Latvia cuts local election residence requirement to 45 days

Latvia’s parliament has approved amendments shortening the required residence declaration period for local election voters from 90 days to 45 days before election day, public broadcaster LSM reported.

The Saeima passed the amendments to the Law on Elections of City and Municipality Councils in their final reading on Thursday, October 1. Voters will need to have declared their residence in the municipality for at least 45 days to vote there.

Parliament said the changes aim to make voter records better reflect people’s actual circumstances, encourage participation and reduce administrative burdens. The amendments also update rules on candidate lists and the information candidates must provide, security deposits, early voting and voting by post. They are intended to simplify some election procedures and address shortcomings identified in practice.

The amendments set a common date for the first meeting of newly elected municipal councils. The chair of the municipal election commission will invite the newly elected councillors to meet on the first Thursday of July, a change intended to make the confirmation of election results clearer and more legally certain.

The minimum number of polling station commission members required during early voting will also fall from four to three. The law further clarifies procedures for filling vacant councillor seats and confirming election results.