Voters from other regions cast ballots in Valmiera municipality

Voters from other parts of Latvia also cast ballots in Valmiera municipality on Saturday, as residents shared varied views on their choices in the 15th Saeima election, LSM reported.

Some voters said they had taken a long time to decide, while others had made their choice months ago. Riga resident Jolanta Tuleiko-Jasa said she had thought it over carefully and filled in several questionnaires before deciding. “Unfortunately, there isn’t much choice this year. I had to choose the lesser evil,” she said, adding that she wanted Latvia to develop like Sweden and Norway.

Valmiera resident Zigmunds Miķelsons said “it’s the same faces, just shuffled around.” With retirement approaching, he said he wanted pensions to be maintained and the minimum subsistence level raised so people could live more comfortably in old age.

Residents of Sēļu Parish Arnis Ērglis and Ingus Apinis said choosing had been easy. Apinis said he had followed the election coverage on television and wanted people to have jobs, good wages and decent pensions. Skaidrīte Ķimene said elected representatives should focus on people, adding that many worked hard throughout their lives while some officials “just go there to sit it out and earn money.”

Polling stations in Latvia and abroad were open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time on election day.