site.btaSome 15,000 Involved in Lithuania's European Elections Arrangements

The organisation of the European Parliament elections in Lithuania involves some 15,000 people, according to data published on the website of the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) in Lithuania. This is the total number of members of electoral commissions in the country and abroad, which were formed back in April, as the first and second rounds of the local presidential elections took place on May 12 and 26.

Between June 4 and 6, Lithuanian citizens have the opportunity to vote early in specially opened polling stations, stationed mainly in the buildings of local municipalities. Voting in the largest early voting polling station in the country – the one in the Vilnius municipality building, showed that voting was going on normally.

Election day began at 7 a.m. and ends at 8 p.m. local time.

On June 4 and 5, a total of 52,000 people exercised their right to vote. The commission is yet to release turnout figures for the third day of early voting, June 6.

Lina Petroniene, Chairperson of the Lithuanian CEC, commented that the Commission will be one of the largest employers in Lithuania between April and June. In her words, three quarters of the CEC budget in 2024 will be spent on the salaries of election commission members. 

The CEC also said that compared to 2019, in 2024, the hourly rates, used to calculate the salaries of election commission chairs and members, have doubled.

According to Lithuanian electoral law, citizens can vote early in all 60 Lithuanian municipalities, regardless of where they reside. The actual European Parliament elections will take place on June 9. A total of 15 formations, 14 parties and one coalition with a total of 319 candidates are competing in the elections in Lithuania.

According to political analysts, the European elections campaign in Lithuania is lacklustre, as it was overshadowed by the two rounds of presidential elections in the country and voter fatigue is being observed. There is hardly any advertising material with electoral content to be seen around Vilnius, except for a few billboards in the city centre and on a few public transport stops.