Vote counting delayed nearly three hours after polls close

Vote counting had not begun nearly three hours after polling stations closed in Latvia’s parliamentary election, as officials continued checking voter data, LSM reported, citing the LETA news agency.

Laura Krastiņa, a member of the Rīga Election Commission, told LETA that officials were verifying data in the Electronic Online Voter Register. Once checks are complete and work in the register has been closed, polling stations can identify voters who deposited ballots for safekeeping earlier in the week but later changed their choice. Those voters’ envelopes will be separated from valid envelopes, which will then be combined with ballots received on election day.

LETA observed that ballot counting had not started after voter reception ended at 8 p.m. Ballot boxes had not been opened. Iveta Blaua, deputy chair of the Central Election Commission, said data needed to be clarified in many municipalities.

The Central Election Commission met to decide what to do next. It authorized counting to begin by opening ballot boxes used on Saturday, October 3, that contain no voter registration envelopes.