During early voting days from 26 to 28 August 81,228 or 19,22 % voters participated in the Riga City Council elections. There are 422,681 eligible voters registered in the Riga City Council voter lists.
There were more voters participated in early voting this year than in the previous Riga City Council elections in 2017, when 15.43% of voters voted in Riga in early voting days.
Most of the voters have voted in the polling station No. 142, which is located in the Riga Congress Hall. 35.06% of the number of voters registered at this polling station have voted. Voter turnout above 30 percent was noted also at four other polling stations. The lowest activity remains at the polling station No. 8 in the Riga Daugavgriva Secondary School, where 10.40% of the polling station’s eligible voters have voted.
Unlike previous elections, polling stations' commissions could organise voting at the place of voters’ residence not only on election day, but also on early voting days. A total of 239 voters voted on the early voting days at their place of residence in Riga.
Until now, the possibility of voting in another station, not on the list of which the voters are registered, has been exercised by 8,674 voters. The polling station was changed for 4,540 voters on 28 August, for 2,535 voters on 27 August and for 1,599 on 26 August.
Information on voter turnout is available on the website of the Central Election Commission (CEC) https://rd2020.cvk.lv. On this site voters can also see the candidate lists submitted, the pre-election programmes and the details of candidates, as well as the results of the elections will be summarized and published in election night here.
On Election Day, 29 August, polling stations will be open for voters from 7:00 to 22:00. It is possible to vote at the prescribed or any other polling station in the Riga City Council elections. A total of 156 polling stations have been created for these elections. The list of polling stations is available in the section “Polling stations” on the CEC website.
Voters can get to know about their polling station from a letter of the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs which was sent by mail, or using the e-service “Ascertainment of polling station”. As well, voters can also receive information on their polling station by calling the CEC hotline 67049999.
The CEC calls on voters to vote in their prescribed polling station insofar as possible. On the other hand, if another station is more suitable for voting, voters are advisable to schedule more time for voting, which will to be spent at the station until the voter is re-registered to the new polling station.
During the voting, voters are invited to cover their nose and mouth to protect themselves and others from being infected with the Covid-19 virus. Disposable face masks will also be available at the polling station. When staying in a station, voters must keep a two-meter distance and disinfect their hands. Similarly, voters in the polling station are called upon to use their pen. The pen will also be available at the station.
In Riga City Council elections, voters can apply for voting at their place of residence if they will not be able to attend the polling station due to health reasons and they will be in Riga during the elections. Voters who are in self-isolation or quarantine because of the Covid-19 virus infection, as well as caregivers of sick persons, may also vote at their location in Riga if they are voters of the municipality of Riga and will be in a nursing place during the vote. Applications for voting at the place of residence, which will be submitted before 12:00 on the electoral day, shall be satisfied compulsory. The station commission will satisfy applications received after 12:00, if it is possible to arrive at the voter's place of residence by 22:00. Suspects and accused persons, for whom arrest is appropriate as a means of security, may also participate in the Riga City Council elections, if they are included in the Riga voter list and are in the detention site in Riga.
Citizens of Latvia and other member states of the European Union, who have reached the age of 18, and who have registered place of residence in the administrative territory of Riga 90 days before the election day, on 31 May of this year, or who registered for elections until 15 August because they own real estate in Riga, have the right to participate in the Riga City Council elections
The voting document in the Riga City Council elections is a valid passport or identity card (eID). There will be no stamp made in the passport, and voter lists will be used to ensure the principle of “one voter, one vote”.
In order to reduce the risks of the spread of the virus infection Covid-19 in the Riga City Council elections on 29 August, the CEC has approved the Recommendations on the Covid-19 infection prevention at the polling stations in the Riga City Council elections.
28.08.2020.
CEC Information Department