On Sunday, 30 August 2020, the Riga City Election Commission approved the results of the Riga City Council elections. The results of the elections are available on the website https://rd2020.cvk.lv.
The Riga City Council elections were held on 29 August, three days before - from 26 to 28 August - voters could participate in early voting. 171,507 or 40.58% of voters cast their ballots in the elections. There were 422,681 citizens registered in the voter lists for the Riga City Council elections. 21.34% of the electorate voted on the election day, while 19.24% of the voters participated in early voting. 1,327 voters voted at their place of residence in Riga.
Voter turnout in this election was significantly lower than in the previous Riga City Council elections in 2017, when 58.72% of voters participated.
170,545 valid ballot envelopes were received in the election, containing 169,469 valid ballot papers.
The five per cent electoral threshold has been overcome and the councillor mandates have been obtained by seven lists of candidates - "For Development/For!, "PROGRESSIVE" (Attīstībai/Par!, "PROGRESĪVIE"), "Harmony" the Social Democratic Party ("Saskaņa" sociāldemokrātiskā partija), the New UNITY (Jaunā VIENOTĪBA), the National Alliance "All For Latvia!"-"For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK", the Latvian Association of Regions (Nacionālā apvienība "Visu Latvijai!"-"Tēvzemei un Brīvībai/LNNK", Latvijas Reģionu Apvienība), Party "Honour to Serve Riga" (Partija "Gods kalpot Rīgai"),"Latvian Russian Union" ("Latvijas Krievu savienība") and the New Conservative Party (Jaunā konservatīvā partija). The final results of the elections to the Riga City Council and the names of elected councillors can be found on the website of the Central Election Commission https://rd2020.cvk.lv/pub/ieveletie-deputati.
The City Council and Municipality Council Election Law provides that the results of the elections were to be announced by the Riga City Election Commission not later than seven days after the elections, i.e. - not later than until 5 September 2020.
All the submitters of the candidate lists, as well nominated candidates may contest the decisions both of the polling station commission and the Riga City Election Commission approving election results in the Central Election Commission within three working days after the decision has been made. The Central Election Commission shall adopt its decision within three days. This decision of the Central Election Commission may also be appealed within three working days by submitting an application to the Administrative District Court. The decision taken by the District Court is final and may not be appealed.
If the court, examining the complaint, finds that the organisation of the elections or the counting of votes and the calculation of the election results have committed violations of the law, which have affected the allocation of seats among political parties, political party associations, it shall repeal the decision regarding the approval of the results of the local government elections. In such a situation, the court may take one of the following decisions: asking the CEC to ensure the recount of votes, asking the CEC to ensure the repeat voting in a certain polling station or asking the CEC to ensure repeat elections.
In response to signals regarding potential irregularities in the election process of the Riga City Council election, the Central Election Commission asked the State Security Service to investigate the circumstances of the case in two polling stations, where a significant number of ballot envelopes were issued for voting without the stamp of the relevant polling station commission. According to The City Council and Municipality Council Election Law, the ballot envelopes, which have not been stamped with the stamp of the relevant polling station commission, shall be deemed invalid.
For more information please see: https://www.cvk.lv/lv/jaunumi/cvk-constate-non-apbezzimogota-velesanu-envelopes-ari-144-velesanu-precinct-717.
30.08.2020.
CEC Information Department