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Latvia’s 15th Saeima election is under way on 3 October 2026, with polling stations scheduled to open from 08:00 to 20:00 local time. The vote is taking place amid public concern about possible foreign interference, but Latvia’s State Security Service said on 28 September that it had not identified significant and systematic attempts by Russia or other hostile countries to steer the result toward a party or candidate.
What is happening in Latvia today?
Latvia is electing its 15th Saeima, the country’s parliament. The Central Election Commission (CEC) lists election-day polling hours as 08:00–20:00 local time on 3 October 2026. Al Jazeera reported that polls opened at 05:00 GMT and were due to close at 17:00 GMT.
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Al Jazeera reported about 1.5 million eligible voters and 14 electoral lists contesting the election. At the time of its election-day report, polls suggested around seven lists might clear the 5% threshold for parliamentary representation. Those figures are forecasts, not official results. The reviewed reporting did not establish final turnout, vote totals, seat distribution or a governing coalition; the CEC is the place to check for results as they are published.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsWhat is the evidence behind concern about Russian interference?
Public concern is not proof of interference
A TNS Latvia survey commissioned by the State Chancellery in July 2026 found that 36.2% of Latvia’s residents were concerned about possible election interference by Russia or another country hostile to Latvia. This measures concern, not the number of people who witnessed interference and not whether interference occurred.
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What the security service said it had detected
In a statement dated 28 September 2026, Latvia’s State Security Service (VDD) said: “VDD currently has not identified significant and systematic attempts by Russia or other countries hostile towards Latvia to influence the results of the Saeima elections in favour of any political party or candidate.” The agency also said it had identified individual attempts to spread election-related disinformation linked to specific political parties. It warned that provocations could not be ruled out.
These are distinct points: VDD’s statement does not establish that no interference took place, while the individual disinformation attempts it identified are not, by themselves, evidence of a significant and systematic campaign to determine the result.
The wider security context
VDD’s summary of its 2025 annual report described Russia’s intelligence and security services as the biggest threat to Latvia’s national security that year, citing intelligence activity, malign activity, psychological operations, propaganda and online disinformation. That broad assessment provides context for public concern, but it is separate from the service’s election-specific assessment issued on 28 September 2026.
How authorities prepared to protect the vote
The Cabinet says preparations began in January 2026 and included testing technical solutions, refining response scenarios and coordinating public information. Its 28 September briefing describes measures spanning foreign influence and information manipulation, AI-generated content and deepfakes, cyberattacks, illegal campaigning, covert funding, vote-buying, physical threats and public order.
- Election technology: authorities monitor election IT, conduct independent audits and use an electronic online voter register.
- Counting: ballot papers are counted manually at polling stations; they are not scanned during counting. Results are reported progressively through the CEC.
- Disruption: polling hours may be extended if voting is temporarily suspended because of an airborne threat.
- Public information: the Cabinet says institutions’ role is to safeguard a fair process, equal opportunities and every voter’s right to vote freely—not to influence political choices.
For procedures and official results, the Cabinet identifies the CEC website as the primary source. VDD has also urged the public to report suspected vote buying, coercion, illegal campaigning and deliberately false or discrediting election deepfakes through its or police reporting channels. Political leafleting and campaigning at polling stations are prohibited on election day and the preceding day.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Security concerns are only part of the election
Election-day reporting also pointed to cost-of-living pressures and difficult coalition arithmetic. Al Jazeera described most parties as pro-Ukraine and characterized Sovereign Power’s position on support for Ukraine as differing from the mainstream; it reported that several parties had ruled out a coalition with Sovereign Power. These are reported political positions and coalition expectations, not election outcomes.
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Al Jazeera reported polling estimates of about 20% for the United List and about 9% for Latvia First. Those numbers describe polling expectations, not vote shares or seats. Its report also said Latvia was allocating nearly 5% of GDP to defence. That figure is attributed to Al Jazeera’s election-day report.
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A separate July TNS Latvia survey commissioned by the State Chancellery found that 73.3% of Latvian citizens said they planned to vote, up 4.4 percentage points from March 2026. This was stated intention, not actual turnout.
Where to check what happens next
Check the CEC for voting procedures and progressively reported results. Until official totals are published, turnout and party standings should not be described as final. Security statements should likewise be read precisely: public concern, individual disinformation attempts and evidence of systematic efforts to influence the result are different claims.
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