Lithuania introduces new rules for municipal elections, halves candidate deposit

Lithuania is implementing new regulations for its upcoming municipal council and mayoral elections, affecting both candidates and voters. A significant change includes reducing the candidate deposit by half, setting it at 1,214 euros for candidate lists or mayoral candidates. If a mayoral candidate is also on a list, only one deposit is required.

Eligibility criteria have also been updated. Candidates must have officially declared their place of residence within the municipality for a minimum of 130 days before the election date. Furthermore, they will be required to disclose whether they ever served in the former Soviet secret services, adding a layer of historical scrutiny to the electoral process.

The Central Election Commission (CEC) has pledged to refrain from publishing campaign programs containing misleading or false information. Additionally, third parties will be permitted to engage in election campaigning, provided they register with the election commission and comply with established financial limits. Campaigning will be allowed on election day itself, but not within polling stations or within a 50-meter radius of them.

To enhance accessibility, a larger portion of voters, including the elderly, will be able to cast their ballots from home upon submitting a request. Small donations to candidates can be made via money transfers. The article notes that this simplified version was prepared using artificial intelligence and verified by editors.