Federal Law on the Election of the President of the Russian Federation (2003) (English)
RUSSIAN FEDERATION
FEDERAL LAW
of 10 January 2003 No. 19-FZ
”On the Election of the President of the Russian Federation ”
Adopted by the State Duma on December 24, 2002
Approved by the Federation Council on December 27, 2002
Article 1. Basic Principles of the Conduct of the Election of the President of the Russian Federation
1. The President of the Russian Federation shall be elected by citizens of the Russian Federation on the basis of universal, equal and direct suffrage by secret ballot.
2. Participation of a citizen of the Russian Federation in the election of the President of the Russian Federation shall be free and voluntary. Nobody shall exert any influence on a citizen of the Russian Federation in order to compel him to participate or not to participate in the election of the President of the Russian Federation and nobody shall interfere with free expression of a citizen's will.
Article 2. Legislation on the Election of the President of the Russian Federation
1. The legislation on the election of the President of the Russian Federation shall comprise the Constitution of the Russian Federation, Federal Law No. 67-FZ of June 12, 2002 "On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum" (hereafter "Federal Law 'On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum'"), this Federal Law and other federal laws.
2. The main concepts and terms used in this Federal Law have the same meaning as in the Federal Law "On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum," unless otherwise provided by this Federal Law.
Article 3. Electoral Rights of Citizens of the Russian Federation in the Election of the President of the Russian Federation
1. A citizen of the Russian Federation who has attained to the age of 18 years on voting day shall be entitled to elect the President of the Russian Federation, participate in the nomination of candidates for the office of President of the Russian Federation, participate in the election campaigning, monitoring of the conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation and the work of election commissions, including tabulation of vote returns and determination of election results, and in the performance of other electoral actions, in the procedure established by this Federal Law, other federal laws.
2. Eligible for election to the office of President of the Russian Federation shall be a citizen of the Russian Federation who is not younger than 35 years of age and has permanently resided in the Russian Federation for not less than 10 years.
3. A citizen of the Russian Federation who resides or stays outside the territory of the Russian Federation during the preparation and conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation shall have the same rights in the election of the President of the Russian Federation as other citizens of the Russian Federation.
4. A citizen of the Russian Federation pronounced legally incapable by a court or kept in places of confinement under a court sentence shall have no right to elect or be elected President of the Russian Federation.
5. A citizen of the Russian Federation who occupies the office of President of the Russian Federation for the second consecutive term as of the day of official publication of the decision to call the election of the President of the Russian Federation shall have no right to be elected President of the Russian Federation.
6. A citizen of the Russian Federation deprived of the right to hold state offices for a definite period by a court sentence which has come into force, if such punishment is provided for by the federal law, shall not be registered as a candidate for the office of President of the Russian Federation if voting in the election of the President of the Russian Federation takes place before expiration of this period established by the court.
Article 4. Federal Electoral District
The election of the President of the Russian Federation shall be conducted in one federal electoral district comprising the entire territory of the Russian Federation. Voters residing outside the territory of the Russian Federation shall be regarded as being included the federal electoral district.
Article 5. Calling of the Election of the President of the Russian Federation
1. Holding of the election of the President of the Russian Federation within the period established by the Constitution of the Russian Federation and this Federal Law shall be mandatory.
2. Under the Constitution of the Russian Federation the election of the President of the Russian Federation shall be called by the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation. The decision to call the election shall be taken not earlier than 100 days and not later than 90 days before voting day. Voting day in the election of the President of the Russian Federation shall be the second Sunday of the month in which voting was conducted in the previous general election of the President of the Russian Federation and in which the President of the Russian Federation was elected four years before. The decision to call the election shall be officially published in the mass media not later than five days after it was taken.
3. If the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation does not call the election of the President of the Russian Federation in accordance with Clause 2 of this article, the election shall be called and held by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation on the third or fourth Sunday of the month in which voting was conducted in the previous general election of the President of the Russian Federation. The decision of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation to call the election shall be published not later than seven days from the last day of the period established by Clause 2 of this article for official publication of a decision to call the election.
4. If the President of the Russian Federation ceases to exercise his powers before expiration of the constitutional term in the cases and in the procedure provided by the Constitution of the Russian Federation, the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation shall, within 14 days of such cessation of the exercise of the powers, call the early election of the President of the Russian Federation. In this case, voting day shall be the last Sunday before the last day of three months elapsing from the day on which the President of the Russian Federation ceased to exercise his powers before expiration of their term. The decision to call the early election shall be officially published in the mass media not later than five days from the day when it was taken.
5. If the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation does not call the early election of the President of the Russian Federation in pursuance of Clause 4 of this article, the election of the President of the Russian Federation shall be called and held by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation on the first or the second Sunday after three months elapse from the day on which the President of the Russian Federation ceased to exercise his powers before expiration of their term. The decision of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation to hold the election shall be published not later than seven days from the last day of the period established by Clause 4 of this article for official publication of a decision to call the early election.
6. In the cases provided by Clauses 4 and 5 of this article the periods for the performance of electoral actions established by this Federal Law shall be reduced by one-fourth.
7. If voting day in the election of the President of the Russian Federation called in accordance with Clauses 2 to 6 of this article coincides with a holiday, a day before or after a holiday or a Sunday which was declared a working day, voting day shall be the next Sunday.
8. If a state of emergency or martial law was imposed on the entire territory of the Russian Federation during the period when the bodies mentioned in Clauses 2 to 5 of this article are to take a decision to call the election of the President of the Russian Federation, voting day in the election of the President of the Russian Federation shall be the first or second Sunday after three months elapse from the day on which the state of emergency or martial law is lifted.
Article 6. Right to Nominate Candidates for the Office of President of the Russian Federation
1. Candidates for the office of President of the Russian Federation (hereafter "candidates") may be nominated by voters, political parties entitled by Federal Law No. 95-FZ of July 11, 2001 "On Political Parties" (hereafter "Federal Law 'On Political Parties'") to participate in elections and nominate candidates (hereafter "political parties"), by electoral blocs or by way of self-nomination. A citizen of the Russian Federation may nominate himself as a candidate if his self-nomination is supported by a group of voters.
2. A citizen of the Russian Federation shall not be nominated as a candidate if he is not eligible for election as President of the Russian Federation.
3. A citizen of the Russian Federation who occupied the office of President of the Russian Federation and ceased to exercise the powers of the President of the Russian Federation before expiration of their term in the event of resignation, inability to discharge his duties because of persistent ill health or impeachment shall not be nominated as a candidate in the election called in consequence of early termination of his powers.
Article 7. Preparation and Conduct of the Election of the President of the Russian Federation by Election Commissions
1. The preparation and conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation, the measures to assure realization and protection of the electoral rights of citizens and the control over observance of these rights shall be carried out by election commissions within the scope of their powers laid down by this Federal Law, other federal laws.
2. During the preparation and conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation election commissions shall, within the scope of their powers laid down by this Federal Law, other federal laws, be independent of the bodies of state power and bodies of local self-government. Any interference in the activities of election commissions on the part of legislative (representative) and executive bodies of state power, bodies of local self-government, other bodies and organizations, officials, other citizens shall not be allowed.
3. Decisions and acts of election commissions adopted by them within the scope of their powers laid down by this Federal Law, other federal laws shall be binding upon federal bodies of executive power, bodies of executive power of the Subjects of the Russian Federation, state institutions, bodies of local self-government, candidates, political parties, other public associations, electoral blocs, organizations, officials, voters.
4. During the preparation and conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation election commissions may use the state automated information system to inform voters about the progress of the preparation and conduct of the election and the election results, to search for, acquire, replenish, process, transmit and store the information used in the course of the preparation and conduct of the election and to provide information support for the activity of election commissions carried out within the scope of their powers laid down by this Federal Law, other federal laws. No other information systems shall be used in the conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation.
Article 8. Right to Election Campaigning
1. Citizens of the Russian Federation, political parties, other public associations, electoral blocs may conduct election campaigning in any form allowed by law and by legitimate methods,
2. In this Federal Law "election campaigning" means. the activities carried out during the election campaign in the election of the President of the Russian Federation, which aim to encourage or are encouraging voters to vote for or against a candidate or against all candidates.
3. The state shall assure the freedom of election campaigning for citizens of the Russian Federation, political parties, other public associations under this Federal Law, other federal laws.
4. Equal conditions of access to the mass media shall be guaranteed by the state for registered candidates to conduct election campaigning.
Article 9. Funding of the Election of the President of the Russian Federation
1. Expenses on the preparation and conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation shall be paid from the funds allocated from the federal budget.
2. Candidates shall set up their own electoral funds for financing their election campaign.
Article 10. Publicity in the Preparation and Conduct of the Election of the President of the Russian Federation
1. The preparation and conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation shall be carried out openly and publicly.
2. The regulations of election commissions, bodies of state power and bodies of local self-government directly relating to the preparation and conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation shall be published in the state and municipal print media. Other decisions of these bodies directly relating to the preparation and conduct of the election shall be published or made public by other means.
Article 11. Inadmissibility of the Participation in Election Campaigns of Foreign Nationals, Stateless Persons, Foreign Legal Entities, International Organizations and International Public Movements
Foreign nationals, stateless persons, foreign legal entities, international organizations and international public movements shall not be allowed to engage in any activities to facilitate or prevent nomination, registration, election of candidates.
CHAPTER II. ELECTION COMMISSIONS
Article 12. System and Status of Election Commissions in the Election of the President of the Russian Federation
1. The election of the President of the Russian Federation shall be prepared and conducted by:
the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation;
election commissions of the Subjects of the Russian Federation;
territorial (rayon, city and other) election commissions;
precinct election commissions.
2. The powers and operating procedures of election commissions in the election of the President of the Russian Federation (hereafter "election commissions") shall be established by the Federal Law “On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum,” this Federal Law and other federal laws.
3. Decisions of a higher election commission taken within the scope of its powers shall be binding on the lower election commissions.
4. Election commissions shall, within the scope of their powers, consider complaints which they receive in the course of the election campaign about violations of this Federal Law, other federal laws in the preparation and conduct of the election, investigate these complaints and give written answers to the complainants within five days but not later than the day preceding voting day and, on voting day and the day which follows voting day, immediately. If the facts cited in the complaints require additional investigation, decisions thereon shall be taken within ten days. If a complaint cites the facts of violation of the law by a candidate, political party, electoral bloc, then the candidate, political party, electoral bloc or their authorized representatives shall be immediately notified about receipt of such complaint. A candidate or his authorized representative, authorized representatives of a political party, electoral bloc may give explanations concerning the substance of the complaint. If a candidate, a political party, an electoral bloc violates this Federal Law, the relevant election commission may issue a warning to this candidate, political party, electoral bloc, which shall be made known to voters through the mass media or by other means
5. Election commissions may, particularly in connection with complaints mentioned in Clause 4 of this article, make an application to law enforcement bodies, bodies of executive power for conducting appropriate investigation and stopping violations of this Federal Law, other federal laws in the preparation and conduct of the election and these bodies shall take measures prescribed by law to stop such violations within five days, or, if a compliant was received five and less days before voting day, not later than the day preceding voting day and, if it was received on voting day and on the day which follows voting day, immediately. These bodies shall, without delay, inform the relevant election commission about the results. If the facts cited in a complaint require additional investigation, such measures shall be taken within ten days.
6. Election commissions shall inform voters about the periods and procedure for the performance of electoral actions, about candidates, political parties and electoral blocs which nominated candidates, the progress of the election campaign.
7. A decision of an election commission which conflicts with the federal laws or which goes outside the scope of its powers shall be revoked by a higher election commission or by a court. In this case, the higher election commission shall be entitled to take a decision on the substance of the matter or send the relevant materials for re-consideration to the election commission whose decision was revoked.
8. State bodies, state institutions and their officials shall assist election commissions in the exercise of their powers, specifically, they shall, free of charge, provide the necessary premises, including locations for the safekeeping of electoral documentation until it is transferred to archives or destroyed after expiration of the safekeeping periods established by Russian Federation laws; make arrangements for guarding these premises and said documentation; supply transport and communication facilities, technical equipment.
9. Organizations with an authorized capital in which the state and/or municipality has a stake exceeding 30 per cent thereof as of the day of official publication of the decision to call the election, the bodies of local self-government and their officials shall assist election commissions in the exercise of their powers, specifically, they shall provide transport and communications facilities, technical equipment, premises, including locations for the safekeeping of electoral documentation until it is transferred to the higher election commission or archives or until it is destroyed after expiration of the safekeeping periods established by Russian Federation laws and shall make arrangements for guarding these premises and said documentation.
10. State organizations engaged in TV and/or radio broadcasting (hereafter "TV and radio broadcasting organizations") and state print media shall provide to election commissions free air time for information of voters, in the procedure established by this Federal Law, other federal laws, and free space to publish decisions and acts of election commissions, other information. In this case the expenses of said TV and radio broadcasting organizations and print media shall be reimbursed in the procedure established by the Federal Law "On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum."
11. State bodies, bodies of local self-government, public associations, organizations of all forms of ownership, including TV and radio broadcasting organizations, print media as well as officials of the these bodies and organizations shall furnish to election commissions the necessary information and materials and shall respond to applications of election commissions within five days or, in the event of applications received five and less days before voting day, immediately. Such information and materials shall be furnished to election commissions free of charge.
Article 13. Formation of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, Election Commissions of the Subjects of the Russian Federation
The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, election commissions of the Subjects of the Russian Federation shall be formed in compliance with the Federal Law “On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum.”
Article 14. Formation of Territorial Election Commissions
1. The powers of territorial election commissions in the election of the President of the Russian Federation shall be exercised by the territorial election commissions formed under the Federal Law “On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum.” If there is no such territorial commission in some territory, it shall be formed in compliance with said Federal Law not later than 35 days from the day of official publication of the decision to call the election of the President of the Russian Federation. In this case, the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation shall set and announce a period for acceptance of proposals concerning membership of the territorial commission, which shall not be less than one month. The decision of the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation which establishes this period shall be published.
2. The election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation may form one or several territorial election commissions to direct the work for the preparation and conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation, carried out by precinct election commissions formed in electoral precincts on ships and at polar stations.
3. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation may form one or several territorial election commissions to direct the work for the preparation and conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation, carried out by precinct election commissions formed in electoral precincts outside the territory of the Russian Federation.
4. The territorial election commissions mentioned in Clauses 2 and 3 of this article shall be formed in compliance with the general conditions for the formation of election commissions and the procedure for the formation of election commissions established by the Federal Law “On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum.”
Article 15. Formation of Precinct Election Commissions
1. A precinct election commissions shall be formed by a higher territorial election commission not earlier than 30 days and not later than 28 days before voting day, in compliance with the general conditions for the formation of election commissions and the procedure for the formation of precinct election commissions established by the Federal Law “On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum,” with the following number of members, depending on the number of voters registered on the territory of the electoral precinct:
up to 1,000 voters - 3 to 9 voting members of the election commission;
from 1,001 to 2,000 voters - 5 to 11 voting members of the election commission;
over 2,000 voters - 5 to 15 voting members of the election commission.
2. If voting day in the election of the President of the Russian Federation coincides with voting day in the election of federal bodies of state power, bodies of state power of Subjects of the Russian Federation, bodies of local self-government or with voting day in the referendum of a Subject of the Russian Federation, local referendum, the maximum number of voting members of a precinct election commission mentioned in Clause 1 of this article may be increased but by not more than four members. Additional labor remuneration for these members of the election commission and compensation for the period during which they are released from their main job shall be paid from the appropriate budget.
3. A territorial election commission shall set a period for acceptance of proposals concerning membership of a precinct election commission, which shall be not less than 15 days. The decision of a territorial election commissions which sets this period shall be published.
4. In an electoral precinct formed at a polar station, on a ship at sea or on the territory of a military unit stationed in an isolated area far from populated centers, in a hard-to-reach or remote area the precinct election commission shall be formed within the period established by Clause 1 of this article or, in exceptional cases, not later than three days before voting day.
