new voting option

Throughout the week, voters were able to cast an advance ballot at any of 933 polling stations nationwide. The process is similar to previous advance voting but with one key difference: voters could change their mind and alter their already-cast ballot during the week.

By comparison, in the previous Saeima election four years ago, this type of advance voting was only available for three days at a limited number of polling stations, and around 63,300 people, or 4.11% of eligible voters, used it. Overall turnout in that election reached 59.41%.

The Saeima election takes place this Saturday.