In his words, it is necessary to do so to prevent economist Gitanas Nauseda from getting into the runoff.
"I voted not for myself. I voted for another candidate and I'm calling on all Lithuanian citizens to do the same," Puteikis told journalists in Vilnius after casting his vote early.
"I apologize to my supporters and my voters, those who collected signatures. I am very grateful but (…) we need to make sacrifices and vote not for our candidates. My supporters need to vote not for me but we need to vote for candidates defending the public interest. We need to vote to prevent the banking representative from getting into the runoff," he said.
The MP did not disclose who he voted for but he said he did so based on values which are best represented by Skvernelis and Juozaitis.
Besides Puteikis, Nauseda, Skvernelis and Juozaitis, social democratic European commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis, MEPs Valentinas Mazuronis and Valdemar Tomasevski, the latter represents the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania – Christian Families Alliance, MP Ingrida Simonyte, representing the opposition conservative Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats, are running for Lithuanian president.
Early voting in the presidential election and two referenda on expanding dual citizenship and cutting the number of MPs is taking place in Lithuania since Monday.
The main voting in the two referenda and the presidential election will take place on Sunday. If needed, the president runoff will take place on May 26.