Valimised.ee pealeht

Print

Voting on election day at polling place

The election week starts on Monday, and it consists of six advance voting days and the election day on Sunday, when the election week ends. On election day, the voter can vote only at the polling places of the voting districts of the electoral district of their residence.

Voting on election day opens at 9 a.m. and closes at 8 p.m.

The elections information notice sent to the voters gives an overview of the locations of the polling places in the voting districts of the electoral districts of their residence. It is not necessary to bring the elections information notice to the polling place for voting.

The voter’s right to vote is ascertained by their personal identification code. Voters must carry an identity document. Identity documents include:

  • ID card;
  • Estonian passport;
  • diplomatic passport;
  • seafarer’s discharge book;
  • driver’s licence.

Upon presentation of an identity document, a member of the voting district committee gives the voter a ballot paper. The voter signs the list of voters against receipt of the ballot paper, and a notification on their voting is made in the electronic list of voters.

A ballot paper is completed in the voting booth, where the list of candidates is displayed on the wall. The voter writes the registration number of the candidate they vote for on the ballot paper. In a referendum, the wording of the issue or the title of the draft Act submitted to the referendum, and spaces marked with “jah” (‘yes’) and “ei” (‘no’) are entered on the ballot paper. The voter indicates their preference by writing “x” or another comprehensible symbol.

After completing the ballot paper, the voter folds the ballot paper and hands it to a member of the voting district committee who puts an impression of a seal to the outside of the folded ballot paper. After that, the voter deposits the ballot paper in the ballot box themselves.

Each voter votes for themselves, and it is not allowed to authorise anyone else to do it. If a voter is unable to complete the ballot paper themselves due to a physical disability, another voter, but not a candidate, can do so at their request and in their presence.

If a voter spoils a ballot paper, they have the right to receive a new ballot paper from the voting district committee. The spoilt ballot paper must be returned to the voting district committee. If the voter has already marked their choice on the ballot paper, it must be crossed out in such a way as to render the choice illegible before returning the ballot paper to the voting district committee.

The ballot paper must not be taken out of the polling place. If the voter decides not to vote, the ballot paper must definitely be returned to the voting district committee.