Latvian citizens living abroad have until Sept. 7 to submit documents that would allow them to vote by mail in the upcoming parliamentary elections, according to Central Elections Commission in Rīga.

Instructions posted on the commission’s Web site affect Latvians who are temporarily living abroad as well as thousands of Latvians who hold dual citizenship.

According to the instructions, voters abroad may either show up in person at a designated polling place on Oct. 5 or cast their ballots by mail. To vote by mail, voters must submit a written request to the nearest election district office along with their Latvian passport or registration issued by the Latvian Department of Citizenship and Migration Affairs.

A total of 35 election district offices have been established abroad, according to the commission, including two in the United States, two in Canada, two in Australia and one in Great Britain. The elections commission provides a full listing online.

A resolution urging NATO membership for the Baltic states is stalled in a subcommittee of Congress, so Baltic-Americans are being asked to contact their legislators to push for its adoption.

Valdis Pavlovskis, president of the Baltic American Freedom League, issued a call to action regarding HCR 116 in a letter circulated via e-mail.

In the meantime, BAFL appears concerned that another resolution might gain more favor, although the group says it supports both. HCR 116, which recommends integration of the Baltics into the NATO defense alliance, was introduced April 26, 2001, by Rep. John Shimkus (R-Ill.). The resolution was referred to the House Committee on International Relations’ Subcommittee on Europe.

While HCR 116 has seen little movement for more than a year, the chair of the subcommittee, Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Calif.) on June 27 put forth another resolution, HCR 468, which supports NATO expansion but fails to stress membership for the Baltics.

“The odds are against us, but then when has that stopped Balts from doing the right thing,” Pavlovskis asked in his letter. Observers say Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are sure to be invited to joing NATO during the alliance’s November summit in Prague.

BAFL, which recently revamped its Web site, is one of several lobby groups pushing Congress to support Baltic membership in NATO.

Sen. Ben E. Nelson (D-Neb.) has joined the U.S. Senate’s Baltic Freedom Caucus, says the Joint Baltic American National Committee. Nelson has shown an interest in the Baltic countries and their aspirations to join the NATO defense alliance, JBANC said in a press release.

He was a part of a five-member Senate delegation that attended “Rīga 2002: The Bridge to Prague” summit of the NATO aspirant countries July 5-6 in Rīga. As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Nelson is closely involved in the Senate’s NATO enlargement ratification debate.

With Nelson the Senate Baltic Freedom Caucus has 11 members. The House Baltic Caucus has 71 members.

JBANC, based in Washington, D.C., represents the American Latvian Association, the Estonian American National Council and the Lithuanian American Council.