IFES Election Guide | Country Profile: Latvia

Republic of Latvia

1,911,108	12
Population (as of Feb. 8, 2019)	Elections in our database
1,542,407	64.93%
Registered Voters (as of None)	Average Turnout

Name	Official Name	Type
Latvian Parliament	Saeima	Assembly
Latvian Presidency	None	Head of State

Description of government structure:

Chief of State: President Edgars RINKĒVIČS
Head of Government: Prime Minister Evika SILIŅA
Assembly: Latvia has a unicameral Parliament (Saeima) with 100 seats.

Description of electoral system:

The President is elected by parliament to serve a 4-year term.
The Prime Minister is appointed by the president with the approval of the parliament.
In the Parliament (Saeima) 100 members are elected through a flexible-list proportional representation system to serve 4-year terms[i]

IFES Resources:

Does IFES have a presence in Latvia: No

[i] Every party has a separate ballot and electors are given as many ballots as there are parties contesting the race. When finished voting, electors place the ballot of their choice in an envelope to be deposited in the ballot box. Each party ballot contains a list of candidates predetermined by the party. Electors can accept the list order as presented or alter the list order to their preference. They may do this by both placing a "+" by the names of candidates they want to move up the list order, and by crossing out names that they would like to see be moved down the list order. The vote for each candidate is equal to the number of votes cast for the list, plus or minus specific votes. Those candidates with the highest totals are declared elected, up to the number of seats allotted to each list. If any candidate has been elected in this manner in more than one electoral region, he/she is considered elected in the region where most votes were obtained and the seat goes to the next highest candidate of the same list in the other region(s). Distribution of seats among them is based on the Saint-Lagüe method. A threshold of 5% is required in order for a party to enter the parliament.

Elections

2022-10-01
Latvian Parliament
Votes 916,691
Registered 1,542,407
Turnout 59.43

2018-10-06
Latvian Parliament
Votes 844,925
Registered 1,548,100
Turnout 54.58

2014-10-04
Latvian Parliament
Votes 913,491
Registered 1,552,235
Turnout 58.85

2012-02-18
Referendum
Votes 1,098,593
Registered 1,544,920
Turnout 71.11

2011-09-17
Latvian Parliament
Votes 917,680
Registered 1,542,193
Turnout 59.5

2011-07-23
Referendum
Votes 689,823
Registered 1,542,193
Turnout 44.73

2010-10-02
Latvian Parliament
Votes 944,841
Registered 1,514,936
Turnout 62.37

2006-10-07
Latvian Parliament
Votes 907,460
Registered 1,388,875
Turnout 65.34

2003-09-20
Referendum
Votes 1,010,467
Registered 1,388,875
Turnout 72.75

2003-06-20
Latvian Presidency
Votes 88
Registered 100
Turnout 88.0

2002-10-05
Latvian Parliament
Votes 997,754
Registered 1,395,287
Turnout 71.51

1998-10-03
Latvian Parliament
Votes 982,400
Registered 1,383,661
Turnout 71.0

Election For	Date	Votes	Registered Voters	Turnout
Latvian Parliament	2022-10-01	916,691	1,542,407	59.43
Latvian Parliament	2018-10-06	844,925	1,548,100	54.58
Latvian Parliament	2014-10-04	913,491	1,552,235	58.85
Referendum	2012-02-18	1,098,593	1,544,920	71.11
Latvian Parliament	2011-09-17	917,680	1,542,193	59.5
Referendum	2011-07-23	689,823	1,542,193	44.73
Latvian Parliament	2010-10-02	944,841	1,514,936	62.37
Latvian Parliament	2006-10-07	907,460	1,388,875	65.34
Referendum	2003-09-20	1,010,467	1,388,875	72.75
Latvian Presidency	2003-06-20	88	100	88.0
Latvian Parliament	2002-10-05	997,754	1,395,287	71.51
Latvian Parliament	1998-10-03	982,400	1,383,661	71.0

Voter Turnout

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