Latvia’s Supreme Court to review challenge to parliamentary election results

Latvia’s Supreme Court has received two complaints related to the 15th Saeima election, including a request to overturn the Central Election Commission’s approval of the results, LSM reported.

One complainant is challenging the commission’s decision not to consider a submission about vote-counting records from several polling stations. The commission rejected it because it was filed after the deadline, and the complainant is asking for the deadline to be reinstated.

The Supreme Court’s Senate has opened two administrative cases concerning that complainant. One will also consider the request to annul the commission’s decision approving the official election results. The Senate has not yet decided how to proceed with the second complainant’s case.

By law, the Senate must consider cases challenging vote-counting records or election results through an accelerated procedure and issue a decision within seven days of receiving a complaint. Further complaints sent by post may still arrive if they were posted by the final day of the deadline.

The Central Election Commission approved the official results and the list of elected members of parliament on Friday. The election was held on October 3. A total of 806,648 voters, or 51.79% of eligible citizens, took part. Abroad, 23,196 voters cast ballots, representing 11.63% of eligible citizens registered overseas. The new Saeima is due to meet for its first session on November 3, when the current parliament’s term ends.