CVK decision on polling stations abroad for the 15th Saeima elections

The Central Election Commission (CVK) has adopted decision No. 70 “On amendments to the Central Election Commission’s decision No. 17 of April 30, 2026, ‘On the establishment of polling stations abroad based on voters’ proposals for the elections to the 15th Saeima’”. The official announcement of the decision was published in Latvijas Vēstnesis on September 21, 2026, in issue No. 181 (OP 2026/181), in the “INSTITUTIONS” section. This document amends the decision adopted in the spring, which determined the list of polling stations established abroad.

The amendments relate to the polling stations established abroad for the elections to the 15th Saeima, which are created based on voters’ proposals, rather than only at Latvian diplomatic missions. The issuing body of the decision is the CVK as the central election administration institution, and it was published in the official publication, which is the only binding place of notification. The announcement specifies the name and number of the decision; the full text is available in the official publication.

What has been changed and how it is notified

• Amended act: Central Election Commission decision No. 17 of April 30, 2026.
• Amending act: Central Election Commission decision No. 70.
• Publication: Latvijas Vēstnesis, September 21, 2026, No. 181, OP 2026/181, “INSTITUTIONS” section.
• Subject: establishment of polling stations abroad based on voters’ proposals.

Chronology: CVK decisions on polling stations abroad

The CVK has refined the regulations on polling stations outside Latvia several times since April, and each amendment has been published in Latvijas Vēstnesis:

• April 30, 2026 – decisions No. 16, No. 17, and No. 18 were adopted on the establishment of polling stations and their commissions abroad.
• August 18, 2026, No. 157 – decisions No. 61 (amendments to the list of Latvian polling stations), No. 62 (amendment to decision No. 18), and No. 63 (amendment to decision No. 16).
• September 8, 2026, No. 172 – decisions No. 64 (amendments to the list of polling stations) and No. 65 (approval of instructions), as well as CVK instruction No. 17 “Procedure for extending voting time”.
• September 18, 2026, No. 180 – decisions No. 67 (amendments to the list of polling stations), No. 68 (amendment to decision No. 18), and No. 69 (amendment to decision No. 16).
• September 21, 2026, No. 181 – decision No. 70 (amendment to decision No. 17).

Three interrelated sets of documents

It follows from the publications that the organization of voting abroad is based on three separate but interrelated decisions, which the CVK amends individually:

• Decision No. 17 – establishment of polling stations abroad based on voter proposals; the latest amendment is Decision No. 70.
• Decision No. 18 – approval of polling station commissions established abroad based on voter proposals; amended by Decisions No. 62 and No. 68.
• Decision No. 16 – approval of polling station commissions established in the diplomatic representations of the Republic of Latvia abroad; amended by Decisions No. 63 and No. 69.

The list of Latvian polling stations is also amended separately – by Decisions No. 61, No. 64, and No. 67.

What this means for voters outside Latvia

For voters living abroad, Decision No. 70 is relevant, as it determines in which polling stations outside Latvia it will be possible to vote in the 15th Saeima elections at locations established based on voter proposals. Since the amendments to Decision No. 17 were adopted within seven months since April and published only a few days after Decisions No. 68 and No. 69, voters abroad must check the current list of polling stations in the official publication before voting, rather than relying on previously published versions.

Official source: Central Election Commission Decision No. 70 “On amendments to the Central Election Commission Decision No. 17 of April 30, 2026 ‘On the establishment of polling stations abroad based on voter proposals for the 15th Saeima elections’”, published in Latvijas Vēstnesis, September 21, 2026, No. 181, OP 2026/181 (document vestnesis-2026-09-21-181.full.md).