Parliamentary elections were held in Latvia on 3 and 4 October 1931.[ 1] The Latvian Social Democratic Workers' Party remained the largest party, winning 21 of the 100 seats.[ 2] They were the last elections held under the Constitution of Latvia before the 1934 coup d'état and the last competitive elections held under Latvian law until 1993 .
1931 Latvian parliamentary election
This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.
Example of ballot paper from Riga constituency
For the elections the country was divided into five constituencies, electing a total of 100 MPs using proportional representation.[ 3] The list system used was made flexible, as voters were able to cross out candidates' names and replace them with names from other lists,[ 3] a system 35% of voters took advantage of.[ 3] Although 103 lists registered for the election, the number of competing lists dropped from 66 to 46.[ 4]
Party Votes % Seats +/– Latvian Social Democratic Workers' Party 186,000 19.23 21 –4 Latvian Farmers' Union 118,443 12.25 14 –2 Democratic Centre 60,397 6.24 6 +3 Latgalian Christian Peasant and Catholic Party 78,881 8.16 8 +2 Trade Union Workers and Peasants Group 61,272 6.33 6 +1 New Farmers-Small Landowners Party 56,021 5.79 7 +3 Latgalian Farmer-Labour Party 48,795 5.04 5 +2 Committee of the German Baltic Parties 38,805 4.01 5 –1 Progressive Association 21,929 2.27 3 New Christian National Union 21,208 2.19 3 –1 Party of Former Money Depositors 20,528 2.12 2 +1 Russian Orthodox and Voters of Labour Nation 20,528 2.12 2 New New Farmers' Association 18,981 1.96 2 New Agudas Israel 17,845 1.84 2 +1 United Polish Parties 16,928 1.75 2 New Party for Peace and Order 15,192 1.57 1 0 Party of the Orthodox 12,107 1.25 1 –1 Mizrachi 11,761 1.22 1 –1 National Union 11,100 1.15 0 –2 Women's Union 10,634 1.10 0 0 Russian Public Workers' Association 10,556 1.09 1 –1 Orthodox Voters 10,166 1.05 1 New Labour League of Latvia 8,851 0.92 1 0 Association of Russian Peasants and Russian Public Workers 8,298 0.86 1 New Workers and Poor Peasants 8,378 0.87 1 New List for Riga Germans for Vidzeme 6,138 0.63 1 New Trade Association of Railwaymen, Government Employees, Craftsmen and Workers 5,976 0.62 1 New Latgalian Latvian Union 5,882 0.61 1 0 Ceire Cion 5,274 0.55 0 –1 United List of New Farmers – Small Landowners Party, Economic Centre and Dischargees 5,065 0.52 0 New Bund 5,044 0.52 0 –1 Union of Christian and Working People 4,840 0.50 1 0 Polish-Catholic Latvian Union of Poles 4,202 0.43 0 –2 United List of Zemgale Jews 3,700 0.38 0 New Old Believers 3,857 0.40 0 –2 Progressive Union and Democratic Centre 3,786 0.39 0 New Unsatisfied New Farmers, Small Landholders and Fishermen 3,288 0.34 0 New Courlanders' Association 3,094 0.32 0 New Progressive Peasants and New Peasants of Zemgale 3,109 0.32 0 New Lithuanian Catholics and Belarusians 3,105 0.32 0 New Jewish Progressive Association 2,116 0.22 0 New Association of Latvian Tenants 1,806 0.19 0 New Latvian Social Democratic Opposition Workers 1,778 0.18 0 New Latgalian Land Ploughmen, Radical Democrats and Soldier Liberators 1,556 0.16 0 New Total 967,220 100.00 100 0 Valid votes 967,220 99.30 Invalid/blank votes 6,855 0.70 Total votes 974,075 100.00 Registered voters/turnout 1,217,914 79.98 Source: Nohlen & Stöver