Supreme Court declines to hear EKRE local elections e-vote complaint
The Supreme Court has declined to hear an appeal from the opposition Conservative People's Party of Estonia (EKRE) for a recount of the e-vote at the recent local elections.
The top court's Constitutional Review Chamber decided to send back EKRE's complaint and request for interim relief over the matter, saying the matter lies outside its jurisdiction.
"EKRE filed its complaint with the Supreme Court on October 27, 2025, via the and National Electoral Committee and the State Electoral Office, action which it had not previously contested with the National Electoral Committee. According to Sections 37(1) and 38(1) of the Constitutional Review Court Procedure Act and Sections 63 and 66¹(2) of the Local Government Council Election Act, the examination of such a complaint does not fall within the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court," the court's ruling states. "Consequently, the panel is returning the complaint without review under Section 40(1)(1) of the Constitutional Review Court Procedure Act."
The State Electoral Office (RVT) had rejected EKRE's request made on October 22 to count the electronic votes cast at the local elections for a third time.
The first and second counts were held under standard procedure.
EKRE filed a complaint and a request for interim legal protection with the Supreme Court. The RVT responded to EKRE by saying that the e-vote recount takes place on the day following election day, ie. on Monday, October 20 in this case, while the law does not provide for an additional, third recount.
EKRE did not accept these explanations and maintained its position that there were grounds for an additional, third recount of the e-vote.
"During the counting of electronic votes, technical errors happened that call into question the reliability of the voting results. Consequently, the State Electoral Office must be obliged to carry out an additional recount of the electronic votes cast at the 2025 local government elections," the party stated.
EKRE has also appealed to the Supreme Court over the National Electoral Committee's (VVK) decision not to hear the party's complaint and demands that the e-vote results be declared invalid.
Despite the challenges to the Supreme Court, EKRE has continued with municipality government negotiations in several places in Estonia, concluding agreements in some cases.
The e-vote closed at 8 p.m. on Saturday, October 18. The first count was concluded soon after polling day ended, 24 hours later, and the second vote was conducted on Monday, October 20. 270,818 final e-votes were cast out of a total 594,117 votes cast. The e-vote can be cast and re-cast as often as a voter wishes during the advance voting period. It can also be overruled by voting on paper, either during the advance period or on polling day. For this reason, the final e-vote is not counted until polls close.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte
