RIGA, June 3 (LETA) - A total of 54,317 people or 5.63 percent of all eligible voters cast their ballots during the first two days of the early voting in Latvia's local elections, Central Election Commission's representative Laura Zaharova reported.

By 16:00 today people were able to cast their votes in 732 polling stations, while the polling station in Madona county will be open until 20:00 today.

People were most active in Latgale where 10,852 people or 6.17 percent of all voters cast their ballots. In Vidzeme, 3,841 people or 6.03 percent of voters cast their ballots. In Kurzeme, 9,596 people or 5.22 percent voted, while in Zemgale - 10,028 people or 4.79 percent of voters went for early voting.

As reported, early voting in Latvia's 2021 local elections began at 731 polling stations across Latvia on Monday afternoon. 

Early voting will did not take place on Tuesday and Wednesday, but resumed on Thursday.

On Friday, June 4, polling stations will be open from 13:00 to 20:00, while in Madona county - from 11:00 to 20:00, and on the day of local elections voting will take place from 7:00 to 20:00.

This year, local elections in Latvia are taking place in 39 municipalities - six cities and 33 regions. The newly created South Kurzeme region, for instance, is one constituency and voters in this region can cast their ballots at any polling station within its territory.

There will be no elections in Riga this year because the capital city's council was already elected last year. Also, local elections have been put off in the regions of Rezekne county after the Supreme Court invalidated the Varaklani region's merger with the Rezekne region.