5. In an electoral precinct formed outside the territory of the Russian Federation the precinct election commission shall be formed within the period established by Clause 1 of this article by the head of the relevant diplomatic or consular mission of the Russian Federation or by the commanding officer of the military unit stationed outside the territory of the Russian Federation.
Article 16. Appointment of Non-Voting Members of an Election Commission
1. From the day of submission of registration documents to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation each registered candidate shall be entitled to appoint one non-voting member to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, to each election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation, to each territorial, precinct election commission. A candidate may ask his agent to appoint a non-voting member of a territorial, precinct election commission.
2. Elected officials, persons holding command posts in military units, military organizations and institutions, judges and prosecutors shall not be eligible for appointment as non-voting members of election commissions.
3. Non-voting members of an election commission shall be issued ID cards of the form established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. The administration (employer) shall grant non-voting members of an election commission, upon their request, an unpaid leave of absence for the period mentioned in Clause 1, Article 42 of this Federal law.
4. The powers of a non-voting member of an election commission may be terminated at any time during the term of his powers and transferred to another person by a candidate, his agent who appointed this member of an election commission.
5. The candidate elected President of the Russian Federation shall, during the entire term of office, have the right to appoint non-voting members of election commissions working on a permanent basis, including appointment of such members to fill vacancies.
Article 17. Organization of the Work of Election Commissions
1. The work of election commissions shall be organized in compliance with Article 28 of the Federal Law “On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum.”
2. During the period of an election campaign in the election of the President of the Russian Federation every week the national state TV and radio broadcasting organizations shall provide to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation not less than 15 minutes of free air time, and the regional state TV and radio broadcasting organizations shall provide to election commissions of the Subjects of the Russian Federation not less than 10 minutes of free air time on each of their channels to explain the laws regulating the election of the President of the Russian Federation, inform voters about the periods and procedure for the performance of electoral actions, about candidates, political parties and electoral blocs which nominated candidates and the progress of the election campaign, and to answer questions put by voters. The national TV and radio broadcasting organizations shall also provide to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation not less than 10 minutes of free air time every week on each of their channel for the aforementioned purposes during a period which commences six months before expiration of the period within which the election of the President of the Russian Federation was to be called and ends on the day of official publication of the decision to call the election.
3. During the period of an election campaign in the election of the President of the Russian Federation the national state print media published at least once a week shall, free of charge, provide to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation not less than one-hundredth of their weekly space. During the same period the regional state print media published at least once a week shall, free of charge, provide to the election commissions of the Subjects of the Russian Federation not less than one-hundredth of their weekly space. The election commissions shall use this space to explain the laws regulating the election of the President of the Russian Federation, inform voters about the periods and procedure for the performance of electoral actions, about candidates, political parties and electoral blocs which nominated candidates and the progress of the election campaign, and to answer questions put by voters.
Article 18. Status of Election Commission Members
The status of voting and non-voting members of election commissions is established by Article 29 of the Federal Law “On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum.”
Article 19. Powers of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation
During the preparation and conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation acting within the scope of its powers laid down by the federal laws shall:
1) direct the work of election commissions;
2) monitor observance of electoral rights of citizens of the Russian Federation during the preparation and conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation and ensure uniform application of this Federal Law;
3) issue instructions and other regulations on the questions of application of this Federal Law;
4) render legal, methodological, organizational and technical assistance to election commissions;
5) direct the work of election commissions aimed to ensure uniform application of the state automated information system, its separate technical facilities, including such facilities used for vote counting;;
6) register electoral blocs;
7) register authorized representatives of political parties and electoral blocs;
8) register groups of voters formed to support self-nomination of candidates (hereafter "groups of voters") and their authorized representatives;
9) register agents of candidates and authorized representatives of candidates for financial matters;
10) register candidates;
11) issue ID cards of an established form to registered candidates, their agents and authorized representatives for financial matters;
12) ensure that the conditions of election campaigning established by this Federal Law, other federal laws should be observed for all candidates, political parties and electoral blocs;
13) hear reports of representatives of federal bodies of executive power, bodies of executive power of the Subjects of the Russian Federation and bodies of local self-government on the issues relating to the preparation and conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation;
14) determine the unified numeration of electoral precincts formed outside the territory of the Russian Federation;
15) determine the format, including the degree of protection, of ballots, voters lists and other electoral documents and make arrangements for their printing;
16) determine the format of an absentee certificate, make arrangements for the printing of absentee certificates and their delivery to the election commissions of the Subjects of the Russian Federation;
17) approve the Russian text of the ballot;
18) approve samples of seals of election commissions;
19) approve the rules for the safekeeping of electoral documents, transfer of these documents to archives and their disposal after expiration of their safekeeping periods and agree these rules with the Federal Archive Service of Russia;
20) distribute funds allocated from the federal budget for financing the preparation and conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation, work of election commissions and exercise of their powers, operation and development of the automation facilities, training of election officials and legal education of voters; exercise control over the proper use of said funds and of the money contributed to the electoral funds of candidates; monitor observance of the requirements of this Federal Law, other federal laws to funding of election campaigns of candidates;
21) take measures to organize a unified procedure for the distribution of air time and space in print media between registered candidates, political parties, electoral blocs for election campaigning;
22) work out and approve the quotas of technical equipment required for the operation of territorial and precinct election commissions, monitor compliance with these quotas;
23) consider the issues relating to the logistical support of the election;
24) inform voters about the periods and procedure for the performance of electoral actions, about candidates, political parties and electoral blocs which nominated candidates, the progress of the election campaign;
25) consider complaints (statements) about decisions and actions (omissions) of election commissions of the Subjects of the Russian Federation and their officials and adopt reasoned decisions thereon;
26) determine the results of the election of the President of the Russian Federation and arrange for their official publication; issue a certificate of election to the elected President of the Russian Federation;
27) organize the repeat voting in the election of the President of the Russian Federation;
28) organize the repeat election of the President of the Russian Federation;
29) exercise other powers under this Federal Law and the Federal Law “On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum.”
Article 20. Powers of the Election Commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation
During the preparation and conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation shall:
1) coordinate the work of election commissions on the territory of the Subject of the Russian Federation;
2) ensure interaction between the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and the bodies of state power in the Subject of the Russian Federation;
3) monitor observance of electoral rights of citizens of the Russian Federation on the territory of the Subject of the Russian Federation;
4) ensure that the conditions of election campaigning established by this Federal Law, other federal laws are observed on the territory of the Subject of the Russian Federation for all candidates, political parties, electoral blocs;
5) form territorial election commissions and appoint their chairmen;
6) ensure the uniform use of the state automated information system on the territory of the Subject of the Russian Federation in accordance with the procedure established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation;
7) in accordance with the decisions of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation arrange for the printing of ballots on the territory of the Subject of the Russian Federation and make arrangements for the delivery of ballots to territorial election commissions;
8) make arrangements for the delivery of absentee certificates, other electoral documents to lower election commissions;
9) distribute funds allocated to it for the preparation and conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation, in particular, distribute a part of these funds between territorial election commissions, exercise control over the proper use of these funds and of the money contributed to the electoral funds of candidates;
10) establish the unified numeration of electoral precincts on the territory of the Subject of the Russian Federation;
11) ensure compliance with the quotas of technological equipment and with the rules for the safekeeping of electoral documents, transfer of these documents to archives and their disposal after expiration of their safekeeping periods, approved by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation;
12) monitor compliance with the unified procedures for vote counting, tabulating vote returns and determining election results on the territory of the Subject of the Russian Federation;
13) hear reports of bodies of executive power of the Subject of the Russian Federation and bodies of local self-government on the issues relating to the preparation and conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation;
14) tabulate the vote returns in the election of the President of the Russian Federation on the territory of the Subject of the Russian Federation and transmit these vote returns to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation;
15) consider complaints (statements) about decisions and actions (omissions) of territorial election commissions and their officials in the given Subject of the Russian Federation and adopt reasoned decisions thereon;
16) inform voters about the periods and procedure for the performance of electoral actions, about candidates, political parties and electoral blocs which nominated candidates, and the progress of the election campaign;
17) monitor compliance with the procedure and rules for election campaigning on the territory of the Subject of the Russian Federation;
18) exercise control over sums contributed to and expended from other electoral funds of a candidate, mentioned in Clause 10, Article 58 of this Federal Law and every week submit information about such sums to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation;
19) exercise other powers in accordance with this Federal Law, Federal Law “On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum.”
Article 21. Powers of a Territorial (Raion, City and Other) Election Commissions
During the preparation and conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation a territorial election commission shall:
1) exercise control over the preparation and conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation on the given territory;
2) form precinct election commissions and appoint their chairmen;
3) coordinate the work of precinct election commissions on the given territory, consider complaints (statements) about decisions and actions (omissions) of these election commissions and adopt reasoned decisions thereon;
4) hear reports of representatives of bodies of local self-government on the issues relating to the preparation and conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation;
5) prepare voters lists separately for each precinct on the given territory, save as otherwise provided in Clauses 3 to 6, Article 26 of this Federal Law;
6) distribute funds allocated to it for the preparation and conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation and, in particular, distribute a part of the funds between precinct election commissions, exercise control over the proper use of these funds;
7) together with the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation ensure that the conditions of election campaigning established by this Federal Law, other federal laws are observed for all candidates on the given territory ;
8) ensure the use of the state automated information system on the given territory, in accordance with the procedure established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation;
9) arrange for the delivery of ballots and other documents to precinct election commissions;
10) issue absentee certificates to voters;
11) render organizational and technical assistance to precinct election commissions in the conduct of voting in electoral precincts;
12) monitor compliance with the unified procedure for vote-counting, tabulation of vote returns and determination of election results on the given territory;
13) tabulate vote returns on the given territory, release vote returns to the mass media and deliver protocols of vote returns to the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation;
14) arrange for the safekeeping of documents relating to the preparation and conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation, transfer of these documents and their disposal after expiration of their safekeeping period, in accordance with the rules approved by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation;
15) ensure compliance with the quotas of technological equipment approved by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation;
16) inform voters about the periods and procedure for the performance of electoral actions, the progress of the election campaign;
17) monitor compliance with the procedure and rules of election campaigning on the given territory;
18) exercise other powers under this Federal Law.
Article 22. Powers of a Precinct Election Commission
1. During the preparation and conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation a precinct election commission shall:
1) inform the population about the address and telephone number of the precinct election commission, its working hours; about the day, time and place of voting;
2) update and, in the cases provided by Clauses 3 – 6, Article 26 of this Federal Law, prepare and update the voters list; allow voters to examine the voters list; consider complaints about errors and inaccuracies in the voters list and make appropriate corrections therein;
3) prepare voting sites, ballot boxes and other equipment;
4) inform voters about registered candidates on the basis of the information received from the higher election commission;
5) monitor compliance with election campaigning rules on the territory of the electoral precinct;
6) issue absentee certificates to voters;
7) organize voting in the electoral precinct on voting day as well as early voting;
8) count votes, tabulate vote returns for the given electoral precinct and deliver the protocol of vote returns to the territorial election commission;
9) within the scope of its powers consider complaints (statements) about violations of this Federal Law and take reasoned decisions thereon;
10) arrange for the safekeeping of documents relating to the preparation and conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation, transfer of these documents and their disposal in accordance with the rules approved by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation;
11) exercise other powers under this Federal Law.
2. The powers of a precinct election commission shall expire 10 days after the official publication of the general results of the election of the President of the Russian Federation if no complaints (statements) and protests have been received by the higher election commission about the decisions and actions (omissions) of the given election commission which resulted in the violation of the voting and vote-counting procedure and if these facts are not being investigated by a court. If the vote returns in an electoral precinct, territory or the results of the election of the President of the Russian Federation have been contested or protested, the powers of a precinct election commission shall end after a final decision has been handed down on the substance of the complaint (statement), protest by the higher election commission or by a court.
Article 23. Openness of the Activity of Election Commissions
1. Members of higher election commissions, a registered candidate or his agent or authorized representative for financial matters may attend all meetings of any election commission and be present when the relevant precinct, territorial election commission works with voters lists, ballots, absentee certificates, protocols of vote returns. The aforementioned persons shall not need any additional permission to attend meetings of an election commission and be present when it works with said electoral documents. An election commission shall provide free access for the aforementioned persons to meetings and to premises where it counts votes and works with said electoral documents. Members of the press may also be present at all meetings of an election commission or when it counts votes and works with said electoral documents.
2. An election commission shall inform the election commission of the next higher level, each registered candidate or his agent or authorized representative for financial matters about the time when the given commission is to hold its meetings or work with the electoral documents listed in Clause 1 of this article.
3. Complainants and representatives of the parties concerned may be present at meetings of election commissions when complaints (statements) are considered.
4. Election commissions shall inform voters about the results of registration of candidates; biographical data of registered candidates and other information about them, which was received by the election commissions in accordance with this Federal Law; the vote returns for each registered candidate and the results of the election of the President of the Russian Federation
5. On voting day and on the days of early voting, the persons mentioned in Clause 1 of this article as well as observers, including foreign (international) observers, may be present at polling stations from the time a precinct election commission begins its work and until it receives a message that the higher election commission has adopted a protocol of vote returns and also when votes are recounted.
6. Observers, members of the press, foreign (international) observers may be present in other election commissions when these commissions are tabulating vote returns, determining election results, preparing protocols of vote returns, election results and when votes are recounted.
7. Access to the premises of a precinct election commission of an election precinct formed on the territory of a military unit, in a closed administrative-territorial unit, at a hospital, sanatorium, holiday hotel, in places of detention of persons suspected of or charged with commission of a crime, in other places of temporary stay and to the voting site of the given election precinct shall be provided to all members of the election commission, persons mentioned in Clause 1 of this article and to observers.
8. Observers may be appointed by each registered candidate, each political party and each electoral bloc which nominated registered candidates, each all-Russia public association registered in accordance with the federal law. Elected officials, persons directly subordinated to them, judges, prosecutors shall not be eligible for appointment as observers.
9. The powers of an observer shall be certified by written credentials issued by a registered candidate or his agent, by a political party, other public associations, electoral bloc whose interests are represented by the given observer. The credentials shall indicate the surname, first name and patronymic of the observer, the address of his place of residence, telephone number (if any) and also the number of the electoral precinct and the name of the election commission (territorial, precinct commission) to which the observer is dispatched and shall confirm the absence of restrictions stipulated by Clause 8 of this article. No other information about the observer shall be required and the credentials shall not be under a seal if an observer is dispatched by a candidate or his agent. These credentials shall be valid if shown together with a paper certifying the observer's identity. No advance notification about sending of an observer shall be required.
10. The credentials mentioned in Clause 9 of this article may be produced to an election commission (precinct or some other commission) at any time from the day when the election commission holds its first meeting and up to the time when it completes the preparation of the protocol of vote returns, election results, including the results of vote recount.
11. In the premises of an election commission, at the polling station the powers of an observer shall not be simultaneously exercised by two and more observers representing the interests of one registered candidate, one political party, one electoral bloc, public association. No restrictions, other than those imposed by this Federal Law, shall be allowed on the presence of observers in the premises of an election commission, at the polling station, on monitoring of the conduct of voting, vote counting, preparation of the protocol of vote returns and issuance of copies of the protocol of vote returns.
