A total of 13 political parties or coalitions will be on the ballot Sept. 17 when Latvian voters go to the polls in the homeland and abroad to elect a new parliament, according to the Central Election Commission in Rīga.

No. 1 in the packet of candidate lists voters will receive will be Vienotība (Unity), a center-right party that merges Jaunais laiks (New Era), Pilsoniskā savienība (Civic Union) and Sabiedrība citai politikai (Society for a Different Politics).

The order of lists was determined Aug. 19 in a drawing run by the election commission. Voters on Sept. 17 will choose one list to vote for, and may promote or demote specific candidates on that list.

The election for the 11th Saeima is a result of the July 23 referendum in which voters resoundingly chose to dissolve the 10th Saeima, a response called for by former President Valdis Zatlers.

The order of candidate lists is as follows:

1. Vienotība, which controlled the most seats in the 10th Saeima—33 out of 100—and currently runs the government in coalition with Zaļo un Zemnieku savienība (Union of Greens and Farmers).
2. Latvijas Sociāldemokrātiskā strādnieku partija (Latvian Socialdemocratic Workers Party, or LSDSP). The party appeared on the ballot for the 10th Saeima under the umbrella of the Atbildība socialdemocratic coalition.
3. Zatlera Reformu partija (Zatlers’ Reform Party). The party was officially founded July 23—the same day as the referendum—and is led by the former president, Zatlers.
4. Kristīgi demokrātiskā savienība (Christian Democratic Union), a centrist Christian-oriented party.
5. Šlesera Reformu partija LPP/LC (Šlesers’ Reform Party LPP/LC), a conservative party led by oligarch Ainārs Šlesers. Under the banner of Par labu Latviju! (For a Good Latvia!), the party in the last parliamentary election partnered with the now-defunct Tautas partija (People’s Party) led by oligarch Andris Šķēle. Together they controlled eight seats in the Saeima. Partly as a commentary on the new party led by Zatlers, Latvijas Pirmā partija (First Party of Latvia, or LPP/LC) changed its name to the Šlesera Reformu partija.
6. Saskaņas Centrs (Harmony Centre), the center-left Russian-oriented bloc that had the second greatest number of seats, 29,  in the 10th Saeima.
7. Par cilvēka tiesībām vienotā Latvijā (For Human Rights in a United Latvia, or PCTVL), the left-leaning pro-Moscow party that once had great resonance among Russian-speaking voters.
8. Nacionālā apvienība “Visu Latvijai!” – “Tēvzemei un Brīvība/LNNK”, a recently formed nationalist and conservative bloc. In the previous election, the bloc won eight seats in the Saeima. The right-wing conservative Tēvzemei un Brīvībai/LNNK (For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK) is the older party, formed in 1997. Visu Latvijai! (All for Latvia) began as a political movement in 2002.
9. Par prezidentālu republiku (For a Presidential Republic), a reformist party that, among other goals, seeks direct election of the president and a smaller Saeima.
10. Pēdējā partija (Last Party), a somewhat tongue-in-cheek movement that eschews traditional politics. It seeks a reduction in the role of political parties and an increase in civic involvement.
11. Zaļo un Zemnieku savienība (ZZS), a conservative party that controlled 22 seats in the 10th Saeima. It runs the current government in coalition with Vienotība. ZZS is tied to oligrach and Ventspils Mayor Aivars Lembergs.
12. Tautas kontrole (Control by the People), a centrist and family-oriented party.
13. Brīvība: Brīvs no bailēm, naida un dusmām (Freedom: Free from Fear, Hate and Anger), a new movement based in Ventspils that seeks, among other goals, direct election of the president and creation of a new constitution.

Details about each party’s or coalition’s platform are available from the Central Election Commission’s website, www.cvk.lv.

For the first time ever Latvian citizens will be able to vote in a parliamentary election in Scotland, as Edinburgh is to have one of 77 polling stations operating abroad on Sept. 17.

Voters that day will cast ballots to elect the 11th Saeima, two months after they overwhelmingly sacked the 100 members of the 10th Saeima.

