{"id":17267,"date":"2026-06-11T00:12:03","date_gmt":"2026-06-11T04:12:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lnak.net\/15-latvian-parliamentary-elections-oct-3\/"},"modified":"2026-10-02T15:48:09","modified_gmt":"2026-10-02T19:48:09","slug":"15-latvian-parliamentary-elections-oct-3","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/lnak.net\/en\/15-latvian-parliamentary-elections-oct-3\/","title":{"rendered":"Latvian Parliamentary elections Oct. 3, 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Latvian citizens have a say in which parties and candidates will be elected to the Latvian Saeima. Let’s elect candidates who will work for a free, democratic, Latvian Latvia. Let’s vote!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The parliamentary elections will take place on Saturday, October 3, 2026. 3. In Canada, Latvian citizens can vote in person in Vancouver, Edmonton, Hamilton, Toronto, Ottawa or Montreal from 8:00 to 20:00 local time. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also vote by mail. Register online between August 29 and September 25. <\/strong> To register to vote by mail, you need a valid eID card with valid certificates. Your postal vote must reach the Latvian Embassy in Ottawa by 3 October. (In the past, you had to mail your vote to Riga. We are glad that this year you will be able to send it to Ottawa instead of Riga.)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Elections and the voting process<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Can I vote in person with a valid eID card?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Yes, you can present either a valid Latvian passport or a valid eID card.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How old do I need to be to vote?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You must be 18 years of age or older on Election Day in order to vote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where will I be able to vote in person on October 3? <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In Canada, you will be able to vote in person at five polling stations in Canada and at the Embassy in Ottawa. There will be 16 voting stations in the USA. By law, Latvian citizens can vote at any polling station anywhere in the world. Here is the full list of voting stations<\/a>.To vote, you need a valid Latvian passport OR a valid eID card.Voting hours are from 8:00 to 20:00 local time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thank you to all the staff who have signed up to work at the voting stations!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edmonton<\/strong>: Laurier Heights Community League, 14405 85 AVE NW, Edmonton, Alberta, T5R 3Z3<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hamilton<\/strong>: Hamiltonas latvie\u0161u biedr\u012bbas nams, 16 Queen Street North Hamilton, Ontario, L8R 2T8, CANADA<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Montreal<\/strong>: Montre\u0101las latvie\u0161u sabiedriskais centrs, 3955 rue Provost, Lachine, Quebec, H8T 1M1<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ottawa<\/strong>: 350 Sparks Street, Suite 1200, Ottawa, K1R 7S8<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toronto<\/strong>: Kanadas latvie\u0161u centrs Toronto, 4 Credit Union Drive, Toronto ON M4A 2N8<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vancouver<\/strong>: 6520 Oak Street, Vancouver, BC, V6P 3Z5<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Should I vote? Can my vote change anything?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Yes! <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

If you are a Latvian citizen, you have a responsibility to vote! Your vote can make a difference to Latvia’s independence and prosperity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Latvia, like several European countries, uses the “Webster-Sanlage” method<\/a> to determine which parties will win seats in the Saeima. Using its method, a very small number of votes can determine which parties are in or out of Parliament and how many seats they receive. With the fact that there are many parties in Latvia and no one usually gets a majority of the votes, one or two votes can determine which parties are in a coalition and whether they are pro-Russian or pro-Western.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where can I find the list of parties and candidates?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The list of candidates can be found on the website of the Central Election Commission of Latvia: SV2026 – 2026. gada Saeimas v\u0113l\u0113\u0161anas<\/g> <\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are five constituencies in Latvia: Kurzeme, Vidzeme, Latgale, Zemgale and Riga. We in the diaspora vote in the Riga constituency.<\/strong> There are 100 seats in the Saeima. In the 15th Saeima elections, there will be 38 seats in the Riga constituency. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A total of 14 political parties<\/strong> and party<\/strong> coalitions will be running in the election, having nominated 1,434 candidates for the 100 seats in parliament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pirmdien, 6. j\u016blij\u0101 izloz\u0113ja<\/strong> kandid\u0101tu sarakstu k\u0101rtas numurus<\/strong>. This determines the order in which the party names appear. The ballots will be arranged in that order. (#1 Sovereign Power\/Union of Young Latvians …. #14 PROGRESSIVES.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How many parties and candidates can I vote for?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You can only vote for ONE party. You must select the ballot for the party you want to support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each party’s ballot contains its list of candidates in numerical order (#1, #2, #3, etc.). You can leave the ballot paper unaltered (unmarked).If you are particularly in favour of the election of a candidate, tick the “par” box opposite the candidate’slast name. If you are not in favour of the election of a candidate, mark “pret” opposite the candidate’slast name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Which party should I vote for?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

LNAK is a nonpartisan organization. We do not support any specific party.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We urge you to vote for parties loyal to Latvia, that support Ukraine and that will surpass the 5% threshold required to be elected the Saeima. If you vote for a party that will not make it into the Saeima, your votes will be distributed equally among the parties that do enter the Saeima\u2014in other words, whether you want to or not, you\u2019ll be helping pro-Russian parties just as much as you\u2019ll be helping pro-Latvian parties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The latest polls on September 3 indicate that seven parties could have enough votes to win seats in the Saeima. Of the seven, five are pro-Latvian: Apvienotais Saraksts, Nacion\u0101l\u0101 Apvien\u012bba, Jaun\u0101 Vienot\u012bba, Progres\u012bvie, and Za\u013co un zemnieku savien\u012bba. Of the five, only two parties have clearly stated that they support the Istanbul Convention – Jaun\u0101 Vienot\u012bba and Progres\u012bvie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The parties Suver\u0113n\u0101 Vara\/Jaunlatie\u0161i and Latvija Pirmaj\u0101 Viet\u0101 support the interests of Russia and the oligarchs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I heard that if I can’t vote in person, it’s possible to apply to vote by mail. What is the process?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You can register to vote by mail. Apply online between August 29 and September 25 (midnight Latvia time). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To vote by mail, you need:<\/p>\n\n\n\n