12. Observers shall be entitled to:
1) inspect voters lists;
2) be present at the polling station of the given electoral precinct on voting day at any time during the period mentioned in Clause 5 of this article;
3) observe issuance of ballots to voters;
4) be present when voters vote outside a polling station;
5) observe counting of the number of voters on the voters lists, the number of ballots issued to voters, the number of canceled ballots; observe vote counting at a polling station from a distance and under conditions which allow them to see the marks made by voters on the ballots; inspect any marked and unmarked ballot when votes are being counted; observe the preparation by the election commission of the protocol of vote returns and other documents during the period mentioned in Clause 5 of this article;
6) make proposals and remarks concerning organization of voting to the chairman of a precinct election commission or, in his absence, to a person acting for him;
7) inspect the protocol of vote returns, election results of the election commission to which he was dispatched and such protocols of the lower election commissions as well as the documents attached to the protocols of vote returns and election results; receive from election commissions certified copies of said protocols and attached documents as well as copies of other documents which were received by these commissions or prepared by them in the period mentioned in Clause 5 of this article, including copies of the list of persons present at the voting, or make copies of said protocols and other documents and have them certified by the election commission;
8) appeal decisions and actions (omissions) of the election commission, to which an observer was dispatched, directly to the election commission of the next higher level or to a court;
9) be present at vote recount carried out by the election commission
13. Observers shall not:
1) issue ballots to voters;
2) sign for voters for the receipt of ballots, when asked to do so by them;
3) mark ballots for voters and do so on their request;
4) do anything that might violate the secrecy of voting;
5) directly participate in the counting of ballots together with the voting members of an election commission;
6) do anything that may interfere with the work of an election commission;
7) carry on election campaigning among voters;
8) participate in the adoption of decisions by an election commission.
14. Members of the press shall be entitled to inspect decisions taken and protocols of vote returns and election results prepared by all election commissions (including corrected protocols), make copies or receive from an election commission copies of said decisions and protocols and of documents attached thereto. Upon the request of a member of the press an election commission shall certify a copy of its decision or copies of its protocols of vote returns and election results.
15. Copies of protocols and of other documents of an election commission shall be certified by the chairman, deputy chairman or secretary of the election commission. To do so, the aforementioned persons shall mark the copy to be certified with the words “This is a true copy,” sign it, write their name and initials, indicate the date and time of certification and affix the seal of the election commission.
16. Non-voting members of election commissions and observers present at voting and when votes are being counted by precinct election commissions may wear badges showing their status, their surname, first name and patronymic as well as the surname, first name and patronymic of the registered candidate or the name of the political party, other public associations, electoral bloc that appointed the given non-voting member of the election commission or dispatched the given observer to the election commission. Such badges shall bear no elements of election propaganda and their form shall be established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.
Article 24. Foreign (International) Observers
1. Foreign (international) observers shall receive a permission for entry into the Russian Federation in the procedure established by the federal law and, if they have an appropriate invitation, shall be accredited by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.
2. Invitations may be extended by the President of the Russian Federation, the Federation Council and the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, the Government of the Russian Federation, the Human Rights Commissioner of the Russian Federation, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation after official publication of a decision to call the election of the President of the Russian Federation. Requests for invitations may be submitted by international and national government and non-government organizations as well as private persons who enjoy high prestige in the field of the protection of human and civil rights and freedoms. The State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation shall extend invitations in accordance with the proposals of each political party, each electoral bloc whose federal lists of candidates were included in the distribution of deputy seats.
3. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall issue an ID card of a standard form to a foreign (international) observer on the basis of the documents presented by him to confirm that he has been invited by any of the bodies or persons listed in Clause 2 of this article. This ID card shall allow the foreign (international) observer to carry on his activity during the preparation and conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation.
4. The activity of foreign (international) observers shall be regulated by this Federal Law, other federal laws.
5. The term of powers of a foreign (international) observer shall commence from the day on which the observer receives accreditation at the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and shall end on the day of official publication of the general results of the election of the President of the Russian Federation.
6. A foreign (international) observer shall carry on his activity by himself and independently. The material and financial support for the activity of a foreign (international) observer shall be provided for the account of the organization which dispatched the observer, or for his own account.
7. During his stay on the territory of the Russian Federation a foreign (international) observer shall be under the state patronage of the Russian Federation. Election commissions, federal bodies of state power and bodies of state power of the Subjects of the Russian Federation shall render him the necessary assistance.
8. After the voting time ends on the entire territory of the Russian Federation foreign (international) observers may express their opinion about the laws on the election of the President of the Russian Federation and about the preparation and conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation, hold press conferences and contact the mass media.
9. Foreign (international) observers may meet with candidates, their agents and authorized representatives for financial matters, authorized representatives of political parties, electoral blocs, groups of voters.
10. Foreign (international) observers shall not take advantage of their status to carry on activities unrelated to monitoring the course of the election campaign, the preparation and conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation.
11. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation may revoke accreditation of a foreign (international) observer if he violates federal laws or the universally accepted principles and norms of international law.
CHAPTER III. ELECTORAL PRECINCTS. VOTERS LISTS
Article 25. Formation of Electoral Precincts
1. In order to conduct voting and count votes in the election of the President of the Russian Federation electoral precincts shall be formed on the basis of the information about the number of voters registered on the territories of municipalities in accordance with the requirements of Article 16 of the Federal Law “On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum.”
2. Electoral precincts shall be formed by the head of a municipality (if the charter of the municipality does not provide for such office, by a person authorized to do so by the representative body of local self-government) or by the persons mentioned in Clauses 5 and 6 of this article. In the cases provided by Clause 4 of this article electoral precincts shall be formed by a territorial election commission. Electoral precincts shall be formed not later than 50 days before voting day with due regard to the local and other conditions and the need to provide maximum convenience for voters.
3. The number of voters registered on the territory of each electoral precinct shall not exceed 3000.
4. In places where voters stay temporarily (hospitals, sanatoria, holiday hotels, places of detention of persons suspected of or charged with commission of a crime, etc.), in hard-to-reach or remote areas, at polar stations, on ships at sea on voting day electoral precincts may be formed within the period established by Clause 2 of this article or, in exceptional cases and with the concurrence of the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation, not later than five days before voting day. In hard-to-reach or remote areas, on ships at sea on voting day, at polar stations, electoral precincts may be formed by the higher territorial commission with the concurrence of the captain of the ship, head of the polar station, heads of other organizations located in hard-to-reach or remote areas.
5. Servicemen shall vote in usual electoral precincts. By way of exception, electoral precincts may be formed on the territory of military units stationed in isolated areas far from populated centers. Such electoral precincts shall be formed by the commanding officer of the military unit on the basis of a decision of the relevant election commission within the period established by Clause 2 of this article or, in exceptional cases, not later than five days before voting day.
6. Electoral precincts where voters staying on the territory of foreign states on voting day are to vote and the votes are to be counted shall be formed by the heads of diplomatic and consular missions of the Russian Federation on the territory of the country where they are located, not later than 50 days before voting day. In this case, the requirements to the number of registered voters set in Clause 3 of this article may be waived. The heads of diplomatic and consular missions of the Russian Federation shall inform the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation about formation of electoral precincts not later than 40 days before voting day.
7. The lists of electoral precincts indicating their numbers and boundaries (if an electoral precinct is formed within a part of the territory of a populated center) or all populated centers (if an electoral precinct is formed on the territory of several populated centers), location of precinct election commissions and polling stations, telephone numbers of precinct election commissions shall be published by the head of a municipality (or, if the charter of the municipality does not provide for such office, by an official authorized to do so by the representative body of local self-government) not later than 45 days before voting day. The information about electoral precincts formed past the deadline mentioned in Clause 2 of this article shall be published not later than three days after their formation.
8. For electoral precincts formed outside the territory of the Russian Federation the arrangements for the publication of the data mentioned in Clause 7 of this article shall be made by the heads of the corresponding diplomatic or consular missions of the Russian Federation, with due regard to the local conditions.
Article 26. Preparation of Voters Lists
1. Voters lists shall be prepared by relevant election commissions separately for each electoral precinct in accordance with the format established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.
2. A territorial election commission shall prepare voters lists not later than 26 days before voting day on the basis of voter data furnished by the head of a municipality (if the charter of the municipality does not provide for this office, by a person authorized to do so by the representative body of local self-government), the commanding officer of a military unit, the head of an institution where voters are temporarily staying.
3. The voters list of an electoral precinct formed in a hard-to-reach or remote area shall be prepared by the precinct election commission not later than 25 days before voting day or, in exceptional cases, not later than the day on which the precinct election commission was formed, on the basis of voter data furnished by the head of a municipality (if the charter of the municipality does not provide for this office, by a person authorized to do so by the representative body of local self-government).
4. In an electoral precinct formed on the territory of a military unit the list of voters - servicemen, members of their families and other voters residing within the territory of the military unit shall be prepared by a precinct election commission not later than 25 days before voting day, on the basis of voter data to be furnished by the commanding officer of the military unit.
5. The voters list for an electoral precinct formed in places of temporary stay of voters (hospitals, sanatoria, holiday hotels, places of detention of persons suspected of or charged with commission of a crime, etc.), on a ship at sea on voting day or at a polar station shall be prepared by the relevant precinct election commission not later than the day preceding voting day, on the basis of voter data furnished by the head of the institution where voters are staying temporarily, the captain of the ship or the head of the polar station.
6. The voters list for an electoral precinct formed outside the territory of the Russian Federation shall be prepared by the relevant precinct election commission in accordance with Clause 4, Article 27 of this Federal Law, on the basis of applications from citizens of the Russian Federation who permanently reside outside the territory of the Russian Federation or stay abroad for a long time on business trips.
7. Voter data shall be collected and updated by the officials mentioned in Clauses 2 to 5 of this article, in the procedure established by the Statute on the State Registry of Voters and shall be made available to territorial election commissions not later than 60 days before voting day, or, if the voters list is to be prepared by a precinct election commission, to such precinct election commissions immediately upon their formation.
8. Voters lists shall be prepared in duplicate. Voter data shall be arranged in the voters list in an alphabetical or some other order (by populated centers, streets, houses, flats). The list shall indicate the surname, first name and patronymic of the voter, the year of birth (for the age of 18 years - also the date and month of birth), the address of the voter's place of residence. Blank spaces shall be provided in the voters lists for the voter to write the series and number (number) of his passport or an equivalent identity paper and sign for the received ballot, for a member of the precinct election commission to sign when he issues a ballot to the voter and for entering summary data relating to the election of the President of the Russian Federation.
9. In the preparation of voters lists use may be made of the state automated information system. The first original of the voters list shall be in a printed form, the second original, in a machine-readable form. In exceptional cases a voters list may be prepared in the form of a hand-written document.
10. The first original of the voters list prepared in accordance with the requirements of Clause 2 of this article shall be delivered to precinct election commissions on the basis of a transfer record 25 days before voting day. The second original of the voters list in a machine-readable form shall be kept by a territorial election commission and shall be used (in particular, in the event of the repeat voting) as prescribed by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. The voters list shall be signed by the chairman and the secretary of a territorial election commission and certified with the commission's seal.
11. The voters list for electoral precincts formed in accordance with Clauses 3 to 6 of this article shall be signed by the chairman and the secretary of a precinct election commission and certified with the commission's seal.
12. A precinct election commission may divide the first original of the voters list into separate books. Not later than the day preceding voting day, each such book shall be stitched, certified with the seal of this precinct election commission and signed by its chairman
13. Having received the voters list a precinct election commission shall check and update the list on the basis of personal applications of citizens submitted in accordance with Article 27 of this Federal Law, the relevant documents from the bodies of local self-government, officials, registries, bodies in charge of the registration of citizens of the Russian Federation at the place of their stay and residence within the Russian Federation, information from the higher election commission about inclusion of a voter in a voters list in some other electoral precinct. Not later than the day preceding voting day a checked and updated voters list shall be signed by the chairman and the secretary of a precinct election commission and certified with the commission's seal.
14. The persons furnishing voter data shall be responsible for the accuracy and completeness of the data and its timely submission.
Article 27. Procedure for Including Citizens in and Excluding Them from the Voters List
1. All citizens of the Russian Federation who are entitled to active suffrage in accordance with Article 3 of this Federal Law shall be included in voters lists, save as otherwise provided by Clause 4 of this article.
2. A citizen shall be included in the voters list in a concrete electoral precinct by virtue of the fact of his residence on the territory of the given electoral precinct as established by bodies in charge of registration of citizens of the Russian Federation at the place of their stay or residence within the Russian Federation in accordance with the federal law regulating the procedure for the exercise by citizens of the Russian Federation of the right to the freedom of movement, choice of the place of stay or residence within the Russian Federation.
3. Servicemen who reside outside the territory of a military unit shall be included in the voters lists at the place of their residence in accordance with the general requirements. Voters-servicemen, members of their families, other persons who reside on the territory of a military unit shall be included in the voters list by virtue of the fact of their residence on the territory of the military unit as established by the relevant service of the military unit or bodies in charge of the registration of citizens of the Russian Federation at the place of their stay or residence within the Russian Federation, or on the basis of the order of the commanding officer of a military unit whereby citizens called up for military service are put on the staff of the military unit.
4. A citizen of the Russian Federation who resides outside the territory of the Russian Federation or stays abroad for a long time on a business trip shall be included in voters lists on the basis of his written application to be submitted to the relevant election commission not later than the day preceding voting day or on the basis of an oral application made on voting day.
5. Voters–daytime students registered at the place of their residence at hostels (at the place of location of the educational establishment) shall be included in the voters list at the place of location of the hostel (educational establishment).
6. Voters staying on voting day at hospitals, sanatoria, holiday hotels, places of detention of persons suspected of or charged with commission of a crime, other places of temporary stay shall be included in the voters list on the basis of a passport or an equivalent identity paper and an absentee certificate for voting in the election of the President of the Russian Federation (hereafter "absentee certificate"). Voters remaining at places of temporary stay, who work in continuously operating organizations or at certain kinds of jobs where the duration of a shift cannot be reduced, servicemen remaining outside the place where their military unit is stationed, who were unable to receive an absentee certificate, may be included in the voters list in the electoral precinct where they are staying temporarily by a decision of the precinct election commission, on the basis of their written application to be submitted to a territorial or precinct election commission not later than seven days before voting day. The territorial or precinct election commission shall make this fact known to the precinct election commission where the voter was included in the voters list at the place of his residence. In the column "Special notes" of the voters list this precinct election commission shall write: "Removed from the voters list because of inclusion in the voters list in the electoral precinct N_" and indicate the name of the Subject of the Russian Federation.
7. Citizens of the Russian Federation who have been granted the status of forced migrants or have applied to the federal body of executive power in charge of migration or to its territorial agencies for the status of forced migrants shall be included in the voters list at the place of their temporary residence on the basis of a passport or an equivalent identity paper and appropriate documents issued by the aforementioned bodies
8. While staying in foreign countries at private invitations, on official business and as tourists citizens of the Russian Federation who are entitled to active suffrage shall be put on the voters list when they come to the premises of a precinct election commission, on the basis of a passport or an equivalent identity paper and an absentee certificate. Such citizens who were unable to receive an absentee certificate shall be put on the voters list by a precinct election commission when they come to the premises of a precinct election commission for voting.
9. Voters who settled down on the territory of an electoral precinct after the voters list had been made available to voters for inspection, as well as voters who were not included in the voters list for any other reason shall be additionally put on the voters list by a precinct election commission on the basis of a passport or an equivalent identity paper and, if necessary, documents confirming their residence on the territory of the given electoral precinct.
10. A voter may be included in a voters list only in one electoral precinct.
11. After a voters list was signed by the chairman and the secretary of a territorial election commission a citizen may be excluded from the voters list only on the basis of official documents or when an absentee certificate is issued to a voter in the procedure established by this Federal Law. In this case, a note shall be made in the voters list indicating the date when the citizen was excluded from the voters list and the reasons for the exclusion. This note shall be signed by the chairman of the precinct election commission and, where an absentee certificate is issued, by the member of the election commission who issued the certificate.
12. No changes shall be made in voters lists after the end of voting and beginning of vote counting.
Article 28. Inspection of Voters Lists by Voters
1. Precinct election commissions shall make voters lists available to general public for inspection and additional correction not later than 20 days before voting day.
2. A citizen of the Russian Federation entitled to active suffrage may state to a precinct election commission that he has not been put on the voters list or inform the commission about any error or inaccuracy in his data . Within 24 hours or, on voting day, within two hours after this statement is made, and not later than the end of voting, a precinct election commission shall check the statement and the submitted documents and shall either remove the error and inaccuracy or give the voter a written answer indicating the reasons why the statement was rejected.
