Candidates will pay lower election deposits
The Seimas decided to reduce the election deposit by half (to 0.5 VMDU). For the upcoming municipal council and mayoral elections, the VMDU amount will be 2,428 euros, so the deposit amount will be 1,214 euros. The election deposit is paid for the candidate list or candidate for mayor. In cases where a person on the candidate list is nominated as a candidate for mayor, only one deposit will need to be paid.
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The deposit for candidates participating in municipal council elections who hold incompatible positions has also been reduced to this amount, and this deposit will be refunded to them earlier.
Clarified requirements for candidates and the procedure for counting voters’ signatures
The main election law has extended the mandatory residence period for a candidate in the municipality where they are running. It is defined that a person who has declared their residence in a specific municipality for at least 130 days before the election will be considered a permanent resident of that municipality.
The candidate’s place of residence is also important when collecting signatures for candidates, as only residents of the municipality where the person is running can sign for the candidates.
Currently, if a voter signs both electronically and on paper, neither signature is counted. The improved code stipulates that in elections whose political campaign starts after September 1 of this year, if it is found that a voter signed for the same candidate or candidate list two or more times or signed both paper and electronic voter signature collection sheets, only one of their signatures will be counted.
Clarified the concept of “collaboration with the USSR special services”
A clarification was made in the mandatory candidate questionnaire section about collaboration with the former USSR special services – the word “consciously” was removed. This section was also supplemented with a requirement to indicate whether the candidate has worked as a staff member of the USSR State Security Committee or other special services.
This legislative improvement will allow voters to be more clearly informed about the candidates’ connections with Soviet special services.
More accurate information about candidates before the elections
Until now, the procedure did not allow updating candidates’ submitted data on the VRK website. With the entry into force of the Election Code provisions, candidates who update their declarations of public interests, assets, or income before the elections will be able to have these declarations’ data updated on the VRK website upon their request, based on information received from the Chief Official Ethics Commission or the State Tax Inspectorate.
Ban on spreading disinformation during election campaigning established
The adopted amendments to the main election law clarified the provisions defining election campaigning. Election campaigning, as before, includes both direct calls to vote and other actions that may influence voters’ decisions.
The Election Code was supplemented with a provision that the VRK does not publish or print election programs if they deny fundamental constitutional values, contradict the national security interests of the Republic of Lithuania, or contain misleading and/or false (not corresponding to reality) information. Also, during campaigning, election participants are prohibited from spreading misleading, false, and reality-distorting information.
Persons interested in election results will be able to campaign only after registering with the VRK
An interested person will be considered a natural person or group with active voting rights in the relevant elections who is not a participant or candidate in the election political campaign, not a member of a political organization, and not connected with a political campaign participant, and who, aiming to shape voters’ opinions, will conduct election campaigning and spread political advertising supporting or opposing candidates or their lists during the election political campaign using their own funds or donations received.
Interested persons will be able to conduct election campaigning using financial resources or by receiving services usually provided for a fee and only after registering with the VRK, and election campaign participants or candidates and related persons will not be allowed to participate in their election campaigning.
An interested person may spend up to 5 VMDU (12,140 euros), and their activity may be financed only from natural persons’ funds.
Also, if several interested persons campaign for or against a particular participant, their total expenses may not exceed half of the political campaign participant’s expense limit and 50 VMDU (121,400 euros). Interested persons must declare expenses and funding sources and submit a report to the VRK.
Until now, the activities of third parties during political campaigns were not regulated. This Election Code innovation will bring more transparency to political campaigns.
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Campaigning will be allowed on election day
Another innovation – election and referendum campaigning will be allowed during early voting and on election Sunday.
The ban on campaigning will apply only inside voting premises and within 50 meters around buildings where voting takes place.
The Election Code also establishes a provision regarding the allocation of public-purpose premises for candidates’ meetings with voters.
More voters will be able to vote at home
During the upcoming local elections, more people will be able to express their civic will by voting at home. Also, voters of retirement age who cannot come to the polling station on election day due to health reasons will be able to vote at home. They will only need to submit a request to the VRK to vote at home.
Small donations to candidates will be allowed via money transfers
To expand opportunities for Lithuanian residents to financially support their chosen candidates, the Election Code was supplemented with a provision that small donations – currently up to 70 euros – can also be collected via money transfers. The VRK emphasizes that it is important that such donations are accepted if the money transfer was received through a service provider holding an Electronic Money Institution license issued by the Bank of Lithuania. It is also important that the donor’s name, surname, and personal code are indicated in the bank statement of the election political campaign account.
As before, election participants can also be supported by bank transfers and electronic payment methods that allow identifying the donor.
Expanded regulation of election observers’ activities
Considering the geopolitical situation, the Seimas established that election commissions may refuse to register an election observer or cancel the registration if there are suspicions that the person proposed by a subject representing a foreign state or international organization may act in the interests of a foreign state recognized as a threat to Lithuania’s national security.
The code clarifies election observers’ rights regarding filming or photographing to record violations. It also establishes that election observers may not influence elections or their results, abuse their rights or observer status, or publicly spread misleading, false, or reality-distorting information.
Members of the Central Election Commission will gain the right to work with classified information
To prevent possible risks during elections, Parliament supplemented the Election Code with a provision that the VRK chairperson and members must apply for permission to work with and access classified information marked with a secrecy level not lower than “Secret” within one month of their appointment.
The Seimas also decided that other state institutions must inform the VRK if they identify risks to the election process.
The Election Code was also supplemented with a requirement to know the state language for persons working in municipal election commissions and precinct election commissions.
All these Election Code amendments were adopted with 101 Seimas members voting, no objections, and one abstention. They will apply to elections whose political campaign starts from September 1, 2026.
The President of the Republic has already approved the improvements to the main election law.
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