For the first time, Lithuania’s expats can vote in a single-member constituency established for the country’s diaspora. But as many returned to Lithuania to wait out the pandemic, they found that they could not vote for their candidate.
Mantas, who asked to remain anonymous, works and lives in the United Kingdom. He had a planned trip to Lithuania that coincided with the first round of the country’s parliamentary election.
“I had already chosen a candidate in the single-member constituency for Lithuanians living abroad. But after arriving at the early voting station in Lithuania and presenting my identity document, I realised that it would take more time than expected,” the man said.
Read more: With new constituency for expats, Lithuanian presidents urges diaspora to vote
The staff could not find Mantas’ address because he was registered in the UK. The system showed his name, but the man could not vote without having a Lithuanian postcode.
“Nobody knew what to do. They told me that the single-member constituency for those voting abroad did not exist,” Mantas explained.
Later, the staff advised him to choose any address in Lithuanian and vote in a single-member constituency that corresponded to it.
According to Mantas, he understood the importance of voting and chose the candidate only after studying all the necessary information. But because of the confusion, he had to vote in the constituency where he did not know the candidates.
“The Central Electoral Commission (VRK) did not fully develop the system. […] I found out that I am not alone. Many emigrants came back to Lithuania due to the coronavirus or to visit relatives and hoped to be able to vote here,” he said.
Mantas said that the system was unfair because people living in Lithuania can vote anywhere in the country for their constituency candidates, while the same is not true for expats.
According to the VRK, however, Lithuanians living abroad can only vote in the embassies or by post.
“[Only] people who come to a diplomatic or consular office, or send in their voting documents by post, can vote in the single-member constituency for Lithuanians living abroad. […] Based on the electoral law, diplomatic and consular offices are the ones conducting the voting [...] in this constituency,” VRK said in a written response.
According to the commission, expats can still vote in the constituency for Lithuanians living abroad if they go to the country's embassy or consular service abroad.
Early voting in the Lithuanian parliamentary elections started on October 5 and will last until 20:00 on October 8.
Read more: Lithuania to redraw voting districts to establish expat constituency
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