Early voting begins

Early voting for the national referendum on resuming EU accession negotiations opens today.

The referendum is scheduled for Aug. 29. Early voting is available to voters unable to cast a ballot on election day or attend a polling session.

Early voting through the office of the District Commissioner of Greater Reykjavík takes place at Hlíðasmári 1 in Kópavogur. From today through Friday, the office is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The office will be closed over the Commerce Day long weekend, then open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Aug. 4-23. In the final days before election day, Aug. 24-28, hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

On election day, Saturday, Aug. 29, the office will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. for voters who cannot attend a polling session.

A full list of early voting locations and hours is available at island.is. Voters can check the electoral register by ID number on the Registers Iceland website at skra.is.

Early voting abroad is available at Icelandic embassies, consulates general, permanent missions to international organizations, and consulates, as determined by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

A list of overseas early voting locations for Icelandic citizens is available on the Government of Iceland website.

Voters who cast their ballot early are responsible for ensuring it is delivered on time. Voters may ask the presiding officer to send their ballot by regular mail, but this does not guarantee it will arrive in time to be counted.

Reykjavík voters can also submit their ballot at Reykjavík City Hall or at the service center at Borgartún 12. Reykjavík voters can also look up their polling station by legal residence at reykjavik.is/kosningar, where walking paths to the polling station and available bus routes are shown.

All registered voters — Icelandic citizens age 18 and older — are eligible to vote early. Voting will also be available at select institutions, including hospitals, prisons, and care homes for seniors. The district commissioner will announce the locations and times for voting at these facilities.

Voters must bring a valid photo ID.