Voters in advance voting objected to names written on ballot envelopes
Heads of several Riga polling stations report that during advance voting, some voters objected to having their first and last names written on storage envelopes. Officials explained the procedure complies with the Constitution.
Leadership at several Riga polling stations say that during the days of advance voting ahead of the 15th Saeima election, some voters expressed confusion and frustration over the requirement to write their first and last names on special storage envelopes. At station No. 39, located at the Riga Neighborhood Residents' Center, staff repeatedly explained to concerned voters that the practice is lawful and complies with the Constitution.
At station No. 134, at Riga's 45th Secondary School, similar complaints arose, and in one instance an envelope fell into the ballot box in a way that exposed the voter's name to others present. The station's commission is also aware of two cases where voters cast advance ballots at more than one polling station, possibly not realizing only one vote would ultimately count. One voter even placed two ballots inside a single envelope and had to travel to another station to correct the mistake. More than 30 people had already voted at this station within the first half hour after opening on Saturday.
At station No. 25, at the Riga State German Gymnasium, head Ieva Ergle confirmed voters had been upset about writing their names on envelopes, but staff explained it is solely for storage purposes, after which envelopes are mixed together without identifying information. Some voters also declined to show identification at the entrance, preferring to do so only at the registration desk. Overall, Ergle described the situation as calm, noting high voter turnout and only minor, quickly resolved system glitches.
At neighboring stations No. 26 and No. 27, also located in Riga schools, officials reported smooth proceedings without serious incidents, though some voters asked for help marking ballots correctly or questioned why additional envelopes were needed.
About the election
In the 15th Saeima election, 1,428 candidates from 14 party lists are competing for 100 seats, fewer than in 2022. Latvia has 933 in-person polling stations, including new locations such as an airport and a zoo. Stations close at 20:00 on Saturday, after which manual vote counting begins.
