I would like to remind those of you abroad who plan to register to vote by mail that this is the last minute—you have until the tenth to do so.

Please register—and vote!

/P

Sveiks, Pēteri!

Out of curiosity, would you be willing to guess how many times over the last 17 years you personally would have been willing to pay for overnight private mail services (FedEx or DHL, etc) in order to participate in Latvia’s elections and/or referendums had you lived abroad?  This costs at least $50 +/- each time, since ballots must be postmarked on the Saturday that elections are held, but received by the Embassy on the following Monday.  (This doesn’t include the previous expenses of insuring the voter’s *and* Embassy’s expenses of insuring a passport’s transit through the mail system, in order to register to vote.  All of these, btw, are California prices.) 

More to the point:  how often do you think economic emigrants from LV to western Europe should reasonably be expected to go through this rigarmarole?  Is it any wonder that the vast majority - most not living near an LV electoral precinct abroad -  don’t bother to participate in voting?  Isn’t that a tragedy that those who have the most incentive to return to LV have been given relatively expensive hoops to jump through, if they want to be heard politically?

A year ago, and with a follow-up six months ago, I attempted to ‘push the envelope’ about this particular issue in LV in order to change the law through an ngo.  In other words, instead of registering voter participation in passports, a Voter Register needs to be used (which doesn’t require an economic emigrant foregoing his/her passport in a foreign country for a few weeks while registering to vote). This is the standard in all other EU countries with absentee voting.  Also, a more reasonable approach needs to be adopted about the postmark of a voter’s envelope that contains an absentee ballot, so that expensive private mail services aren’t required.  The ngo agreed 100%.  (As do CVK members - but, unofficially.) I haven’t a clue how to convince so-called parties/groups/coalitions that don’t have an especial reason to care about how many voters participate in any election.

This is the first time in 12 years (i.e., the last 4 elections) that I won’t be in LV for a Saeima election.  But, I certainly have paid my share of expenses to FedEx in order to jump through the hoops of LV’s laws in regard to referendums and the first two elections.  But I ain’t doin’ it any more.  I certainly hope I’ll be able to get to SF on October 2 to cast a ballot locally, but who knows what other responsibilities I’ll have that day. 

Even more fervently, I hope that someone is willing to fight about making voting procedures reasonable for the tens - and hundreds! - of thousands of LV citizens who’ve left LV in the last decade for jobs in the West.  (Are you listening, Ojar?  Please, forgive me for saying this, but for once, please listen & absorb but spare us the PR rap.  Sorry, it’s *not* going to turn out ok in the long run.  Nothing changes in LV until someone is willing to fight like hell to alter the existing order.  And even then, it’s iffy.)

From other country’s experiences, we can gather that at best 1/3 of the economic emigrants will return to LV.  If LV’s government isn’t planning on making it feasible for even this 1/3 to stay connected politically, then what percentage - of these folks & their kids - does anyone think might return?

Visu labu,

E.

I completely agree that it is a stupidly nightmarish and insanely expensive process. From looking about in comments here and there, it is just as nightmarish if anybody is going anywhere during the elections—it seems that some here felt compelled to register with a Latvian embassy abroad, even travelling to a neighboring country, because there was no other way to do it if they had to leave during the elections. And worst of all (or—as so often) it is utterly pointless.

Vysu lobu,
/P

Sveiki!

“/...../ it is just as nightmarish if anybody is going anywhere during the elections /...../”

Yet Latvia’s parliamentary election law is nightmarish mostly because the European Parliament elections take into account the probability that some voters will unexpectedly have business trips (or other unforeseen reasons) that preclude being able to participate in the election on the scheduled day.  As a result, precincts in LV are open several days earlier for EP elections, specifically to accommodate these voters.  This, however, isn’t true for Latvia’s parliamentary elections of the Saeima.

I personally knew three different people in 2006 during the week prior to the 9th Saeima’s election who were angry that LV had no provision for their unexpected circumstances.  All of them would be out of the country on the Saturday of the election, moreover in municipalities in Europe or Asia quite far from a Latvian embassy where they could just show up to vote.  Having experienced voting in EP elections prior to the official election day (btw, 10% of EP election participants use this option), they were incredulous that LV didn’t allow them to do likewise for the country’s in-house election of its own parliament.  As well they should be.

Visu labu,

E.