The number of polling stations that will operate outside Latvia is a record for a parliamentary election. During the July 23 referendum on dissolving the 10th Saeima, 78 polling stations were open abroad, which is the largest number ever in a Latvian vote.

Based on the list of locations approved by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, voters in some parts of the world may face challenges in getting to a nearby polling station.

In Germany, a polling station has been added in Düsseldorf, but polling stations will not operate in Bonn, Esslingen or Muenster, all of which had them for the referendum.

Voters in Santiago, Chile, and in Caracas, Venezuela—both of which had polling stations for the referendum—will have to make other arrangements.

• Australia at the Latvian House “Tālavā,” 4 Clark St., Wayville (Adelaide), South Australia; Latvian House, 24 Church Ave, Buranda (Brisbane), Queensland; Latvian House Melbourne, 3 Dickens St., Elwood, Victoria; Latvian Center, 60 Cleaver Terrace, Belmont (Perth), Western Australia; and the Sydney Latvian House, 32 Parnell St., Stathfield, New South Wales.
• Austria at the Embassy of Latvia, Stefan Esders Platz 4, Vienna.
• Azerbaijan at the Embassy of Latvia on the sixth floor of the Caspian Plaze, 44 J. Jabbarli St., Baku.
• Belarus at the Embassy of Latvia, 6a Doroshevicha St., Minsk, and the Consulate of Latvia, 27a B. Hmelnickogo St., Vitebsk.
• Belgium at the Embassy of Latvia, 23 avenue des Arts, Brussels.
• Brazil at the Honorary Consulate-General of Latvia, Rua Jacques Felix 586, Ap. 12, Sao Paulo.
• Canada at the Embassy of Latvia, 350 Sparks St., Suite 1200, Ottawa; the Latvian Center, 3955 Provost, Lachine, Quebec; and the Latvian Canadian Cultural Centre, 4 Credit Union Drive, Toronto.
• China at the Embassy of Latvia, Unit 71, Green Land Garden No. 1A, Green Land Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing.
• The Czech Republic at the Embassy of Latvia, 3 Hradeshinska St., Prague.
• Denmark at the Embassy of Latvia, 17 Rosbaeksvej, Copenhagen, and in west central part of the country at Flegborg 8-10, Vejle.
• Egypt at the Embassy of Latvia on the eighth floor of the Abou El Feda Building, 3 Abou El Feda St., Cairo.
• Estonia at the Embassy of Latvia, 10 Tõnismägi St., Tallinn.
• Finland at the Embassy of Latvia, Armfeltintie 10, Helsinki.
• France at the Embassy of Latvia, 6 villa Saïd, Paris, and the Latvian Permanent Representative Office, 67 Alle de la Robertsau, Strasbourg.
• Georgia at the Embassy of Latvia, 4 Odessa St., Tbilisi.
• Germany at the Embassy of Latvia, Reinerzstr. 40-41, Berlin; the Honorary Consulate of Latvia, Vogelsanger Weg 6, Düsseldorf; the Honorary Consulate of Latvia, Deutsches Aktieninstitut e.V., Niedenau 13-19, Frankfurt am Main; the Honorary Consulate of Latvia, Neuer Wall 7, Hamburg; and the Honorary Consulate of Latvia, Ohmstrasse 22, Munich.
• Greece at the Embassy of Latvia, 38 Vas. Konstantinou Ave., Athens.
• Hungary at the Embassy of Latvia, 20 Vas Gereben utca, Budapest.
• Ireland at the Embassy of Latvia, 92 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin, and the C.I.E. Sports & Social Club, Upper Carey’s Road, Limerick.
• Israel at the Embassy of Latvia on the 15th floor of the Amot Investment Tower, 2 Weizman St., Tel Aviv.
• Italy at the Embassy of Latvia, Viale Liegi 42, Rome.
• Japan at the Embassy of Latvia, 37-11 Kamiyama-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo.
