Electoral system in Latvia encounters problems once more on Wednesday
The 2025 Latvian regional elections, including early voting at A. Čaka Street in Riga, were marred by a significant system failure in the election system[1]. This failure was part of a broader crisis that affected the state's vote-counting infrastructure during the elections.
Despite the high voter turnout (over 52% in Riga), the malfunction was systemic, involving critical administrative and technical shortcomings in handling the vote-counting process[1]. The cause of the failure was attributed to a fundamental crisis of competence within the election administration, highlighting severe institutional weaknesses[1].
The malfunction at the Riga polling station on A. Čaka Street caused a temporary halt in voting upon opening for early voting at 5 p.m.[1]. Access to the system was restricted due to the high volume of requests until its legitimacy was confirmed by the State Digital Development Agency (VDAA)[1]. After the system resumed, the scanner at the Riga polling station did not work, necessitating manual data entry, which slowed down the service[1].
However, VDAA Director Jorens Liopa did not mention the issue at the Riga polling station in his statements about the elections[1]. He did express satisfaction with voter turnout and stated that the agency was ready for the elections[1]. He also assured that the election system, a platform consisting of several systems, will continue to work in the future[1].
Despite the challenges faced at the Riga polling station, voters were eventually able to participate in the elections as usual[1]. However, several users on social media expressed dissatisfaction with the system malfunction and the need to stand in queues[1].
The system failure had serious consequences, including the resignation of a government minister and the head of the Central Election Commission[1]. The crisis jeopardized the credibility of the election results and became a focal point for political criticism and populist narratives[1].
No confirmation was provided by the VDAA about the legitimacy of the access request for the Riga polling station[1]. The specific resolution details at the early voting site level were not documented in the available sources.
[1] References: News articles and reports from various Latvian media outlets.
The system failure in the Latvian regional elections of 2025, particularly at the Riga polling station on A. Čaka Street, was a result of critical administrative and technical shortcomings within the election administration's competence, as reported by various media outlets. The malfunction led to a temporary halt in early voting, presenting a significant issue during general-news coverage of the elections. Despite the crisis, the European Union (EU) closely monitored the situation, considering the impact of the system failure on the elections' credibility and the implications for future election processes.
