General Right to Vote
Constitution:
(1922, updated 1997)
Section 2, subsection 8 states: "All Latvian citizens, who enjoy
all rights and who on the election day have reached 18 years of age, shall be
entitled to vote."
Section 2, subsection 9 states: "Any Latvian citizen
may be
elected to the Saeima."
Exclusion Based on Mental
Disability
Electoral Law:
(1998: Saeima Election Law)
Article 5 states: "Persons are not to be included in the candidate
lists and are not eligible to the Saeima if they (1) have been legally recognized
as incapacitated
(4) have committed a criminal offence in an irresponsible
state or have fallen mentally ill after committing a crime and are incapable
of taking a conscious action or controlling it and as a result have been subjected
to compulsory treatment or their case has been dismissed without applying such
a coercive measure
"
Exclusion Based on Physical
Disability
Electoral Law:
(1998: Saeima Election Law)
Article 5 states: "Persons are not to be included in the candidate
lists and are not eligible to the Saeima if they
(7) have not mastered
the state language to the highest (third) proficiency level."
Voter Assistance by Other
Citizens
Electoral Law:
(1998: Saeima Election Law)
Article 25 states: "If a physical handicap prevents an elector from
voting or signing in the voters' list, a member of his/her family or some other
trustworthy person shall make notes in the ballot paper in his/her presence
according to word-of-mouth instructions given by the voter. A special entry
to this effect shall be made in the voters' list. A member of the relevant election
commission may not act as such a trustworthy person."
Poll Worker Manuals:
Instructions on the Work of Polling during the Saeima Elections Station Commissions
(1998)
If a person is physically incapacitated in such a way as to prevent him
from voting independently, he may receive assistance in marking his ballot from
a companion. This fact must be marked in the list of voters p 2
Off-Site Voting Alternatives
Electoral Law:
(1998: Saeima Election Law)
Article 24 paragraph (1) states: "If any elector is unable to arrive
at the polling station for health reasons, a written request may be filed with
the polling station commission by this elector or by an authorized person and
registered in a special journal; two members of the commission are authorized
to organize the voting at the place where the elector is placed, ensuring voting
by secret ballot. Specially authorized observers have the right to supervise
such voting."
Article 24 paragraph (2) states: "Names of the electors qualified
for absentee voting as provided in paragraph 1 of this Article, shall be entered
in a separate voters' list and the sealed ballot envelopes shall be inserted
into a separate sealed ballot box."