Am I missing the obvious, or wouldn’t this be something ALA or PBLA would leverage their resources and clout (what clout they have) to change?

Peteris,
This is fundamental stuff and it’s just mind-boggling that the primitively unnecessary and burdensome requirements for voting have not been solved to benefit the citizens of the democracy.  That’s why I say it’s your country - and that of Aleksejs - and those who have direct access in Latvia to organize Latvians and politicians to change this.  You’ve had all these years of complaining but the political activism has been sorely lacking.  I watched the goofy French demonstrate in the millions to not have the retirement age raised.  Who organized them and how did they find the time and make the effort to show up?  Maybe the action of the French won’t be effective in this case but it matters for the citizens of any country to be a force of activism to keep their representatives from being out of control as in Latvia.  This passivity and cynicism in Latvia is deadly and obviously hasn’t worked.  It’s like Ivars Ijabs doing such a marvelous job recounting all the failures - and it’s all very clever writing and one can even be amused - but he and you and Aleksejs were there while it happened and watched it - grotesque move by grotesque move.  Gasp! Doesn’t anyone have any experience with political organizing in Latvia and effective political activism on focus issues and interests?  Are people so factionalized and alienated and deeply cynical about politics that it truly is as hopeless as it looks?  One has to feel some passion for one’s issues and hopefully one’s country.  That was my complaint about Ivars Ijabs and what I perceived to be his attitude that excused the young people of Latvia from political activism because they had so many more pressing and personal interests.  So whose country is it and who is minding “the store” that they expect to be filled for them???  Maybe I misunderstood him because he is a smart and likable fellow who could do wonders to inspire the young people of Latvia to be responsible citizens of their democracy that needs them and not the corrupt and greedy politicians they abandon their responsibility and country to.  Leaders needs to be positive and build unity and solidarity and inspire the best in people not assist them in finding excuses.

Merely recounting past failure and cynically criticizing activism as futile makes the future loom pretty bleak.  I know that excellent people have expended super-human efforts on behalf of Latvia and still are doing so. I can’t thank them enough and am so grateful for their inspired and inspiring efforts.  I think that’s why all this negativity from those who are influential, like Ijabs, or even like you, Peteris, Aleksejs, etc,. around “tautiskums,” Latvian history, the Latvian language, anything Latvian from Latvians who think they are not - you are not - influencing the youth of Latvia, the Russians, those who already feel alienated but could be drawn in, those who are looking but don’t need much of an excuse to not take any personal political responsibility, those who are looking for passionate engagement and find it in May 9 and alcohol, etc. can’t blame the politicians who are merely filling with their false promises the void you create when you dump the bathwater like there was no precious baby for everyone to unite to protect and nurture to maturity.

Elizabete et al.,

“his costs at least $50 +/- each time, since ballots must be postmarked on the Saturday that elections are held, but received by the Embassy on the following Monday.  (This doesn’t include the previous expenses of insuring “

Where do you get the expenses of $50 ?

I sent in to the Embassy in DC my passport with the request form to vote.  Three days later I get my passport back with a note that the ballots will be mailed to me.  I do make sure to hand the postal clerk the envelope with the passport, and ask him how much the postage is(less than $1.00).  Have been doing that for years past and have had no problems.

Visu labu,

Interesting and quite presumptuous post by ambersun forces me to ask some questions that undoubtedly will fall on ambersun’s deaf ears and push her to run back into the mountains.

How do you know, ambersun, that I, or Peteris, do nothing to help the situation of political nihilism? For the record, both of us were there on a cold snowy day in October 2007, attending the event called tautas sapulce which was against that kind of politics. Does it make it all better and relevant for you, embi?

What I don’t get though is the projection of the US politics into the Latvian politics. It is all fine and dandy sitting in the warmth of your home, watching the Tea Parties organize to push whatever agenda and wonder, why doesn’t Peteris or Aleksejs do the same? Why don’t they organize a grass-root movement? Have you considered, ambersun, that Latvians’ and Americans’ mentality, historic background, problems are perhaps very different to use a template of “organize yourselves”? Neither one of us can get you to look at Latvian politicians that served in all governments since the restoration of independence. Neither one of us can get you to analyze the causes of the 20 years of Latvian rule. Instead, you hide behind the Soviet-reformed phrasing. It won’t be too long before that label will become obsolete because everyone who participated in the Soviet deformity will have passed away and one would have to take a closer look in the mirror.

