In an effort to reduce doubts about how ballots are counted and whether voting results can be trusted, the Central Election Commission in Rīga is looking for volunteer monitors for Latvia’s parliamentary election set Oct. 2.

Any resident of Latvia—as well as interested persons abroad—can observe the election process, commission spokeswoman Kristīne Bērziņa told Latvians Online.

Sign-up for potential monitors runs from Sept. 13-30 and will be available through the election commission’s website, www.cvk.lv.

To become a monitor, individuals will need to choose which polling station they wish to observe and will have to take an online course about rules governing the election for the 10th Saeima. Upon successful completion of the course, they will receive credentials via e-mail, which together with identification they must present on election day to the chairperson of the local election commission.

For the Oct. 2 election, a total of 64 polling stations will operate outside of Latvia. All polling stations will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time.

Volunteer monitors will be asked to observe the voting process and the counting of ballots. Monitors will watch to ensure that the process is done in accordance with Latvia’s constitution and election commission rules, and that no political agitation occurs at the polls. Monitors will have special forms that can be used to record their observations.

During the last parliamentary election four years ago, few problems were reported, according to a Central Election Commission report. At two polling stations in Latvia, the Interior Ministry investigated allegations of forged election documents.

Anyone who is at least 16 years old may become an election monitor, according to a press release from the election commission.

Further information about becoming an election monitor is available from the project coordinator, Anna Riekstiņa, noverotaji@cvk.lv.

The second of two online televised discussions allowing voters abroad to hear from parliamentary candidates from Latvia’s leading political parties is scheduled Sept. 11, producers of the telecast have announced.

The moderated discussion, which will feature viewers from abroad calling in questions, will begin at 19:00 hours Latvian time, producers at Rīga-based HansaMedia announced. The telecast will be streamed live on the company’s website, www.vissnotiek.lv, and is expected to be archived for later viewing.

The Sept. 11 telecast is meant especially for Latvian voters in Canada and the United States.

A similar telecast Sept. 4 was aimed at Latvians living in Europe. Moderated by U.S.-born Latvian journalist Kārlis Streips, the discussion included representatives from Saskaņas Centrs (Harmony Centre), Visu Latvijai! (All for Latvia), Zaļo un Zemnieku Savienība (Union of Greens and Farmers), Par Labu Latviju! (For a Good Latvia) and Vienotība (Unity).

More than 1,200 candidates from 13 parties are running in the Oct. 2 parliamentary election. While citizens abroad represent only a small percentage of all potential voters, the Latvian government has made provisions for those outside of the homeland to cast ballots by mail or in person at one of 64 polling stations around the world.

HansaMedia producers noted that in the 2006 parliamentary election, turnout abroad was only 22.38 percent. Thus, they said on the company’s website, it is no surprise that Latvia’s political parties pay little attention to the exile vote.

Organizations in some Latvian communities are promoting the telecast or scheduling group viewings of the Sept. 11 telecast.

In Minneapolis, a viewing is scheduled at 11 a.m. Sept. 11 in the Latvian Ev.-Lutheran Church of Minneapolis and St. Paul, 3152 17th Ave. S., Minneapolis. Members of the local election commission will be on hand with information about the Oct. 2 vote, organizer Jānis Robiņš announced in an e-mail.

The Sept. 4 telecast is archived at www.vissnotiek.lv/diskusija-lv-politika-un-arzemju-latviesi.

Svinīgā ceremonijā Minesotas universitātes “M kluba” slavas zālē 9. septembrī uzņemts ilggadējais hokeja komandas ārsts – Latvijā dzimušais Visvaldis Georgs Nagobads, kurš par saviem izcilajiem nopelniem šogad uzņemts arī ASV Nacionālajā hokeja slavas zālē.

“Tikai dažiem cilvēkiem aizkulisēs ir bijusi tik liela ietekme uz tik milzīgu skaitu hokeja spēlētāju kā Nagobadam, kurš 34 gadus kalpojis kā Gophers hokeja komandas ārsts, strādājis ar neskaitāmām ASV nacionālajām komandām un bijis pārstāvēts starptautiskās mediķu komitejās,” tā Minesotas universitātes mājas lapā tiek pamatota Nagobada uzņemšana universitātes slavas zālē.

Nagobads ir viens no 10 ar sportu saistītiem cilvēkiem, ko šogad uzņēma “M klubā” (“M” Club Hall of Fame).

Minesotas universitātē sporta aprindās iecienītais hokeja ārsts Nagobads guvis izcilus panākumus gan ASV, gan starptautiskā mērogā. Būdams Minesotas universitātes hokeja komandas ārsts no 1958. gada līdz 1992. gadam, Nagobads šai komandai palīdzējis īstenot to, ko nevienai citai ASV universitātes hokeja komandai līdz tam nebija izdevies panākt – dalību trīs nozīmīgos starptautiskos hokeja turnīros.

Savas profesionālās karjeras laikā, Nagobads bijis ārsts piecām ASV Olimpiskajām hokeja komandām, 15 ASV Nacionālajām hokeja komandām un sešām ASV nacionālajām junioru komandām. Tāpat Nagobads bijis pārstāvēts ASV hokeja un inventāra drošības komitejā un aktīvi darbojies Starptautiskās hokeja līgas Medicīnas komitejā. Par ārkārtīgi nozīmīgo devumu hokeja popularizēšanā pasaulē 2003. gadā Nagobads saņēmis Starptautiskās hokeja federācijas balvu, kļūstot par pirmo personu no Ziemeļamerikas, kas ieguvusi šo balvu tās 12 gadu ilgās pastāvēšanas laikā.

Agrāk šogad Nagobadu uzņēma arī ASV Hokeja slavas zālē (U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame), kuras mājas lapā rakstīts, ka viņš savā laikā bijis viens no ietekmīgākajiem cilvēkiem ASV hokejā.

“Tas ir neticami. Man pietrūkst vārdu, lai pateiktu, cik lepns un laimīgs es esmu par iespēju atrasties šajās slavas zālēs,” sev piešķirto Minesotas universitātes atzinību komentē dakteris Nagobads.

1921. gadā Rīgā dzimušais Nagobads izglītību guvis Latvijas universitātē un Gīsenes universitātē, savukārt grādu medicīnā ieguvis Frankfurtē bāzētajā Tubingenes universitātē.

Nagobads savulaik pats bija aizrāvies ar hokeja spēli, kuru viņš bija aizsācis spēlēt jau desmit gadu vecumā. Kā svinīgajā ceremonijā atzīmēja Nagobads, tieši viņa personīgā pieredze hokeja spēlē ļāvusi viņam daudz veiksmīgāk pildīt hokeja komandas ārsta pienākumus.