• Kazakhstan at the Embassy of Latvia in the Kaskad Business Center, Kabanbai Batira Ave. 6/1, Office No. 122, Astana.
• Lithuania at the Embassy of Latvia, 76 M.K. Čiurlionio St., Vilnius.
• Luxembourg at the Honorary Consulate of Latvia, 42a route de Luxembourg, Bridel.
• Netherlands at the Embassy of Latvia, Balistraat 88, 2585 XX’s-Gravenhage, The Hague.
• Norway at the Embassy of Latvia, Bygdoy Allé 76, Oslo.
• Poland at the Embassy of Latvia, 19 Królowej Aldony St., Warsaw.
• Portugal at the Embassy of Latvia, Rua do Sacramento a Lapa, No.50, Lisbon.
• Russia at the Embassy of Latvia, Capligina St. 3, Moscow; the Consulate General of Latvia, Vasilevskij ostrov, 10 līnija, 11, St. Petersburg; the Consulate of Latvia, Narodnaja 25, Pskov; and the Latvian Chancery, F. Engelss St. 52a, Kaliningrad.
• Slovenia at the Embassy of Latvia, Tavčarjeva ulica 10-7, Ljubljana.
• Spain at the Embassy of Latvia, calle Alfonso XII 52-1, Madrid.
• Sweden at the Embassy of Latvia, Odengatan 5, Stockholm, and the Latvian Church, Ostergata 30, Göteborg.
• Switzerland at the Latvian Permanent Representative Office, 137 rue de Lausanne, Geneva.
• Turkey at the Embassy of Latvia, Reşit Galip Caddesi, No.95 G.O.P. Çankaya, Ankara.
• Ukraine at the Embassy of Latvia, 6B Ivana Mazepi St., Kiev.
• The United Kingdom at the Embassy of Latvia, 45 Nottingham Place, London; the Daugavas Vanagi House, 5 Clifton Villas, Manningham Lane, Bradford; St. Peters Centre, Church Side, Mansfield; the Honorary Consulate of Latvia, 17 Rutlan St., Edinburgh; Unity Hall, Northfield Road, Peterborough; the Straumēni rest home, Catthorpe Manor, Catthorpe, Leicestershire; and the Honorary Consulate of Latvia, Drumalane Mill, Newry, Co. Down, Northern Ireland.
• The United States at the Embassy of Latvia, 2306 Massachusetts Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C.; the Latvian Permanent Representative Office, 333 East 50th St., New York; the Latvian Ev.-Lutheran Trimda Church, 58 Irving St., Brookline, Mass.; the Latvian Ev.-Lutheran Zion Church, 6551 W. Montrose Ave. Chicago, Ill.; the Philadelphia Society of Free Letts, 531 N. 7th St., Philadelphia, Pa.; the St. Paul Latvian Ev.-Lutheran Church, 30623 West Twelve Mile Road, Farmington Hills, Mich.; the Latvian Society House, 504 Grand Ave. N.E., Grand Rapids, Mich.; the Latvian Community Center, 1008 W. 64th St., Indianapolis, Ind.; the Union Latvian Ev.-Lutheran Church of Cleveland, 15120 Detroit Ave., Lakewood, Ohio; the Latvian Community Center, 1955 Riverside Dr., Los Angeles, Calif.; the Latvian Ev.-Lutheran Church of Northern California, 425 Hoffman Ave., San Francisco, Calif.; the Latvian Ev.-Lutheran Holy Trinity Church, 1853 N. 75th St., Milwaukee, Wis.; the Latvian Ev.-Lutheran Church of Minneapolis and St. Paul, 3152 17th Ave. S., Minneapolis, Minn.; the Latvian Society of Washington, 11710 3rd Ave. N.E., Seattle, Wash.; and the Latvian Center, 1705 9th Ave. N., St. Petersburg, Fla.
• Uzbekistan at the Embassy of Latvia, 16A Lashkarbegi St., Tashkent.

Polls will be open from 7 a.m to 8 p.m. local time. Voters must be at least 18 years old and must bring with them a valid Latvian passport.

Citizens may also apply to vote by mail. Applications are due Sept. 2. A list of offices where applications may be mailed is available from the website of the Central Election Commission in Rīga.

(Corrected on 18 AUG 2011)