Lithuanian parliament considers requiring electronic signature sheets for petitions

The Lithuanian parliament (Seimas) will debate a proposal to require the Central Electoral Commission (VRK) to create electronic signature collection forms alongside paper versions, LRT reports.

The amendment to the Electoral Code, submitted by Ignas Vėgėlė of the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union, passed its first reading on Thursday with 56 votes in favour and 17 abstentions. No lawmakers opposed the measure. The draft will now be reviewed by the Legal Affairs and State Governance committees before returning to the full chamber on May 21.

If approved, the VRK would be obligated to provide both paper and electronic signature sheets within five days of a request. Currently, only paper forms are issued, leaving petition organisers unable to monitor or manage electronically collected signatures.

Vėgėlė noted that a January ruling by Lithuania’s Supreme Administrative Court interpreted the Referendum Law as requiring electronic access to signature sheets, creating a legal inconsistency with the Electoral Code. The proposed change would align both laws and allow political parties, committees, and candidates to track electronic signatures in real time.

Amendments to the Electoral Code require an absolute majority of at least 85 votes in the 141-seat Seimas, as it is classified as a constitutional law.