Candidates disqualified en masse prior to Latvian municipal elections
Local Elections in Latvia: Candidate Removals and Disqualifications
The Central Election Commission in Latvia has revealed that providing false information is the second most common reason for removing individual candidates from local election lists. As of early April, a total of 5,975 candidates applied for 731 municipal deputy seats, with 44 candidates having been removed, leaving 5,931 candidates in the running.
Under the Latvian system, voters can express their preference for individual candidates on a party's election list. This system has led to the removal of candidates in several municipalities, including Daugavpils, Ogre, Riga, Saldus, and Saulkrasti, where three candidates each have been removed, and one in Liepāja due to incorrect occupation information. In contrast, no deputy candidates have been removed from the lists in 18 municipalities.
The law stipulates that persons serving sentences in prison, persons for whom a court has established guardianship, and persons who have been convicted of a serious crime and whose criminal record has not been expunged or removed cannot apply to be candidates for local government elections. Additionally, candidates may be disqualified due to bankruptcy restrictions orders, convictions for corrupt or illegal electoral practices, and having been reported guilty of intimidation or criminal offenses related to elections. These reasons are intended to maintain the integrity and legality of the election process.
Latvia’s Constitutional Court has addressed prohibitions related to criminal offenses for other official functions, implying that serious criminal issues can limit participation in public office, including elections. No sources have mentioned foreign interference or electoral malpractice specific to candidate removal in Latvia, but such considerations sometimes influence candidate eligibility indirectly.
By June 7, local elections will be held across Latvia in 42 electoral districts, with 974 polling stations open. The Central Election Commission did not rule out the possibility of additional candidates being removed before the elections. Voters are reminded that if a person not allowed to participate in local government elections remains on a list, and the information is revealed later, the vote for the specific political party would still be counted, but the voter's marks for the specific removed candidate would not.
- The Central Election Commission in Latvia has stated that the second most common reason for removing candidates from local election lists is providing false information about their occupation, as seen in several municipalities such as Daugavpils, Ogre, Riga, Saldus, Saulkrasti, and Liepāja.
- In accordance with Latvia's laws, persons serving prison sentences, those with established guardianship, individuals convicted of a serious crime whose criminal record has not been expunged or removed, and those with bankruptcy restrictions orders, convictions for corrupt or illegal electoral practices, or guilty of intimidation or criminal offenses related to elections cannot run for local government positions.
- Beyond the listed reasons, the government policy-and-legislation can disqualify candidates due to various factors intended to maintain the integrity and legality of the election process, such as foreign interference or electoral malpractice, although no specific instances of these have been mentioned in relation to candidate removal in Latvia.