3. The decision of a precinct election commission to include or not to include a citizen in the voters list may be appealed to a higher election commission or to a court (at the place of location of the precinct election commission) and these bodies must consider the complaint (statement) within three days or, if the complaint is filed three and less days before or on voting day, immediately. In the event of a decision in favor of the applicant, the precinct election commission shall immediately make the necessary corrections in the voters list.
4. Each citizen of the Russian Federation may inform a precinct election commission of any changes in the voter data entered in the voters list for the given electoral precinct in accordance with Clause 8, Article 26 of this Federal Law.
CHAPTER IV. POLITICAL PARTIES, ELECTORAL BLOCS
Article 29. Participation of Political Parties in the Election of the President of the Russian Federation
1. Political parties shall participate in the election of the President of the Russian Federation and, inter alia, nominate candidates in accordance with this Federal Law and the Federal Law "On Political Parties."
2. The list of political parties which are entitled to participate in the election of the President of the Russian Federation under the Law "On Political Parties" and, inter alia, nominate candidates shall be made up by the federal body authorized to register political parties. Upon the request of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation this list made up as of the day of official publication of the decision to call the election shall be submitted to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation within ten days of receipt of the request.
Article 30. Participation of Electoral Blocs in the Election of the President of the Russian Federation
1. An electoral bloc is a voluntary union formed by two or three political parties, included in the list of political parties mentioned in Clause 2, Article 29 of this Federal Law, for joint participation in the election of the President of the Russian Federation. An electoral bloc may also be a voluntary union formed by one or two political parties, included in the list mentioned in Clause 2, Article 29 of this Federal Law, and not more than, respectively, two or one all-Russia public association established in the form of a public organization or public movement whose charter provides for participation in elections. Such all-Russia public associations, established in the form of a public organization or public movement, or modifications and amendments to their charters providing for participation in elections shall be registered in accordance with the federal law not later than one year before voting day or, in the event of the early election of the President of the Russian Federation, not later than six months before voting day. These time periods shall not apply to other modifications and amendments to the charter of an all-Russia public association.
2. The following public associations established in the form of a public organization or public movement shall not be entitled to join electoral blocs:
an association registered in accordance with Russian Federation laws as a trade union, a religious or charity organization, a national-cultural autonomy;
an association whose charter provides that membership therein is based only on the profession, nationality, ethnic origin, race and/or confession of citizens;
an association whose non-political nature is expressly stipulated in the federal law;
an international public association.
3. The list of all-Russia public associations which have been established in the form of a public organization or public movement and meet the requirements of Clauses 1 and 2 of this article shall be made up by the federal justice body. Upon the request of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation this list made up as of the day of official publication of the decision to call the election shall be submitted to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation within ten days of the day on which the request was received.
4. A decision to join an electoral bloc, indicating the name (names) of the political party (political parties), other all-Russia public association (other all-Russia public associations) with which an electoral bloc is to be formed shall be adopted at the congress (conference) of each of the political parties, each all-Russia public association. After this representatives of these political parties, all-Russia public associations shall sign an agreement for the formation of an electoral bloc.
5. For registration of an electoral bloc its authorized representative shall submit the following documents to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation:
1) notarized copies of the Rules of the political parties, charters of other all-Russia public associations comprised in the electoral bloc;
2) notarized copies of the certificates evidencing entry of the political parties, other all-Russia public associations comprised in the electoral bloc in the unified state register of legal entities;
3) minutes of the congresses (conferences) of the political parties, other all-Russia public associations, containing the decision to join the electoral bloc;
4) an agreement for the formation of the electoral bloc signed by representatives of the political parties, other all-Russia public associations and certified with the seals of these political parties, all-Russia public associations;
5) information about the full name and abbreviated name (consisting of not more than seven words) of the electoral bloc;
6) a decision of the electoral bloc on the procedure for the payment of the cost of free air time and free space in print media in the cases provided by Article 63 of this Federal Law.
6. Electoral blocs shall be registered with the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation not later than five days after submission of the required documents. These documents may be submitted simultaneously with submission of documents relating to the nomination of a candidate but not later than the day on which the nomination documents are submitted.
7. The reasons for the refusal of registration of an electoral bloc may only be the absence or improper execution of the documents mentioned in Clause 5 of this article; the failure to meet the requirements of Clauses 1, 2, 4, 8 of this article and Clause 3, Article 31 of this Federal Law. An electoral bloc shall not be refused registration if the number of its members is less than that indicated in the decision of the congress (conference) of the political party (political parties), other all-Russia public association (other all-Russia public associations) on the formation of this electoral bloc, save the case where no political parities remain in the electoral bloc.
8. Political parties, other all-Russia public associations comprised in one electoral bloc shall not join other electoral blocs or act independently in the election of the President of the Russian Federation.
9. After an electoral bloc has been registered with the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation it shall not admit any other political parties, other all-Russia public associations as its members.
10. Upon its formation an electoral bloc shall authorize its body or one of political parties comprised in the electoral bloc to act on behalf of the electoral bloc during the election campaign and also during the term of office of the President of the Russian Federation if the candidate nominated by this electoral bloc is elected.
11. Registration of an electoral bloc shall be revoked by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation if this electoral bloc decides to refuse to participate in the election campaign and also if no political parties remain in the electoral bloc.
Article 31. Name of a Political Party, Electoral Bloc
1. A political party and an electoral bloc which nominated a candidate shall submit information about their name to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation .
2. The name of a political party shall be the name indicated in its Rules.
3. The name of an electoral bloc shall be determined at the congress (conference) of the representatives of the political parties, other all-Russia public associations which formed the given electoral bloc. The name of an electoral bloc shall not make use of the name of any registered all-Russia public association which is not a member of this electoral bloc, regardless of whether this public association takes part in the election of the President of the Russian Federation, or the name of another electoral bloc which has already been registered in the given election. Neither shall an electoral bloc use the name which it used in the previous election of the President of the Russian Federation, previous election of deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, if more than a half of all-Russia public associations (their legal successors) which were members of the given electoral bloc in the previous election are no longer its members. The use of the first name and surname or a pseudonym of a natural person, the name of a state or municipal office in the name of an electoral bloc shall not be allowed.
4. A political party, electoral bloc shall agree with the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation their abbreviated name (consisting of not more than seven words) to be used in electoral documents.
5. The names of political parties and electoral blocs shall not be changed after they have been submitted to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.
Article 32. Authorized Representatives of A Political Party, Electoral Bloc
1. A political party and an electoral bloc which nominated a candidate shall appoint representatives authorized, under this Federal Law, to represent the political party, electoral bloc in all matters relating to the participation of the political party, electoral bloc in the election of the President of the Russian Federation.
2. Authorized representatives of a political party, electoral bloc shall be appointed by the decision of a congress of the political party, a congress (conference) of the representatives of political parties, other all-Russia public associations comprised in the electoral bloc or by the decision of a body authorized to do so by the congress of a political party, congress (conference) of the representatives of political parties, other all-Russia public associations comprised in the electoral bloc.
3. An authorized representative of a political party, electoral bloc shall act on the basis of the decision mentioned in Clause 2 of this article. Such decision shall indicate the powers of the authorized representative, his surname, first name and patronymic, date of birth, series and number (number) and date of issue of the passport or an equivalent identity document, address of the place of residence, main place of work or service, position (occupation, if there is no main place of work or service).
4. The list of appointed authorized representatives of a political party, electoral bloc shall be submitted to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation in a printed form and a machine-readable form, in the format established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. The list of authorized representatives of a political party, electoral bloc must indicate the surname, first name and patronymic of each authorized representative of the political party, electoral bloc, his date of birth, series and number (number) and date of issue of the passport or an equivalent identity paper, address of the place of residence, main place of work or service, position (occupation, if there is no main place of work or service), telephone number. The list shall be accompanied by a written consent of each of the listed persons to act in this capacity.
5. Authorized representatives of a political party, electoral bloc shall be subject to registration by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.
6. Authorized representatives of a political party, electoral bloc who occupy state or municipal offices shall not take advantage of their office or official position.
7. The term of powers of authorized representatives of a political party, electoral bloc shall commence from the day of their appointment and expire upon the loss of a candidate's status by the candidate nominated by the given political party, given electoral bloc but not later than the day of official publication of the general results of the election of the President of the Russian Federation
8. A political party, electoral bloc may, by a decision of their duly authorized body, terminate the powers of any authorized representative of the political party, electoral bloc by serving a written notice to this effect on the authorized representative and forwarding a copy of the relevant decision to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.
Article 33. Equality of Rights of Political Parties, Electoral Blocs in the Election of the President of the >Russian Federation
Political parties, electoral blocs shall participate in the election of the President of the Russian Federation on equal conditions, in the procedure established by this Federal Law.
CHAPTER V. NOMINATION AND REGISTRATION OF CANDIDATES
Article 34. Self-Nomination of a Candidate
1. After official publication of the decision to call the election of the President of the Russian Federation each citizen of the Russian Federation entitled to passive suffrage may nominate himself for election to the office of President of the Russian Federation.
2. A group of voters consisting of not less than 500 citizens of the Russian Federation entitled to active suffrage shall be formed to support the self-nomination of a candidate. A voter can join only one such group formed for supporting the self-nomination of a candidate (hereafter "group of voters"). The place and time where and when a group of voters is to hold its meeting shall be made known to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation or the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation on the territory of which such meeting is to be held.
3. Not later than 20 days from the day of official publication of the decision to call the election of the President of the Russian Federation a self-nominated candidate shall submit a written application to the Central Election Commission for registration of a group of voters. In the event of the early election of the President of the Russian Federation the period specified in this clause shall not apply.
4. The application for registration of a group of voters shall indicate:
1) the surname, first name and patronymic of the candidate, his date and place of birth, main place of work or service, position (occupation, if there is no main place of work or service), address of the place of residence, citizenship, length of residence on the territory of the Russian Federation;
2) the surname, first name and patronymic of each member of the group of voters, his date of birth, main place of work or service, position (occupation, if there is no main place of work or service), address of the place of residence, citizenship, series and number (number) and date of issue of the passport or an equivalent identity paper.
5. The application for registration of a group of voters shall be submitted together with a notarized protocol of registration of members of the group of voters at the meeting held in support of the self-nomination of the candidate and the minutes of the meeting of this group of voters. If a notary public is not available in the populated center, the protocol of registration of members of a group of voters may be certified by an official of the executive body of state power, an official of the body of local self-government, who are authorized to act as notaries public. The minutes of the meeting of a group of voters shall contain decisions on:
1) formation of the group of voters;
2) support of the self-nomination of the candidate with the indication of his data listed in Clause 4 of this article;
3) nomination of authorized representatives of the group of voters with the indication of the data listed in Clause 3, Article 32 of this Federal Law.
6. The following documents shall be attached to the application for registration of a group of voters:
1) powers of attorney for the authorized representatives of a group of voters;
2) a list of authorized representatives of a group of voters in a printed form and a machine-readable form, according to the format established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. The list shall indicate the surname, first name and patronymic of each authorized representative, his date of birth, series and number (number) and date of issue of the passport or an equivalent identity paper, address of the place of residence, main place of work or service, position (occupation, if there is no main place of work or service), telephone number. Appended to the list shall be a written statement of each person on the list expressing his consent to act in this capacity.
3) a statement of the candidate expressing his consent to run, indicating the surname, first name and patronymic of the candidate; his date and place of birth; address of the place of residence; education; main place of work or service and position (occupation, if there is no main place of work or service); if the candidate is a deputy and exercises his powers on a non-permanent basis – this fact and the name of the relevant representative body; length of residence on the territory of the Russian Federation; citizenship (if the candidate has Russian Federation and foreign citizenship - also the foreign citizenship and the name of the corresponding foreign state, the date when and reasons why the citizenship was received); kind, series and number (number) of the document certifying the identity of the candidate, his citizenship and address of the place of residence; name and code of the body which issued this identity document and its date of issue. If the candidate has a conviction that has not expired or has not been cancelled, the statement shall also contain information about the candidate's conviction;
4) a notarized power of attorney for the candidate's authorized representative (notarized powers of attorney for the candidate's authorized representatives) for financial matters;
5) if the candidate has been concurrently nominated in some other election – a written notification of his nomination in the other election.
7. Also attached to the application for registration of a group of voters shall be the information about the amount and sources of the income of the candidate and his spouse and information about the property owned and co-owned by the candidate and his spouse and about property liabilities of the candidate and his spouse. The information about the amount and sources of the income shall be submitted in the form of copies of the income declarations of the citizen who is a candidate and of his spouse for four years preceding the year in which the election of the President of the Russian Federation was called (endorsed by the tax authorities with which the declaration was filed). If, under the laws of the Russian Federation, the citizen who is a candidate and/or his spouse does (do) not have to file an income declaration, information about his (their) aggregate income (including pensions, allowances, other benefits) for four years preceding the year in which the election of the President of the Russian Federation was called shall be supplied by legal entities and/or natural persons - tax agents under the federal law, by organizations which make these payments. Information about the property owned and co-owned by the candidate and his spouse and about their property liabilities shall be submitted in a format established by Annex 3 to this Federal Law. If for four years before the year in which the election of the President of the Russian Federation was called the candidate and/or his spouse had received no income, this fact shall be indicated in the candidate's statement expressing his consent to run. If, as of the first day of the month in which the decision to call the election of the President of the Russian Federation was officially published, the candidate and/or his spouse owned no property and/or had no property liabilities which are to be declared under this clause, this fact shall be indicated in the candidate’s statement expressing his consent to run.
8. In the statement mentioned in Sub-Clause 3, Clause 6 of this article the candidate may also mention his membership in not more than one political party registered in accordance with the federal law or in some other public association registered not later than a year before voting day and his status in this public association, provided this information is confirmed by a document certified by a permanent leading body of this political party, other public association. In this case, the candidate shall agree with this body and with the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation an abbreviated name of this political party, other public association, consisting of not more than seven words.
9. A candidate nominated by a political party, electoral bloc shall not be entitled to self-nomination.
10. The application and other documents mentioned in Clause 3 of this article shall be submitted to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation by the candidate personally unless he is ill or kept in places of detention of persons suspected of or charged with commission of a crime (in such cases the candidate's signature on the application must be notarized or certified in writing by the administration of the hospital where he is undergoing medical treatment or administration of the institution where he is kept in custody as a person suspected of or charged with commission of a crime). If the candidate does not have to submit the aforementioned documents to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation personally, these document shall be submitted by an authorized representative of a group of voters.
11. The application for registration of a group of voters and documents attached thereto shall be accepted by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation upon production of a document certifying the candidate's identity (or, if the application is submitted by an authorized representative of a group of voters, upon production of a notarized copy of the candidate's identity paper). A copy of the candidate's identity paper shall be made at the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation in the presence of the candidate (authorized representative of a group of voters), certified by the signature of the person who accepted the application and attached to the application. The candidate (authorized representative of a group of voters) shall also produce documents which confirm the information about the education, main place of work or service and position (occupation) of the candidate indicated in the statement expressing his consent to run, and also the fact that he is a deputy.
12. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall, on the day on which it received the documents submitted under this article, issue a written receipt for these documents to a candidate, (authorized representative of a group of voters).
13. A group of voters may support self-nomination of only one candidate.
14. Within five days of receipt of the documents submitted under this article the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall take a decision to register the group of voters and its authorized representatives and shall issue registration certificates to the authorized representatives or take a reasoned decision to refuse their registration.
15. The information about a self-nominated candidates and the electoral documents shall be marked "Self-nomination."
16. A group of voters and its authorized representatives may be refused registration on the following grounds: absence or incorrect execution of the documents mentioned in Clauses 3, 5 to 7 of this article; a candidate is not entitled to passive suffrage; failure to meet the requirements of Clauses 2, 3, 9 to 11, 13 of this article.
