In Latvia, the European elections were held on 24 May 2014 when eight candidates from Latvia had to be elected to the European Parliament. Latvia was a single constituency in these elections.
On 30 May 2014, the Central Election Commission confirmed the official results of the European elections of 24 May 2014. According to these results, 445 225 or 30, 24 per cent of voters had participated in the European elections in Latvia. 1 472 478 eligible voters were included in the lists of voters. 443 802 valid ballot envelopes with 440 288 valid ballot papers were received.
14 candidate lists of parties and associations of parties participated in the European elections of 24 May 2014, but five candidate lists overcame five percent threshold of the total of votes cast in the elections and obtained member of parliament seats in the European Parliament: the party „Unity” (“Vienotība”) 204 979 or 46, 19 per cent of votes and four member of parliament seats, the National Alliance “All For Latvia!” - “For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK” (Nacionālā Apvienība “Visu Latvijai!”-“Tēvzemei un Brīvībai/LNNK”) – 63 229 or 14,25 per cent of votes and one member of parliament seat, the social democratic party „Harmony” (“Saskaņa”) – 57 863 or 13,04 per cent of votes and one member of parliament seat, the Union of Greens and Farmers (Zaļo un Zemnieku savienība) – 36 637 or 8,26 per cent of votes and one member of parliament seat and „Latvian Russian Union” („Latvijas Krievu savienība”) –28 303 or 6,38 per cent of votes and one member of parliament seat.
The following candidates have been elected to the European Parliament from Latvia: Valdis Dombrovskis, Sandra Kalniete, Artis Pabriks and Arturs Krišjānis Kariņš from the party „Unity”, Roberts Zīle – from the National Alliance “All For Latvia!” - “For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK”, Andrejs Mamikins from the list of the social democratic party „Harmony”, Iveta Grigule – from the Union of Greens and Farmers and Tatjana Ždanoka – from the list of "Latvian Russian Union".
366 537 or 83, 25 per cent of the valid ballot papers were changed, i.e., voters had made a mark “+” alongside the surname of a candidate whose election they especially support or struck out surnames of those candidates whose election they do not support. However, 1208 voters had put empty ballot envelopes into ballot boxes thus abstaining to cast their votes for any list of candidates.
Electoral Register
The Electoral Register is used for registration of voters at the European elections, and voting is organized by using lists of voters.
Each voter was registered for elections in a definite polling station according to their residential address in Latvia. The Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs sent to each voter a notification regarding the polling station in the voters’ list of which they had been included.
If a voter for some reasons had not received a notification, it was possible to clarify the registered polling station on-line on the webpage of the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs or calling the information line 67049999.
By 29 April, voters could change the initially registered polling station by choosing any other polling station within the territory of Latvia.
Voting Procedure
On 24 May 2014, the election day, polling stations were open between 7.00am and 8.00pm. Voters had to present a valid passport or an ID card to vote at the European elections.
Early voting took place at polling stations several hours a day between 21 May and 23 May. 100 755 or 6,84% of voters took part in early voting.
Starting from 19 May, lists of candidates, information on candidates and pre-election programmes were available at every polling station and it was possible to submit an application regarding voting at the place of location for the voters unable to come to the election premises due the state of health.
It was possible to hand in submissions by the election day, 24 May. Submissions accepted on the election day after 12 am were satisfied by the polling station commission if it was possible to arrive at the place where a voter was located by 10 pm.
Voting was organized also for voters serving a sentence in a place of deprivation of liberty.
Electoral Rights
Latvian citizens who are eligible to vote, as well as citizens of other EU member states residing in Latvia (unless information regarding them has been entered into the Population Register of Latvia) had the right to elect the European Parliament. Those citizens who have reached 18 years of age have the right to vote in Latvia.
Citizens of other EU member states who wished to exercise their voting rights in Latvia had to personally or by post submit an application to the Central Election Commission by 24 April regarding a wish to vote in the Republic of Latvia and an undertaking not to exercise voting rights in another Member State of the European Union. 326 citizens of other EU member states took this opportunity at the European elections 2014.
Candidate Lists
Submission of candidate lists to the European elections took place between 5 March and 20 March. Lists of candidates had to be submitted to the Central Election Commission.
Political parties and associations of political parties registered according to the procedure established by the law were eligible to submit lists of candidates to the European elections. There could be up to 16 candidates in each list.
The Central Election Commission registered 14 candidate lists of parties and associations of parties for the European elections of 24 May 2014. 170 candidates were included in the lists.
Voting Possibilities Abroad
Latvian citizens who reside abroad also had the right to participate in the elections to the European Parliament. These voters had a possibility to vote by post.
They had to submit an application for postal voting by 12 April to 42 diplomatic or consular missions of the Republic of Latvia or by 24 April to the polling station for postal voting in Riga situated at the premises of the Consular department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (address: Elizabetes street 57, Riga, LV-1050).
It was possible to apply for postal voting on-line by 27 April.