Latvian Central Election Commission (CVK) proposes using the online voter register for the European Parliament elections of 2024. This solution would allow all registered voters cast votes at any election site in Latvia or abroad, as reported by CVK secretary Ritvars Eglājs.
Existing regulations state that during EP elections all voters are tied to specific election sites. Considering positive experience from municipal elections of 2021 and 14th Saeima elections, CVK believes it is possible to use electronic registers for EP elections to offer more convenient voting conditions for voters.
This means election sites will be able to access voter registers online. When voters arrive to vote, election site employees will scan passports or personal ID card bar or square code using a smartphone to check his or her right to vote in the online register. Voters will still have to sign a register to confirm having received voting documents. If an election site become unable to access the online register for any reason, voters will still be able to vote using a registration envelope.
This is why CVK has submitted to the Saeima Public Administration and Local Government Committee amendments to the European Parliament Election Law and amendments to the Law on Local Government Election Commissions and Polling Station Commissions.
Elections will be quicker after a year and a half. Candidate lists are to be submitted in February and March 2024.
Approved regulations are important in relation to timely development of election management system module and procurement procedure. This is why CVK invites urgent viewing of law amendments in the Saeima.
The committee also proposes dropping the established vote by mail and replacing it with an option to sign up to vote by mail using e-service at www.latvija.lv, where voters will be able to print ballots. This way voters will be able to receive ballots more quickly and exclude mediation through postal offices.
Law amendments also provide for changing the open hours of election sites, coordinating them with Saeima and municipal elections. It is planned for ours to be set the following way: Monday 17:00-20:00; Thursday 09:00-12:00; Friday 10:00-16:00. At the same time, looking at experience from previous elections, the number of voters that vote in the morning (07:00-08:00) is fairly small. This is why it is proposed to set opening hours of election sites at 08:00 a.m. This would help reduce the workload and pressure on election site workers, as well as help save state expenses on organisation of elections.
CVK, according to the secretary, invites Saeima members to consider ways to review the maximum number of candidates on lists and security fees for submission of lists.
Also read: Ten persons involved in CVK criminal case; legitimacy of 14th Saeima elections not at risk