17. Should registration be refused, a reasoned decision of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation refusing registration shall be issued to the authorized representatives of a group of voters not later than the day following the day on which this decision was taken. This decision may be appealed to the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation which shall consider the appeal within three days.
Article 35. Nomination of a Candidate by a Political Party, Electoral Bloc
1. A political party, electoral bloc shall nominate a candidate after official publication of the decision to call the election of the President of the Russian Federation.
2. A political party, electoral bloc may nominate only one candidate.
3. A political party, electoral bloc may nominate a candidate who is not a member of the given political party, political parties, other all-Russia public associations comprised in an electoral bloc.
4. A decision of a political party to nominate a candidate shall be taken by the political party at its congress in accordance with the Federal Law "On Political Parties" and the Rules of the party.
5. When a candidate is nominated by an electoral bloc a person proposed for nomination from the electoral bloc shall be supported at a congress of a political party, congress (conference) of other all-Russia public associations comprised in the electoral bloc, by secret ballot and in compliance with the other requirements stipulated by the Federal Law "On Political Parties" for the nomination of a candidate. The congress of a political party, congress (conference) of other all-Russia public associations shall also approve representatives authorized to take a decision on the nomination of a candidate at a congress (conference) of representatives of political parties, other all-Russia public associations which formed the given electoral bloc. The decision to nominate a candidate from the electoral bloc shall be taken at this congress (conference).
6. The decision of a congress (conference) of a political party, electoral bloc to nominate a candidate shall be recorded in the minutes (or some other document) indicating:
1) the number of registered participants in the congress (conference);
2) the number of participants, which is required for passing the decision in accordance with the Rules of the political party, agreement for the formation of the electoral bloc;
3) the decision to nominate a candidate, indicating the surname, first name and patronymic of the candidate, his date and place of birth, main place of work or service and position (occupation, if there is no main place of work), address of the place of residence, citizenship, length of residence on the territory of the Russian Federation as well as the results of the vote taken on this decision;
4) the decision on the appointment of authorized representatives of the political party, electoral bloc;
5) the date of the decision.
7. The decision of the congress of a political party on the nomination of a candidate shall be certified by the signature of the head of the political party and its seal. When a candidate is nominated by an electoral bloc, the decision taken by the congress (conference) of a political party, other all-Russia public associations comprised in the electoral bloc on the nomination of a person proposed for nomination as a candidate shall be certified by the signature of the head of this political party, heads of other all-Russia public associations, the seals of this political party, seals of other all-Russian public associations. The decision of a congress (conference) of an electoral bloc on the nomination of a candidate shall be certified by the signatures of the authorized representatives of the electoral bloc and by the seals of the political parties, other all-Russia public associations comprised in the electoral bloc.
8. Not later than 25 days after official publication of the decision to call the election of the President of the Russian Federation, the authorized representatives of a political party, electoral bloc shall submit to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation the decision of the congress (conference) of the political party, electoral bloc on the nomination of a candidate. In the event of the early election of the President of the Russian Federation the aforementioned period shall not apply.
9. Simultaneously with submission of the decision of a political party on the nomination of a candidate an authorized representative of the political party shall submit the following documents to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation:
1) a notarized copy of the Rules of the political party and a document confirming that the political party has been entered in the unified register of legal entities;
2) a list of authorized representatives of the political party, indicating their data listed in Clause 3, Article 32 of this Federal Law.
10. Simultaneously with the submission of the decision of the congress (conference) of an electoral bloc on the nomination of a candidate an authorized representative of the electoral bloc shall submit the following documents to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation:
1) minutes of the congresses of the political parties, congresses (conferences) of other all-Russia public associations comprised in the electoral bloc with decisions on the nomination of the person proposed as a candidate from the electoral bloc;
2) a list of authorized representatives of the electoral bloc, indicating their data listed in Clause 3, Article 32 of this Federal Law.
11. Simultaneously with the documents listed in Clauses 8 to 10 of this article a candidate shall submit the following documents to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation:
1) a statement expressing his consent to run, indicating his biographical data: the surname, first name and patronymic; date and place of birth; address of the place of residence; education; main place of work or service and position (occupation, if there is no main place of work or service); if the candidate is a deputy and exercises his powers on a non-permanent basis – this fact and the name of the relevant representative body; length of residence on the territory of the Russian Federation; citizenship (if the candidate has Russian Federation and foreign citizenship - also the foreign citizenship and the name of the corresponding foreign state, the date when and the reasons why the citizenship was received); kind, series and number (number) of the candidate's identity paper certifying his citizenship and address of his place of residence; name and code of the body which issued this identity paper and its date of issue. In the statement expressing his consent to run the candidate may mention his membership in not more than one political party registered in accordance with the federal law or in some other public association registered not later than a year before voting day and his status in this political party or other public association, provided this information is confirmed by a document certified by a permanent leading body of this political party, other public association. In this case, the candidate shall agree with this body and with the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation an abbreviated name of this political party, other public association, consisting of not more than seven words If the candidate has a conviction that has not expired or has not been cancelled, the statement shall also contain information about the candidate's conviction;
2) a notarized power of attorney for the candidate's authorized representative (notarized powers of attorney for the candidate's authorized representatives) for financial matters;
3) information about the amount and sources of the income of the candidate and his spouse and information about the property owned and co-owned by the candidate and his spouse and about property liabilities of the candidate and his spouse. The information about the amount and sources of the income shall be submitted in the form of copies of the income declarations of the citizen who is a candidate and of his spouse for four years preceding the year in which the election of the President of the Russian Federation was called (endorsed by the tax authorities with which the declaration was filed). If, under the laws of the Russian Federation, the citizen who is a candidate and/or his spouse does (do) not have to file an income declaration, information about his (their) income (including pensions, allowances, other benefits) for four years preceding the year in which the election of the President of the Russian Federation was called shall be supplied by legal entities and/or natural persons - tax agents under the federal law, by organizations which make these payments. Information about the property owned and co-owned by the candidate and his spouse and about their property liabilities shall be submitted in a format established by Annex 3 to this Federal Law. If, for four years before the year in which the election of the President of the Russian Federation was called, the candidate and/or his spouse had received no income, this fact shall be indicated in the candidate's statement expressing his consent to run. If, as of the first day of the month in which the decision to call the election of the President of the Russian Federation was officially published, the candidate and/or his spouse owned no property and/or had no property liabilities which are to be declared under this clause, this fact shall be indicated in the candidate’s statement expressing his consent to run.
4) if the candidate has been concurrently nominated in some other election – a written notification of his nomination in the other election.
12. The documents mentioned in Clause 11 of this article shall be submitted to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation by a candidate personally unless he is ill or kept in places of detention of persons suspected of or charged with commission of a crime (in such cases the candidate's signature on the application must be notarized or certified in writing by the administration of the hospital where the candidates is undergoing medical treatment or administration of the institution where he is kept in custody as a person suspected of or charged with commission of a crime). If a candidate does not have to submit the aforementioned documents to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation personally, these documents shall be submitted by an authorized representative of the political party, the electoral bloc which nominated the candidate.
13. The documents mentioned in Clause 11 of this article shall be accepted by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation upon production of the candidate's identity paper (or, if the documents are submitted by an authorized representative of a political party, electoral bloc, upon production of a notarized copy of the candidate's identity paper). A copy of the candidate's identity paper shall be made at the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation in the presence of the candidate (authorized representative of a political party, electoral bloc), certified by the signature of the person who accepted the documents and shall be attached thereto. The candidate (authorized representative of a political party, electoral bloc) shall also produce documents which confirm the information about the education, main place of work or service and position (occupation) of the candidate indicated in the statement expressing his consent to run, and also the fact that he is a deputy.
14. A candidate may give his consent to run only to one political party, electoral bloc. A political party, electoral bloc shall not nominate a self-nominated candidate.
15. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall, on the day on which it received the documents submitted under this article, issue a written receipt for these documents to a candidate, (authorized representative of a political party, electoral bloc).
16. Within five days of receipt of the documents submitted under this article the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall take a decision to register authorized representatives of a political party, electoral bloc or a reasoned decision to refuse their registration. If, at the same time, an electoral bloc submitted to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation the documents for its registration as provided by Article 30 of this Federal Law, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall take an appropriate decision on all submitted documents within seven days of their receipt.
17. Registration of authorized representatives of a political party, electoral bloc may be refused on the following grounds: absence or improper execution of the documents mentioned in Clauses 6 to 11 of this article; a political party is not entitled to nominate candidates in this election; absence of registration of an electoral bloc; failure to meet the requirements of Clauses 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 12 to 14 of this article.
18. Should registration be refused, a reasoned decision of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation refusing registration shall be issued to the authorized representative of a political party, electoral bloc not later than the day following the day on which this decision was taken. This decision may be appealed to the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation which shall consider the appeal within three days.
Article 36. Collection of Voter Signatures in Support of Nomination of a Candidate
1. A self-nominated candidate shall collect in his support, and a political party, electoral bloc (with the exception of a political party, electoral bloc mentioned in Clause 2 of this articles) in support of a candidate nominated, respectively, by the political party, electoral bloc not less than two million signatures. Not more than 50 thousand voter signatures may be collected on the territory of any one Subject of the Russian Federation where the voters reside. If signatures are collected among voters who permanently reside outside the territory of the Russian Federation, the total number of such signatures shall not exceed 50 thousand.
2. A political party, whose federal list of candidates was included in the distribution of deputy seats as well as an electoral bloc consisting of the same political parties and other all-Russia public associations as a political bloc whose federal list of candidates was included in the distribution of deputy seats shall not collect voter signatures in support of candidates whom they nominated. "Federal list of candidates included in the distribution of deputy seats" means a federal list of candidates included in the distribution of deputy seats on the basis of the officially published results of the election of deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation immediately preceding the election of the President of the Russian Federation, provided said results had been officially published before the documents required for registration of a candidate were submitted to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.
3. Collection of signatures in support of nomination of a candidate shall start from the day following the day of registration of authorized representatives of a political party or an electoral bloc which nominated candidates, a group of voters. Collection of voter signatures before registration of authorized representatives shall not be allowed.
4. Signature sheets shall be made up in a format shown in Annexes 1 and 2 to this Federal Law.
5. During collection of voter signatures the signature sheet shall indicate the surname, first name and patronymic of a candidate; his date of birth; main place of work or service and position (occupation, if there is no main place of work or service); if the candidate is a deputy and exercises his powers on a non-permanent basis – this fact and the name of the relevant representative body; the Subject of the Russian Federation, raion, town, city or other populated center where the candidate resides; the initiator of the candidate’s nomination: a political party, electoral bloc (and their names) or the words "Self-nomination." If the candidate has a conviction that has not expired or has not been cancelled, the signature sheet shall indicate the information about the candidate's conviction. If the candidate has Russian Federation citizenship and foreign citizenship, the signature sheet shall indicate this fact along with the name of the corresponding foreign state and the date when and the reasons why the citizenship was received. The signature sheet shall also indicate the name of the Subject of the Russian Federation in which voter signatures are collected, and, if signatures of citizens of the Russian Federation are collected outside the Russian Federation, the name of the corresponding foreign state.
6. The signature sheet shall indicate the membership of a candidate in the public association and his status in this public association, if the candidate indicated his membership in this public association in the statement expressing his consent to run in accordance with Clause 8, Article 34 or Sub-Clause 1, Clause 11, Article 35 of this Federal Law,.
7. Participation of bodies of state power, bodies of local self-government, governing bodies of organizations of all forms of ownership, institutions, voting members of election commissions in the collection of voter signatures shall not be allowed. In the course of collection of signatures it shall be prohibited to compel voters to put their signatures or to remunerate them in any manner for doing so and to collect voter signatures at work places, when and where wages, pensions, allowances, stipends, other social benefits are paid or charity is given.
8. Voter signatures may be collected by legally capable citizens of the Russian Federation who have attained to the age of 18 years on the day of signature collection. A candidate may sign a contract with a signature collector for collection of voter signatures. All expenses incidental to the production of signature sheets and collection of signatures shall be paid only through the electoral fund of a candidate.
9. Collection of voter signatures in support of nomination of candidates may be carried out at the place of study, residence and at other places where signature collection and election campaigning are not prohibited by the federal laws.
10. A voter may put his signature in support of nomination of several candidates but only once in support of nomination of the same candidate. A voter shall put his signature on the signature sheet, mark the date and write the following data: his surname, first name and patronymic; year of birth (if the voter is 18 years old as of the day when he signs the signature sheet, also the day and month of birth); place of residence indicated in the passport or an equivalent identity paper; series and number (number) of the passport or an equivalent identity paper and date of its issue. The signature in support of nomination of a candidate shall be put and the date marked by a voter himself. Upon the request of a voter his data and the date when he put his signature may be written on the signature sheet by the signature collector. All this data shall not be written otherwise than by hand.
11. During collection of voter signatures the signature sheet may be completed both on the face and on the back. The back shall be continuation of the face and all signatures on a signature sheet shall be numbered consecutively. The certifying signatures shall be put on the back of the signature sheet.
12. The signature collector shall sign the signature sheet indicating his surname, first name and patronymic; address of the place of residence indicated in the passport or an equivalent identity paper; series and number (number) of the passport or an equivalent identity paper, date of its issue and name and code of the issuing body; signing date. The signature sheet shall be certified by an authorized representative of a political party, an electoral bloc which nominated candidates or by a self-nominated candidate or his agent, who shall put their signatures and mark the date against their surname, first name and patronymic.
13. After collection of voter signatures has been completed an authorized representative of a political party, an electoral bloc which nominated candidates, a self-nominated candidate or his agents shall count the number of collected signatures separately for each Subject of the Russian Federation where signatures were collected, the number of the collected signatures of voters residing outside the territory of the Russian Federation and the total number of voter signatures. The number of signatures thus counted shall be entered in a signature collection protocol, which shall be signed by the authorized representatives of a political party, an electoral bloc, a self-nominated candidate or his agent.
14. In the event of the early or repeat election of the President of the Russian Federation the number of voter signatures mentioned in Clause 1 of this article shall be reduced by half.
Article 37. Submission of Electoral Documents for Registration of Candidates
1. For registration of a candidate this candidate or an authorized representative of a political party, an electoral bloc which nominated candidates shall, not earlier than 80 days and not later than 45 days before voting day, submit the following electoral documents to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation before 18.00 hours Moscow time:
1) signature sheets with voter signatures collected in support of nomination of the candidate (if signatures have to be collected for registration of the candidate);
2) a signature collection protocol in a printed form, in duplicate, and in a machine-readable form according to a format established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation (if signatures have to be collected for registration of the candidate);
3) information about changes in the candidate's data submitted earlier in pursuance of Sub-Clause 3, Clause 6, Article 34 or Sub-Clause 1, Clause 11 Article 35 of this Federal Law;
4) the first financial report of the candidate.
2. The signature sheets submitted to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall be numbered and bound into files according to the Subjects of the Russian Federation, foreign states where signatures were collected.
3. The number of voter signatures in support of nomination of a candidate contained in signature sheets submitted to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation may be larger than the number of signatures required for registration of a candidate under this Federal Law but shall not exceed this number by more than 25 percent.
4. When accepting electoral documents the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall certify each file containing signature sheets with the seal of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, check that the number of the submitted signature sheets corresponds to the number indicated in the signature collection protocol and then issue to a candidate or an authorized representative of a political party, an electoral bloc a written receipt confirming acceptance of the electoral documents, including signature sheets (if signatures have to be collected for registration of a candidate) and indicating the number of accepted signature sheets, the stated number of signatures, the date and time of acceptance of the electoral documents. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall not restrict admission to the commission’s premises for a candidate, an authorized representative of a political party, an electoral bloc which nominated candidates nor shall it refuse to accept from these persons the electoral documents required for registration of a candidate, if the documents were delivered before the deadline set by Clause 1 of this article.
