Turnout reaches 15.57% in Nalšios North by-election

Turnout in the by-election for a seat in Lithuania’s parliament, the Seimas, in the Nalšios North constituency stood at 15.57% by 11 a.m. on Sunday, according to the Central Electoral Commission, LRT reported.

On the main election day, 6.07% of eligible voters had cast ballots by 11 a.m. Another 2,699 people, or 9.49%, voted in advance, at home or in health and social care institutions.

Central Electoral Commission chair Lina Petronienė said several minor violations had been reported during the first hours of voting. She told LRT Radio that election officials had reviewed reports and found that some political advertising may not have been fully labelled under the updated rules, which now follow European requirements. The issues were being corrected, she said, and no serious violations had been reported.

Polling stations opened at 7 a.m. and will remain open until 8 p.m. Voters need to bring an identity document: a passport, identity card or driver’s licence.

Eleven candidates are running. They are Ignotas Adomavičius, nominated by Dawn of Nemunas; Giedrius Dainys of the Centre-Right Union; Gintautas Kindurys of the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union; Social Democrat Vladislavas Kondratovičius; Nikolajus Lebedevičius of the Lithuanian Regions Party; Maksimas Paukštė of the Freedom Party; Mėta Paulauskė of the Liberal Movement; Antanas Šakalis, nominated by the Union of Democrats “For Lithuania”; Andrejus Šildiajevas of the Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats; Viktoras Voroninas of the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania-Union of Christian Families; and Dalia Štraupaitė of the Union of Nation and Justice.

The by-election was called after Jevgenijus Šuklinas, the Liberal Movement MP elected in the constituency, died in late May. The Central Electoral Commission revoked his parliamentary mandate in early June. Under Lithuania’s Electoral Code, a by-election must be held within six months after an elected MP’s term ends, unless less than a year remains before the next regular parliamentary election.