Central Election Commission (Latvia)

Central Election Commission
Latvian: Centrālā vēlēšanu komisija
Plaque by the CVK office in Riga
Plaque by the CVK office in Riga
Agency overview
Formed8 December 1992; 31 years ago (1992-12-08) (current form)
20 July 1922 (1922-07-20) (historically)
TypeCentral election commission
Jurisdiction Latvia
StatusActive
HeadquartersSmilšu iela 4,
Riga, Latvia, LV-1050[1]
56°57′01″N 24°06′21″E / 56.950320°N 24.105970°E / 56.950320; 24.105970
Agency executive
Websitecvk.lv

Central Election Commission (Latvian: Centrālā vēlēšanu komisija, abbreviated CVK) is the commission responsible for the organising and conducting of elections in the Republic of Latvia. It is regulated by Latvian national law.[2] It organises elections to the Saeima, the European Parliament, local councils as well as referendums. The CVK is an independent state-owned institution and consists of nine members serving four year terms: the chairperson plus seven of the members are elected by the Saeima, while the ninth member is chosen among the judges of the Supreme Court of Latvia.[1][2]

The commission was established in its current form after on 8 December 1992 after Latvian independence from the Soviet Union. It was, however, originally formed on 20 July 1922 for the first Saeima elections later same year.[1] Since March 2019, Kristīne Bērziņa has served as the commission's chairperson.[1][3]

Commission chairs

The commission has had five chairpersons:

Name Period
Marģers Skujenieks 1922—1934
Ansis Buševics[a] 1940
Atis Kramiņš 1993—1997
Arnis Cimdars 1997—2019
Kristīne Bērziņa 2019—present

Notes

  1. ^ Appointed and operated under the Soviet occupation of Latvia, supervising the conduction of the undemocratic "People's Saeima" elections.

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Central Election Commission". Central Election Commission of Latvia. Archived from the original on January 31, 2021. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Par Centrālo vēlēšanu komisiju". likumi.lv (in Latvian). Archived from the original on August 13, 2020. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  3. ^ "CVK ilggadējo vadītāju Cimdaru amatā nomaina Bērziņa" (in Latvian). Public Broadcasting of Latvia. March 21, 2019. Retrieved January 31, 2021.