Article 38. Verification of the Data Contained in Signature Sheets and of the Information Submitted by Candidates, Political Parties, Electoral Blocs
1. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall check that nomination of each candidate was carried out in conformity with the requirements of this Federal Law. If a candidate, a political party, an electoral bloc which nominated a candidate have submitted signature sheets with voter signatures collected in support of nomination of a candidate, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall check compliance with the signature collection procedure, execution of signature sheets, accuracy of voter data and authenticity of signatures contained in these signature sheets. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation may, under this Federal Law, verify the biographical data and other information submitted by a candidate, a political party, an electoral bloc which nominated candidates.
2. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, other election commissions may make an application to appropriate bodies for verifying the data and information submitted in accordance with this Federal Law, and these bodies shall inform the election commission about the results of the verification within the time established by the election commission.
3. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation may, by its decision, form working groups consisting of members of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, members of its staff, invited specialists to check compliance with the signature collection procedure and with the requirements to the execution of signature sheets and verify the authenticity of voter data and voter signatures contained in signature sheets. Such checks and verification may be carried out with the involvement of members of lower election commissions, experts of the internal-affairs bodies and juridical bodies of the Russian Federation, military commissariats and specialized institutions and organizations in charge of registration of the population in the Russian Federation. Their conclusions may serve as a basis for pronouncing the data contained in signature sheets unauthentic. In order to establish the authenticity of this data the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation may use the State Registry of Voters, Referendum Participants.
4. Verification shall cover not less than 20 percent of the number of voter signatures in support of nomination of each candidate required for the registration of the candidate and the accompanying voter data contained in signature sheets.
5. An equal number of signatures collected in support of nomination of each candidate shall be sampled for initial verification. Signature sheets to be subjected to selective verification shall be chosen by random sampling (by lot). The random sampling procedure shall be determined by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. Lot-drawing and verification of signature sheets may be witnessed by a candidate or his agent, an authorized representative of a political party, an electoral bloc which nominated candidates. Lot-drawing shall be held directly after issuance of a written receipt confirming acceptance of signature sheets. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall inform the aforementioned persons of the time appointed for lot-drawing and verification of signature sheets. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall not prevent other persons dispatched by a candidate, a political party, an electoral bloc which nominated a candidate, a group of voters from being present at signature verification. Verification shall cover all signatures and the accompanying voter data on the signature sheets sampled for verification.
6. On the basis of verification of the signatures and the accompanying voter data contained in signature sheets a voter signature may be pronounced authentic or unauthentic or invalid.
7. The signatures and the accompanying voter data in signature sheets which had been deleted (stricken out) by the persons certifying signature sheets before the signature sheets were submitted to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall not be verified or reckoned in if said persons made a special note to confirm the deletion on the signature sheet or in the signature collection protocol before submission of these signature sheets to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.
8. If verification of signature sheets reveals several signatures put by one person in support of nomination of the same candidate, only one signature shall be deemed authentic and the remaining signatures shall be pronounced invalid.
9. Signatures shall be deemed unauthentic if put in the name of different persons by one person or in the name of one person by another person.
10. Signatures put in the name of different persons by one person or in the name of one person by another person shall be pronounced unauthentic on the basis of a written conclusion of an expert involved in verification of signatures under Clause 3 of this article.
11. The following signatures shall be deemed invalid:
1) voter signatures put on a signature sheet before the day following the day of registration of authorized representatives of the relevant political party or electoral bloc which nominated the candidate, a group of voters;
2) signatures of persons who are not entitled to active suffrage and signatures of voters residing outside the territory of the given Subject of the Russian Federation;
3) signatures of voters who indicated false data in signature sheets. In this case, a signature shall be pronounced invalid on the basis of an official conclusion of an internal-affairs body or an expert involved in the verification of signatures under Clause 3 of this article;
4) voter signatures which are not accompanied by some of the data required under this Federal Law or are not dated by the voter who put his signature on the signature sheet;
5) voter signatures accompanied by voter data which is not hand-written or is written with a pencil;
6) voter signatures with the signing date corrected if the corrections are not expressly endorsed by the voter as well as voter signatures with the signing date written by persons other than the voter;
7) voter signatures with corrections in the accompanying voter data if the corrections are not expressly endorsed by the voter or the persons certifying the signature sheets;
8) all signatures on a signature sheet if the signature sheet is not certified by an autograph signature of the signature collector and/or an authorized representative of the political party or electoral bloc which nominated the candidate, by a self-nominated candidate or his agent or if this signature is unauthentic or if the data of the signature collector, the signing date marked by the signature collector, by an authorized representative of the political party or electoral bloc which nominated the candidate, the self-nominated candidate or his agent were corrected and the corrections are not expressly endorsed by, respectively, the signature collector, the authorized representatives, the candidate or his agent mentioned above;
9) voter signatures collected with the participation of bodies of state power, bodies of local self-government, governing bodies of organizations of all forms of ownership, institutions, voting members of election commissions, or with voters compelled to put their signatures or remunerated for doing so, or voter signatures collected at work places, when and where wages, pensions, allowances, stipends, other social benefits are paid or charity is given.
10) voter signatures if the voter data is entered in the signature sheet by persons other than the voter or the signature collector – on the basis of a conclusion of an expert involved in the verification of signatures under Clause 3 of this article;
11) all voter signatures on a signature sheet which does not meet the requirements of Annexes 1 and 2 to this Federal Law.
12. If a filled-out line (lines) is (are) discovered on the signature sheet, which does (do) not meet the requirements of this Federal Law, only the signature in the given line (lines) shall be disregarded, save as otherwise provided by Sub-Clauses 8 and 11, Clause 11 of this article.
13. Corrections and blots expressly endorsed when a signature sheet was made up shall not constitute a reason for pronouncing a signature invalid unless a signature is found to be unauthentic in accordance with Clauses 9 and 11 of this article. Neither shall a voter signature be pronounced invalid because of abbreviations contained in the voter data, if these abbreviations do not prevent unambiguous interpretation of this data.
14. The authenticity of a voter signature shall not be determined by polling.
15. If the number of signatures found to be unauthentic and invalid in the course of selective verification is equal to or exceeds 25 percent of the total number of signatures selected for verification, an additional number of voter signatures equal to at least 10 percent of the number of voter signatures required for registration shall be subjected to verification in the procedure set forth in this article.
16. If the total number of unauthentic and invalid signatures discovered in the course of selective verification equals or exceeds 25 percent of the total number of signatures subject to verification under Clauses 5 and 15 of this article, further verification of the signature sheets shall be discontinued and the candidate shall not be registered.
17. Neither shall a candidate be registered if the number of submitted voter signatures minus the number of signatures found unauthentic and invalid is insufficient for registration.
18. After the end of verification of signature sheets a verification protocol shall be drawn up for each candidate. The protocol shall be signed by the head of the working group - a voting member of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and shall be submitted to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation for adoption of an appropriate decision. The protocol shall indicate the stated number of voter signatures, the number of submitted voter signatures; the number of signatures subjected to verification, the number of signatures found to be unauthentic and invalid and the reasons therefor. This protocol shall be appended to the relevant decision of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. No changes shall be made in the protocol after the decision has been taken. A copy of the protocol shall be given to the candidate or to an authorized representatives of the political party or electoral bloc which nominated the candidate not less than two days before the meeting of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation at which registration of the candidate is to be considered. If the number of authentic signatures is insufficient or if the number of unauthentic and invalid signatures equals or exceeds 25 percent of the total number of voter signatures subjected to verification, the candidate or an authorized representative of the political party or electoral bloc which nominated the candidate may receive from the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation a copy of the protocol, a copy of the verification report under the signature of the head of the working group indicating the reasons why voter signatures were pronounced unauthentic or invalid and the numbers of the file, signature sheet and line on the signature sheet wherein each such signature in contained, as well as copies of official documents on the basis of which voter signatures were pronounced unauthentic or invalid.
Article 39. Registration of a Candidate
1. Not later than ten days after acceptance of the documents required for registration of a candidate the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall either register the candidate or take a reasoned decision to refuse his registration. If a registered candidate was nominated by a political party, an electoral bloc, the decision of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall mention that the candidate has been nominated by a political party, an electoral bloc. The decision to register a candidate shall indicate the date and time of the registration.
2. Having taken a decision to refuse registration of a candidate, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall, within 24 hours of the time when the decision was taken, issue a copy of the decision of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation stating the reasons for the refusal to the candidate or to an authorized representative of the political party or electoral bloc which nominated the candidate. The reasons for the refusal may be as follows:
1) a candidate is not entitled to passive suffrage;
2) some documents required for registration of a candidate under this Federal Law are absent in the documents submitted for registration;
3) insufficient number of submitted authentic voter signatures collected in support of nomination of a candidate or the number of discovered unauthentic and invalid signatures equals or exceeds 25 percent of the total number of voter signatures subjected to verification (if voter signatures have to be collected);
4) inaccuracy of the information submitted by a candidate under Sub-Clause 3, Clause 6, Article 34 or Sub-Clause 1, Clause 11, Article 35 of this Federal law;
5) failure of a candidate to form his electoral fund;
6) violation of Clause 1, Article 56 of this Federal Law by a candidate, his agents, a political party, an electoral blocs which nominated candidates and their authorized representatives during the campaigning period, as established by a court decision which has come into legal force;
7) withdrawal of all political parties from an electoral bloc as of the time of registration of a candidate;
8) gross or repeated violation of the ban on signature collection where it is prohibited by the federal law, if the signatures submitted for registration of a candidate were collected with violation of this ban. A gross violation shall be collection of not less than 20 percent of the total number of voter signatures submitted for registration of a candidate in places where collection of signatures is prohibited;
9) the use by a candidate of sums of money other than those from his electoral fund to finance his election campaign, if these sums exceed 5 percent of the maximum limit on all expenditures from the electoral fund established by this Federal Law;
10) when financing his election campaign a candidate exceeded by more than 5 percent the maximum limit on all expenditures from the electoral fund established by this Federal Law;
11) a candidate, his agents took advantage of their office or official position.
3. Upon discovery of any evidence pointing to violations of Russian Federation laws which entail criminal or administrative responsibility the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall submit relevant documents and materials to law enforcement bodies, a court to establish the fact of the violation and bring the offenders to responsibility.
4. The decision of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation to register or not to register a candidate may be appealed to the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation. The appeal shall be considered within five days.
5. A certificate of registration shall be issued to each registered candidate, indicating the date of registration. Within 48 hours of the registration the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall release information about the registered candidates to the mass media. Not later than 15 days before voting day territorial election commissions shall display on bulletin boards inside their premises the information about the registered candidates containing the data listed in Clauses 3 to 5, Article 66 of this Federal Law. The same procedure shall be used to announce information about annulment of registration of registered candidates, changes in the membership of electoral blocs which nominated registered candidates. The information concerning registered candidates shall be arranged in the same order as on ballots. The scope of the information about the income and property and property liabilities of a registered candidate and his spouse subject to publication shall be determined by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation .
6. If, 35 days before voting day, less than two candidates are registered, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall take a decision to postpone the election of the President of the Russian Federation for a period of up to 60 days for additional nomination of candidates and performance of subsequent electoral actions.
CHAPTER VI. STATUS OF CANDIDATES
Article 40. Assurance of the Equal Status of Candidates
1. Candidates shall have equal rights and bear equal obligations, except as otherwise provided by this Federal Law, Federal Law "On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum," other federal laws.
2. Only their authorized representatives for financial matters and agents may act on behalf of candidates.
3. Candidates shall lose the rights and be released from the obligations connected with the status of a candidate (except for the obligation to submit the final financial report) if they did not submit registration documents to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation before expiration of the registration period; if they were refused registration, unless the decision to refuse registration was appealed to a court or the appealed decision was upheld by a court decision that has come into legal force; if candidates withdrew their candidatures; if candidates were recalled by political parties and electoral blocs which nominated them; owing to the loss of their status by all registered candidates in accordance with Clause 8, Article 42 of this Federal Law.
Article 41. Restrictions Connected with the Office or Official Position
1. When conducting their election campaign candidates who occupy state or municipal offices or are in state or municipal service as well as candidates who work in mass media organizations shall not take advantage of their office or official position.
2. Registered candidates occupying state offices of category "A" in the bodies of executive power, including top executives of Subjects of the Russian Federation (heads of the highest executive bodies of state power of Subjects of the Russian Federation), or offices in the bodies of judicial power, or elective municipal offices (with the exception of deputies of representative bodies of local self-government) as well as registered candidates who are in state and municipal service or work in mass media organizations (with the exception of the print media founded by candidates, political parties which nominated candidates) shall, for the period of their participation in the election of the President of the Russian Federation, be relieved from their official duties and shall submit to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation a certified copy of a relevant order (directive) within three days of the day of registration or copies of documents certifying that, within this period, they submitted an application for being relieved of their duties. The President of the Russian Federation who runs for election for the second term or the Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation who, under the Constitution of the Russian Federation, acts as President of the Russian Federation and is a registered candidate shall continue to exercise their powers but shall not take advantage of the their office.
3. During an election campaign persons who are not candidates and occupy state or municipal offices or are in state or municipal service shall not take advantage of their office or official position to promote nomination and/or election of any candidate.
4. In this Federal Law "taking advantage of one's office or official position" means:
1) involvement of persons who are subordinate to or otherwise dependent on a candidate in the line of duty, state and municipal employees in activities carried out during the working hours to promote nomination and/or election of a candidate;
2) use of premises occupied by state bodies or bodies of local self-government for activities promoting nomination and/or election of a candidate if the use of the same premises is not guaranteed to other candidates on the same terms and conditions;
3) use of telephone, fax and other means of communication, information services, office equipment of state bodies or bodies of local self-government, state and municipal organizations for collection of voter signatures or election campaigning;
4) use of state- or municipality-owned transport facilities at no charge or reduced charges for activities promoting nomination and/or election of a candidate. This provision shall not apply to persons using said transport facilities in accordance with the Russian Federation laws on the security services provided by the state;
5) collection of voter signatures or election campaigning carried out by persons who hold state and municipal offices or are in state or municipal service when these persons are on business trips paid for from the state or municipal funds;
6) privileged access (compared to other candidates) to the state and municipal mass media for collection of voter signatures or election campaigning;
7) propaganda speeches at mass events organized during an election campaign by state bodies and bodies of local self-government, state and municipal organizations, with the exception of events mentioned in Clause 9, Article 54 of this Federal Law; publication of any work progress reports during an election campaign, mailing of congratulations and other materials on behalf of a citizen who is a candidate if such mailing is not paid for out of a relevant electoral fund.
5. Compliance with the restrictions listed in Clause 4 of this article must not prevent the President of the Russian Federation who runs for election for the second term from exercising his powers and must not prevent deputies from performing their obligations to voters.
6. Officials, journalists and other creative workers of mass media organizations (with the exception of the print media founded by candidates, political parties which nominated candidates) shall not participate in highlighting an election campaign in the mass media if these persons are candidates or their agents, authorized representatives for financial matters, authorized representatives of political parties and electoral blocs which nominated candidates, members, authorized representatives of groups of voters.
Article 42. Guarantees for the Activity of a Registered Candidate
1. Upon a registered candidate's request or report the head of a state body or its division, the commanding officer of a military unit, the administration of an educational establishment where the registered candidate works, serves, is in alternative civil service, undergoes military training, studies shall release the registered candidate from work, service, study on any day and for any time during the period from the date of the candidate's registration by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation to the day of official publication of the results of the election of the President of the Russian Federation.
2. A registered candidates who received not less than 3 percent of the vote according to vote returns or who took part in the repeat voting as well as a registered candidate who withdrew his candidature before voting day because of compelling circumstances shall be entitled to payment of compensation for travel expenses incurred in the use of any public transport within the territory of the Russian Federation, with the exception of taxi and chartered trips. In this case a registered candidate shall be compensated for the cost of tickets for the suburban transport (not more than 30 trips), inter-city transport (not more than 89 return trips from the place of residence, indicated by him in the statement expressing his consent to run, to a populated center - center of the Subject of the Russian Federation) and city transport. Expenses incurred in the use of the suburban and inter-city transport shall be reimbursed upon production of tickets (from the point of departure to the point of destination), in the use of city transport - upon production of passes for the corresponding period.