You still see everything through the ethnical lens, yet the two great Latvians - one as the former minister of transport, another is thrice prime minister - are eagerly willing to sell off to Russia. Will you excuse them as you seem to be excusing Gerhards’ appearance on TV-5? Does being an ethnic Latvian mean that one can write off incompetence, corruption? Is a corrupt Latvian better than an honest Russian? Russians didn’t call for pushing economic medal to the metal. Russians didn’t spend the budget during the so-called boom years. Russians didn’t have any impact on the economic disaster that Latvia finds itself at the moment. Still want to blame Russians?

I’m sure you saw Usakov interview to the NRA published a couple of days ago. I wonder what you thought about it, in particular the question of occupation and language were mentioned. Usakov was indeed a weasel in his responses, but still it was a riveting read.

I live in Kent and many seasonal workers have arrived to harvest apples and pears, including many from Latvia.  I made pretty good connections with this group the same time last year and so I now know how they live when they are here. They basically work flat out 10 hours a day with solid physical labour for up to 6 days a week. They sometimes get taken by a minibus to other farms 40 minutes drive away before starting their 10 hours work. Once back they are exhausted, but then they must cook a meal before going to bed, often as early as 9pm.

With such a lifestyle, is it surprising that organising a way to vote falls out of their radar. My wife, on the other hand, will simply take the High Speed train to London and vote at the Emabssy. But then she is in a position to know that she will have the time and money to do this.

Sveiki!

Int, PBLA (also Daugavas Vanagi and ELJA 50)  are sponsors of the Vēlēšanu Reformas Biedrība, an NGO.  This truly is an active, non-partisan organization that among other things also organizes pre-election debates (for local and national elections) where local voters can actually meet candidates.  If anyone wants to support and/or join VĒL, instructions can be found at:  http://www.velref.lv/lv/page/70/80

Glory be: the law has been changed for absentee ballots since the 6th Saeima election in 1995 when I last voted in the States.  I distinctly remember driving around Marin to pick up ballots from neighors who like me couldn’t make it into SF on election day.  We threw money together to cover the Fedex costs for overnight shipping.  It’s good that at least something changes for the better. 

However, that economic emigrants who want to vote by mail are expected to live in a foreign country without a passport for a period of time does not indicate a government that’s interested in fostering voter participation in elections .  Should anyone be interested, the reason that politicians don’t want to introduce the use of an Electoral Register for national parliamentary elections (which is required by the EU for EP elections) is quite simple:  relatives and supporters of specific political candidates are told to go to a specific electoral constituency in LV to cast their ballots.  If an Electoral Register were used, this horrible practice would end and lessen the chances of dark-horse candidates winning.   

Visu labu,

E.

Elizabete,
Sirsniigs paldies par paskaidrojumu.

Sveiki!

Int, ņem par labu. : )  I don’t read LOL very regularly, but somehow had the impression that people were already aware of VĒL and its work.

It’s particularly gratifying that it’s supported by a mix of western and Latvia’s Latvians.  For that matter, that’s also true of its advisors, which include (among others) Jānis Peniķis, Lolita Čigāne, Juris Dreifelds, Brigita Zepa, and Ivars Ījabs, whose articles frequently have been cited here.

Visu labu,

E.

Greetings, Rowfant!

Although I meant to address your post on this thread a few days ago, in my haste I didn’t.  I’m afraid that I’m two steps behind myself of late.

I just wanted to say that yours is a very welcome voice on this forum!  The economic migrants from Latvia have a wide range of skills and experience.  It’s great that you’re filling us in on what you’ve encountered in Kent.  Better yet would be to keep us up-to-date with any changes and your insights over the course of time. 

Ultimately, this is all part of Latvia’s social history.  Though recording WWII experiences currently is in vogue, the lives of LV’s contemporary economic migrants will also need to be gathered eventually.  If you kept a notebook (be that electronic via LOL or your hard drive), or even hand-written in the ‘old-fashioned’ way : ), this could be a great source.

Paldies! : )

Elizabete

Pielaiko partiju! Aizpildi anketu un salīdzini savu viedokli ar partiju uzskatiem!

More than half of voters allow falsification of the election results, a new poll shows.

Aleks,

My Latvian is poor, but my take is that a majority expect fraud to occur in th upcoming elections, not that they would allow, permit, or condone it…

Pierre