3. A registered candidate shall be paid compensation for transport expenses by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation from the funds allocated from the federal budget for the preparation and conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation.
4. Payment of compensation for travel expenses shall be made after the official publication of the general election results and before a registered candidate submits the final financial report to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation in accordance with the procedure established by this Federal Law. No compensation for travel expenses shall be paid after a registered candidate has submitted the final financial report.
5. A registered candidate shall not be dismissed from his job by the administration (employer); expelled from an educational establishment; transferred to another job, including jobs in other areas, or sent on business trips without his consent; called up for military or alternative civil service or military training. The time of participation of a registered candidate in the election of the President of the Russian Federation shall be included in his overall service record in accordance with his specialty before registration as a candidate.
6. A registered candidate shall not be subjected to criminal prosecution, arrested and no administrative punishments shall be imposed on a registered candidate by a court without the consent of the Prosecutor-General of the Russian Federation. Having given such consent, the Prosecutor-General of the Russian Federation shall serve a notice to this effect on the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.
7. A registered candidate, his agent shall be entitled to receive from the relevant election commission of any Subject of the Russian Federation a list of electoral precincts, indicating their boundaries, the addresses and telephone numbers of territorial and precinct election commissions, addresses of polling stations.
8. A registered candidate shall lose the rights and be released from the obligations connected with the status of a registered candidate from the day of official publication of the general results of the election of the President of the Russian Federation. If the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation announces the repeat voting, registered candidates who are not involved in the repeat voting shall lose their status from the day on which the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation set the date for the repeat voting. In the case provided by Clause 3, Article 77 of this Federal Law a registered candidate who replaced another registered candidate upon the latter's withdrawal shall regain the rights and obligations connected with the status of a registered candidate.
Article 43. Agents of a Registered Candidate
1. A candidate may appoint up to 600 agents. A political party, an electoral bloc which nominated a candidate may appoint up to 100 agents. These persons shall be registered by the Central Election Commission of the Russian within three days of receipt of a written statement from a candidate about appointment of agents and a written statement of a citizen expressing his consent to be an agent of the candidate. These statements shall indicate the surname, first name and patronymic of the agent, his date of birth, main place of work or service, position (occupation, if there is no main place of work or service), address of the place of residence, series and number (number) of the passport or an equivalent identity paper, date of its issue. The list of agents of a candidate shall be submitted to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation in a printed form and a machine-readable form according to a format established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.
2. Candidates, persons occupying state offices of category "A" or elective municipal offices shall not be eligible for appointment as agents of a candidate. Persons in state or municipal service may be appointed agents if they are relieved from their official duties while they exercise the powers of an agent. A person in state or municipal service shall be registered as an agent if he submits a relevant order (directive) to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.
3. Agents of a candidate shall receive ID cards from the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. Upon the request of an agent the administration (employer) shall grant him an unpaid leave of absence for the period during which he is to exercise the powers of an agent.
4. Agents of a candidate shall carry on activities, including campaigning, to promote nomination and electron of a registered candidate. An agent may also exercise the powers of an observer.
5. A candidate who appointed agents may at any time recall them and appoint other agents in their place by serving a notice to this effect on the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, which shall annul the ID cards previously issued to the recalled agents.
An agent of a candidate may at any time resign his powers on his own initiative by returning his ID card to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and serving a notice to this effect on a candidate. The information about agents of a candidate who were recalled or resigned their powers shall be published by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.
6. The powers of agents of a candidate shall commence from the day on which they are registered by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and end upon the loss of a candidate's status by the candidate who appointed them, save as otherwise provided by Clause 5 of this article, but not later than the day of official publication of the general results of the election of the President of the Russian Federation or, if complaints about violations of this Federal Law are being investigated by a court, not later than the day on which the court hands down a final decision.
Article 44. Withdrawal of a Candidate
1. A candidate may withdraw his candidature at any time but not later than five days before voting day or, in the presence of compelling circumstances, not later than one day before voting day, by submitting a written application to this effect to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. Such application shall be irrevocable. In the case of a registered candidate, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall annul registration of the candidate within 24 hours of receipt of his application.
2. Subject to a decision of the body which nominated a candidate a political party, an electoral bloc may, at any time but not later than five days before voting day in the general election, recall this candidate by submitting a written application to this effect to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. Such application shall be irrevocable. If a registered candidate has been recalled, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall annul registration of this candidate
3. Having taken a decision to annul registration of a candidate the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall serve a notice to this effect on the person in respect of whom the decision was taken and shall issue a copy of the decision to this person on the day on which the decision was taken.
4. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall declare a candidate withdrawn from the election if he dies, has been pronounced dead.
5. If there remain less than two registered candidates by voting day, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall postpone the election of the President of the Russian Federation by not more than 90 days for additional nomination of candidates and performance of subsequent electoral actions.
6. If the circumstances mentioned in Clause 5 of this article result from the fact that a registered candidate has withdrawn his candidature or a political party, an electoral bloc has recalled a registered candidate whom they nominated without any compelling reasons or registration of a candidate has been annulled in accordance with Clause 3, Article 84 of this Federal Law, the expenses incurred by all election commissions in the preparation and conduct of the election shall be collected from this registered candidate, this political party, this electoral bloc, respectively. If the obligation to reimburse these expenses is imposed on an electoral bloc, the money required for reimbursement shall be equally divided between the political parties, other all-Russia public associations comprised in the given bloc as of the date when the relevant decision was taken by the electoral bloc, unless otherwise provided by the decision on the formation of this electoral bloc submitted to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.
7. In this Federal Law "circumstances compelling a candidate to withdraw his candidature or a political party, an electoral bloc to recall registered candidates whom they nominated" means the pronouncement of a candidate to be legally incapable or partially incapable by a court; a serious illness or persistent ill health of a registered candidate, his spouse and next of kin; death of his spouse, his next of kin.
CHAPTER VII. INFORMATION OF VOTERS
AND ELECTION CAMPAIGNING
Article 45. Informational Support of the Election of the President of the Russian Federation
The informational support of the election of the President of the Russian Federation shall include information of voters and election campaigning and shall promote conscious expression of their will by voters and openness of the election of the President of the Russian Federation.
Article 46. Information of Voters
1. Information of voters shall be carried out by bodies of state power, bodies of local self-government, election commissions, mass media organizations, legal entities and natural persons in accordance with this Federal Law, the Federal Law "On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum." Bodies of state power, bodies of local self-government shall not be entitled to inform voters about candidates, political parties, electoral blocs.
2. Informational materials carried by the mass media or disseminated by other methods shall be objective and accurate and shall not violate the equality of candidates.
3. The information about the preparation and conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation, about the periods and procedures for the performance of electoral actions, about political parties and electoral blocs which nominated candidates, about candidates, groups of voters, about laws on the election of the President of the Russian Federation shall be provided to voters by election commissions, including through the mass media.
4. Mass media organizations shall be free in their activity carried on with the aim of information of voters in accordance with this Federal Law.
5. In TV and radio news programs and in the publications carried by the print media the reports concerning election events organized by candidates, their agents, political parties, electoral blocs, groups of voters shall be always presented in the form of separate news items, without any comments. Such news items shall not be paid for by candidates, their agents or authorized representatives for financial matters, by political parties, electoral blocs, groups of voters and shall not be biased in favor of or against any candidate, in particular with regard to the time devoted to highlighting their election activities, the amount of space allocated in the print media for such reports.
6. Journalists, other creative workers and officials of any mass media organization who are engaged in the activity aimed at the provision of informational support of the election of the President of the Russian Federation in accordance with the laws on the election of the President of the Russian Federation shall not be fired by the administration (employer) and shall not be transferred to other jobs without their consent during the election campaign in the given election of the President of the Russian Federation and during one year thereafter, save the case where a disciplinary action was taken against them in accordance with the labor laws of the Russian Federation and this action was not appealed to a court or was declared lawful and appropriate by a court.
7. On voting day, before the end of voting on the territory of the Russian Federation, no information shall be published about the results of the election and no such information shall be placed in public information-telecommunications networks (including the Internet).
Article 47. Public Opinion Polls
1. Publication of the results of public opinion polls connected with the election of the President of the Russian Federation is one of the forms of information of voters. If the requirements of Clauses 2 and 3 of this article are not complied with when the results of public opinion polls are published, the materials containing this information shall be qualified as propaganda materials and their publication shall entail the responsibility established by the Federal Law.
2. When publishing the results of public opinion polls connected with the election of the President of the Russian Federation the mass media, citizens and organizations that publish these results shall indicate the organization which conducted the poll, the time when it was conducted, the number of respondents (sample), how the information was gathered, the region where the poll was conducted, the precise formulation of the question, the statistical assessment of a possible margin of error, the person (persons) who commissioned the poll and paid for the publication of its results.
3. For five days before voting day and on voting day it shall be prohibited to publish the results of any public opinion polls, forecasts of election results, other studies relating to the election of the President of the Russian Federation, including their publication in public information-telecommunications networks (including the Internet).
Article 48. TV and Radio Broadcasting Organizations and Print Media Used for Informational Support of the Election of the President of the Russian Federation
1. The informational support of the election of the President of the Russian Federation shall be provided with the use of state, municipal and non-state TV and radio broadcasting organizations and print media.
2. In this Federal Law "state TV and radio broadcasting organizations and print media" means TV and radio broadcasting organizations and print media which are founded (co-founded) by state bodies and organizations and/or which, a year before the day of official publication of the decision to call the election of the President of the Russian Federation, received state support in the form of subsidies and/or subventions for their functioning from the federal budget, budget of a Subject of the Russian Federation and/or which have an authorized capital wherein the state holds a stake as of the day of official publication of the decision to call the election of the President of the Russian Federation.
3. In this Federal Law "municipal TV and radio broadcasting organizations and print media" means TV and radio broadcasting organizations and print media which are founded (co-founded) by municipal bodies and organizations and/or which, a year before the day of official publication of the decision to call the election, received municipal support in the form of subsidies and/or subventions for their functioning from the local budget and/or which have an authorized capital wherein the municipality holds a stake as of the day of official publication of the decision to call the election of the President of the Russian Federation.
4. In this Federal Law "non-state TV and radio broadcasting organizations and print media" means TV and radio broadcasting organizations and print media which do not fall within Clauses 2 and 3 of this article.
5. In this Federal Law, depending on their coverage area and distribution, state TV and radio broadcasting organizations and print media are divided into:
1) national TV and radio broadcasting organizations, i.e., TV and radio broadcasting organizations which have a broadcasting license covering the territory of a half or more than a half the Subjects of the Russian Federation;
2) regional TV and radio broadcasting organizations, i.e., TV and radio broadcasting organizations which have a broadcasting license covering less than a half of the Subjects of the Russian Federation as well as relevant divisions of the TV and radio broadcasting organizations indicated in Sub-Clause 1 of this clause;
3) national print media registered for distribution on the territory of a half or more than a half of the Subjects of the Russian Federation;
4) regional print media registered for distribution in less than a half of the Subjects of the Russian Federation.
6. Print media founded by legislative (representative), executive and judicial bodies of state power, bodies of local self-government exclusively for the publication of their official documents and reports, regulations and other acts shall not publish any propaganda materials and editorial articles highlighting the activity of candidates, political parties and electoral blocs which nominated candidates and the activity of groups of voters.
7. The list of the national state TV and radio broadcasting organizations and the national print media shall be published by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation on the basis of the information submitted by the federal bodies of executive power which formulate and implement the state policy vis-a-vis the mass media, not later than the tenth day after the day of official publication of the decision to call the election of the President of the Russian Federation. If a national state print media outlet is published less than once a week, this fact shall be indicated in the list.
8. The list of the regional state TV and radio broadcasting organizations and regional print media and of municipal TV and radio broadcasting organizations and municipal print media shall be published by the election commissions of the Subjects of the Russian Federation on the basis of the information submitted by the territorial agencies of the federal bodies of executive power which formulate and implement the state policy vis-a-vis the mass media and the relevant bodies of executive power of the Subjects of the Russian Federation not later than the tenth day after the day of official publication of the decision to call the election of the President of the Russian Federation. If a regional state print media outlet is published less than once a week, this fact shall be indicated in the list.
Article 49. Election Campaigning
1. The following shall be regarded as election campaigning during the conduit of an election campaign:
1) calls for voting for or against a candidate;
2) expression of preference for some candidate, political party, other all-Russia public association (if it is comprised in an electoral bloc), electoral bloc, in particular, statements indicating the candidate for whom a voter will vote;
3) description of possible consequences of the election or non-election of a candidate;
4) dissemination of materials with a marked predominance of the information about some candidates, political parties, other all-Russia public associations (if they are comprised in an electoral bloc) and electoral blocs which nominated candidates, with positive or negative comments;
5) dissemination of information about the activities of a candidate unrelated to his professional activity or discharge of his official duties;
6) activity promoting formation of a positive or negative attitude of voters towards a candidate, political party or other all-Russian public associations (if they are comprised in an electoral bloc) of which the given candidate is a member, a political party, an electoral bloc which nominated a candidate;
7) other actions which aim at encouraging or are encouraging voters to vote for or against a candidate, against all candidates.
2. Election campaigning may be conducted:
1) on the channels of TV and radio broadcasting organizations and in the print media;
2) by means of public events (gatherings, meetings with citizens, rallies, marches, demonstrations, public debates and discussions);
3) by producing and distributing printed, audio-visual and other propaganda materials;
4) by other methods which are not prohibited by law.
3. Election campaigning on the channels of TV and radio broadcasting organizations and in the print media shall be conducted in the form of public debates, discussions, roundtables, press conferences, interviews, speeches, demonstration of TV stories and video films about a registered candidate and in other forms which are not prohibited by law. A candidate, a political party, an electoral bloc may select the contents, form and methods of their election campaigning at their own discretion; they may conduct election campaigning by themselves and involve other persons therein in the procedure established by Russian Federation laws.
4. Election campaigning shall not be conducted and no election propaganda materials shall be produced and distributed by:
1) federal bodies of state power, bodies of state power of Subjects of the Russian Federation, other state bodies, bodies of local self-government;
2) persons who are in state and municipal service, including servicemen, persons occupying state offices of category "A" or elective municipal offices when they are discharging their official duties and/or by taking advantage of their office and official position;
3) military units, military establishments and organizations;
4) charity organizations and religious associations and organizations founded by them as well as representatives of religious associations when they are performing rites and ceremonies;
5) election commissions, voting members of election commissions;
6) foreign nationals, stateless persons, foreign legal entities;
7) representatives of mass media organizations when they are engaged in their professional activities.
5. Persons who occupy state offices of category "A" or elective municipal offices shall not conduct election campaigning on the channels of TV and radio broadcasting organizations and in the print media unless these persons have been registered as candidates.
6. Persons who have not attained to the age of 18 years on voting day shall not be directly or indirectly involved in election campaigning.
7. Pictures of a natural person, positive statements of a natural person about a candidate, a political party, other all-Russia public associations (if they are comprised in an electoral bloc), an electoral bloc may be used in propaganda materials of candidates, political parties, electoral blocs only with a written consent of this natural person. The document confirming such consent shall be submitted to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation together with copies of the propaganda materials to be submitted under Clause 3, Article 55 of this Federal Law or upon the request of an election commission, if the propaganda material is to be broadcast by a TV and radio broadcasting organization or published in a print media outlet. This restriction shall not apply to opinions quoted by candidates, political parties, electoral blocs in their election campaigning if these opinions have been expressed in public and published (made public), provided the date (period of time) of such publication and the name of the mass media outlet where this opinion was published (made public) are indicated. References in propaganda materials to a positive statement of a natural person, who is not entitled to conduct election campaigning under this Federal Law, about a candidate, political party, other all-Russia public associations (if they are comprised in an electoral bloc), an electoral bloc shall be allowed only if this statement was published (made public) before the official publication of the decision to call the election of the President of the Russian Federation. Such references shall indicate the date (period of time) when the given statement was published (made public) and the name of the mass media outlet where it was published (made public).
8. All election campaigning expenditures shall be paid exclusively from the electoral funds of registered candidates save the cases where registered candidates, electoral blocs are granted free air time, free space in print media in the procedure set forth in Articles 51 to 53 of this Federal Law. Campaigning activities in support of a candidate, which are paid for from electoral funds of other candidates, shall be prohibited.
9. If a political party, including a political party comprised in an electoral bloc, or this electoral bloc nominates a candidate and this candidate is subsequently registered by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, then not later than ten days before voting day this political party shall publish its election program at least in one national state print media outlet and in the Internet. A political party comprised in an electoral bloc shall have the right not to publish its election program if this electoral bloc publishes its election program within the period indicated above. Such publication shall be carried out with the use of free space in the print media provided to a candidate, a political party, an electoral bloc or it shall be paid for from the electoral fund of a candidate.
Article 50. Campaigning Period
1. The campaigning period shall commence from the day of nomination of a candidate and formation of his electoral fund and end at 00.00 hours local time one day before voting day.
2. Election campaigning on the channels of TV and radio broadcasting organizations and in the print media shall be conducted in the period which begins 30 days before voting day and ends at 00.00 hours local time one day before voting day or, in the event of the repeat voting, during the campaigning period mentioned in Clause 5 of this article.
3. No election campaigning shall be conducted on voting day and a day before.
4. Printed propaganda materials (leaflets, posters, etc.), which were earlier displayed outside polling stations, buildings and premises of election commissions at a minimum distance of 50 meters from the entrance thereto in accordance with the requirements established by the federal law, shall remain in place on voting day.
5. In the event of the repeat voting the campaigning period shall commence from the day on which the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation publishes the decision to conduct the repeat voting and end at 00.00 hours local time one day before the day of the repeat voting. Election campaigning on the channels of the state and municipal TV and radio broadcasting organizations shall be resumed on weekdays in the period which commences on the third day after publication of the decision of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation to hold the repeat voting and end at 00.00 hours local time one day before the day of the repeat voting. Election campaigning in the state and municipal print media shall be resumed in the period which commences on the third day after publication of the decision of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation to hold the repeat voting and end at 00.00 hours local time one day before the day of the repeat voting.
Article 51. General Terms and Conditions for Election Campaigning on the Channels of TV and Radio Broadcasting Organizations and in the Print Media
1. Air time on the channels of TV and radio broadcasting organizations and space in print media may be made available to registered candidates in the procedure established by this article, Articles 52 and 53 of this Federal Law, free of charge (free air time, free space) or for a charge.
2. Free air time, free space in print media shall also be made available to political parties and electoral blocs which nominated registered candidates in the procedure established by this Federal Law.
3. Registered candidates, political parties and electoral blocs which nominated registered candidates shall not use free air time, free space in print media provided to them to campaign for any other registered candidates.
4. In the event of the repeat voting air time, space in print media shall be provided to the two registered candidates for whom the repeat voting is to be conducted.
5. State and municipal TV and radio broadcasting organizations and state and municipal print media shall guarantee equal terms and conditions for election campaigning to registered candidates, political parties and electoral blocs which nominated registered candidates, including for the presentation of their election programs to voters.
6. Municipal TV and radio broadcasting organizations and municipal print media may provide air time, space to registered candidates for a charge.
7. Non-state TV and radio broadcasting organizations and non-state print media founded not less than one year before the commencement of an election campaign as well as non-state TV and radio broadcasting organizations and non-state print media founded by political parties less than one year before the commencement of an election campaign may provide air time, space to registered candidates for a charge. Other non-state TV and broadcasting organizations and other non-state print media shall not provide air time, space to registered candidates.
8. The terms of payment for the provision of air time, space in print media shall be the same for all registered candidates to whom they were provided. This requirement shall not apply to the print media founded by candidates, political parties which nominated candidates, political parties comprised in electoral blocs which nominated candidates. In this Federal Law "print media founded by a candidate" means print media founded not less than one year before the commencement of an election campaign by a citizen (citizens) of the Russian Federation, who participates (participate) in the election of the President of the Russian Federation as a candidate (candidates).
9. Information about the rates charged (in the Russian Federation currency) for air time, space in print media and other terms of payment shall be announced by TV and radio broadcasting organizations, print media not later than 30 days after the day of official publication of the decision to call the election of the President of the Russian Federation. Within this period this information and a notice of readiness to provide air time, space to registered candidates shall be submitted to:
the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation - by the national TV and radio broadcasting organizations and the national print media;
the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation - by the regional and municipal TV and radio broadcasting organizations and the regional and municipal print media.
10. Non-state and municipal TV and radio broadcasting organizations and print media, specialized TV and radio broadcasting organizations and print media and state print media which are published less than once a week may refuse to provide air time, space for election campaigning. Such refusal shall be expressed in the form of non-submission of the notice indicated in Clause 9 of this article to a relevant election commission within the period established by this clause.
11 The. TV and radio broadcasting organizations and the print media (regardless of the form of ownership) providing free or paid air time and free or paid space to registered candidates, political parties and electoral blocs which nominated registered candidates shall keep separate records of the amount and cost of such air time and space in accordance with the forms of such records and rules for their maintenance established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. Five days before voting day and within five days of voting day, the data of these records shall be submitted to:
the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation – by the national TV and radio broadcasting organizations and the national print media;
the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation subject – by the regional and municipal TV and radio broadcasting organizations and the regional and municipal print media.
12. The TV and radio broadcasting organizations and the national print media (regardless of the form of ownership) which provided air time and space to registered candidates, political parties and electoral blocs which nominated registered candidates shall present to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation upon its request the documents confirming the consent of a registered candidate to the provision of paid services; such regional and municipal TV and radio broadcasting organizations and regional and municipal print media shall also present these documents to the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation upon its request.
13. Free or paid air time or space in print media shall be provided for election campaigning on the basis of a written contract concluded between a TV and radio broadcasting organization, a print media outlet and a candidate, a political party, an electoral bloc before the provision of such air time, space. When concluding a contract for provision of free air time or free space in print media a political party, an electoral bloc shall undertake to pay the debt that may arise in the case provided by Article 63 of this Federal law.
14. The mass media organizations shall keep the documents relating to provision of free and paid air time, free and paid space in print media, mentioned in Clauses 11 to 13 of this article, for not less than three years after voting day.
Article 52. Conditions for Election Campaigning on TV and Radio
1. Registered candidates, with the exception of candidates mentioned in Clause 2 of this article, shall be entitled to free air time on the channels of the state TV and radio broadcasting organizations on equal terms and conditions (length of air time, airing time and other terms and conditions). Political parties and electoral blocs which nominated registered candidates, with the exception of political parties and electoral blocs mentioned in Clause 2 of this article, shall be entitled to free air time on the channels of the state TV and radio broadcasting organizations on equal terms and conditions.
2. Free air time shall not be provided to the following registered candidates, political parties and electoral blocs which nominated registered candidates:
1) political parties which owe debts to state TV and radio broadcasting organization as of the day of official publication of the decision to call the election of the President of the Russian Federation, due to provision of free air time to these political parties in the election of deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation or the election of the President of the Russian Federation, including such debts owed because of their participation in electoral blocs;
2) political parties which are legal successors to public associations owing debts to state TV and radio broadcasting organization as of the day of official publication of the decision to call the election of the President of the Russian Federation, due to provision of free air time to these public associations in the election of deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation or the election of the President of the Russian Federation, including such debts owed because of their participation in electoral blocs;
3) electoral blocs formed with the participation of political parties mentioned in Sub-Clauses 1 and 2 of this clause;
4) electoral blocs formed with the participation of all-Russia public organizations, all-Russia public movements owing debts to state TV and radio broadcasting organization as of the day of official publication of the decision to call the election of the President of the Russian Federation, due to provision of free air time to these all-Russia public associations, all-Russia public movements in the election of deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation or the election of the President of the Russian Federation, including such debts owed because of their participation in electoral blocs;
5) electoral blocs formed with the participation of all-Russia public associations, all-Russia public movements which are legal successors to all-Russia public associations, all-Russia public movements mentioned in Sub-Clause 4 of this clause;
6) registered candidates nominated by political parties and electoral blocs mentioned in Sub-Clauses 1 to 5 of this clause.
3. The total amount of free air time to be made available for election campaigning by each national state TV and radio broadcasting organization on each of its channels shall be not less than one hour on weekdays in the period established by Clauses 2 and 5, Article 50 of this Federal Law. The total amount of free air time to be made available for election campaigning by each regional state TV and radio broadcasting organization shall be not less than 30 minutes on weekdays in the period established by Clauses 2 and 5, Article 50 of this Federal Law or, if the total broadcasting time of a TV and radio broadcasting organizations is less than two hours a day, not less than one-fourth of the total broadcasting time. If, as a result of provision of free air time, each registered candidate, each political party and each electoral bloc which nominated a registered candidate is to receive more than 60 minutes of free air time, the total amount of free air time to be made available by each TV and radio broadcasting organizations for election campaigning shall be equal to 60 minutes times the number of registered candidates, political parties and electoral blocs which nominated registered candidates.
4. Free air time shall be provided in the broadcast periods viewed or listened to by the greatest number of persons, as determined by the given TV and radio broadcasting organization.
5. One-third of the total amount of free air time, with the exception of free air time provided in the event of the repeat voting, which is to be made available by state TV and radio broadcasting organizations, shall be provided for election campaigning to political parties and electoral blocs which nominated registered candidates. Such political parties, electoral blocs shall choose the form of election campaigning at their discretion and may, subject to a mutual agreement and at the suggestion of TV and radio broadcasting organizations, hold joint events, or may provide the air time to registered candidates nominated by them.
6. One half, or, in the period of the repeat voting, two-thirds of the total amount of free air time to be made available by state TV and radio broadcasting organizations shall be provided to registered candidates for joint debates, roundtables and other joint campaigning events. All registered candidates shall be allowed to use this part of free air time on equal terms and conditions.
7. Registered candidates may participate in joint campaigning events on the channels of the national state TV and radio broadcasting organizations only personally. Representatives of a registered candidate shall not be allowed to participate in joint campaigning events save as otherwise provided in Clause 8 of this article.
8. If, owing to compelling circumstances (illness, performance of official duties), a registered candidate cannot take part in a joint campaigning event on the channel of a national state TV and radio broadcasting organization, his agent may participate in the joint event instead of him.
9. An agent of a registered candidate may participate instead of the registered candidate in joint events held on the channels of regional state TV and radio broadcasting organizations
10. A registered candidate may refuse to take part in a joint campaigning event not later than five days before the day on which this event is to be aired.
11. In the cases provided by Clauses 7 and 10 of this article the air time provided for a joint campaigning event shall not be reduced unless only one person is to participate in the event. If after lot-drawing mentioned in Clause 13 of this article it transpires that only one registered candidate can take part in a joint campaigning event, free air time shall be provided to this registered candidate upon his request within the share obtained by dividing the air time set aside for the campaigning event by the total number of the planned participants in this campaigning event. Non-participation of a registered candidate in a joint campaigning event shall not increase the amount of free air time to which the candidate is entitled under Clause 12 of this article.
12. The free air time available from TV and radio broadcasting organizations that remains after provision of air time for joint campaigning events shall be divided in equal parts between all registered candidates, with the exception of those mentioned in Clause 2 of this article. The free air time provided under Clause 5 of this article shall be divided between political parties and electoral blocs which nominated registered candidates on the basis of their applications for participation in lot-drawing mentioned in Clause 13 of this article.
13. Lot-drawing to determine concrete dates and time for airing, free of charge, election propaganda materials of registered candidates, political parties and electoral blocs, joint campaigning events on the channels of the national state TV and radio broadcasting organizations shall be organized by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation together with the representatives of the relevant TV and radio broadcasting organizations. Lot-drawing to determine concrete dates and time for airing, free of charge, election propaganda materials of registered candidates, political parties and electoral blocs, joint campaigning events on the channels of the regional state TV and radio broadcasting organizations shall be organized by the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation together with the representatives of relevant TV and radio broadcasting organizations. Lot-drawing shall be conducted upon completion of registration of candidates but not later than 32 days before voting day or, in the event of the repeat voting, not later than one day after the day on which the repeat voting was announced. The lot-drawing procedure may be witnessed by persons mentioned in Clause 1, Article 23 of this Federal Law. The results of lot-drawing shall be recorded in a protocol. The air time distribution schedule determined on the basis of lot-drawing results shall be published in, respectively, national and regional state print media.
14. State TV and radio broadcasting organizations shall reserve air time to be used by registered candidates for election campaigning on a paid basis. The rates and the terms of payment shall be the same for all registered candidates. The total amount of paid air time to be reserved by each TV and radio broadcasting organization shall not be less than the total amount of free air time but shall not exceed this amount by more than two times.
15 A registered candidate shall be entitled, for a charge, to receive the reserved air time within its share given by the division of the total amount of reserved air time by the total number of registered candidates.
16. The date and time when election propaganda materials of registered candidates are to be aired on a paid basis shall be determined by means of lot-drawing to be organized by a state TV and radio broadcasting organization with the participation of interested persons on the basis of written applications for participation in the lot-drawing from registered candidates. Lot-drawing shall be conducted in the period established by Clause 13 of this article. The lot-drawing procedure may be witnessed by members of, respectively, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation as well as by the persons mentioned in Clause 1, Article 23 of this Federal Law.
17. Municipal TV and radio broadcasting organizations which complied with the provisions of Clause 9, Article 51 of this Federal Law shall provide air time to registered candidates for election campaigning on a paid basis. The rates and the terms of payment shall be the same for all registered candidates. A municipal TV and radio broadcasting organization shall determine at its own discretion the total amount of air time to be made available to registered candidates. The date and time when election propaganda materials of each registered candidate are to be aired shall be determined by means of lot-drawing to be organized by the TV and radio broadcasting organization with the participation of interested persons on the basis of written applications for participation in the lot-drawing from registered candidates. Lot-drawing shall be conducted within the period established by Clause 13 of this article.
18. If, after lot-drawing, a registered candidate, a political party or electoral bloc which nominated registered candidates refuse to use air time, they shall inform the relevant TV and radio broadcasting organization to this effect in writing not later than five days before the airing time and this TV and radio broadcasting organization may use the released air time at its discretion.
19. Non-state TV and radio broadcasting organizations which complied with the provisions of Clause 9, Article 51 of this Federal Law shall provide air time to registered candidates on equal terms and conditions. Non-state TV and radio broadcasting organizations which fail to meet this requirement and non-state TV and radio broadcasting organizations which failed to comply with the provisions of Clause 9, Article 51 of this Federal Law shall not be allowed to provide air time to registered candidates for election campaigning purposes.
20. The contracts for the provision of paid air time shall indicate the following: the type (form) of election campaigning; the airing date and time; the length of air time to be provided; the rates and the terms of payment; the form and conditions of participation of a journalist (moderator) in the TV or radio program. After the provisions of the contract have been carried out a work performance certificate and a certificate of the used air time shall be executed to confirm the performance of the contractual obligations with the indication of the broadcasting channel, the name of the program and its airing time.
21. A payment order to a branch of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation instructing the bank to remit the full amount of the payment for the air time shall be presented by a registered candidate not later than two days before the day on which air time is to be provided or, in the event of the repeat voting, before provision of air time. A registered candidate shall submit a copy of the payment order endorsed by a branch of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation to the TV and radio broadcasting organizations before provision of air time. If this requirement is not met, provision of air time on the channels of TV and radio broadcasting organizations shall not be allowed.
22. A branch of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation shall remit the money not later than the next banking day after receipt of the payment order. The time for processing non-cash remittances shall not exceed two banking days within a Subject of the Russian Federation or five banking days within the Russian Federation.
23. If, while using paid air time, a registered candidate violates the provisions of this Federal Law, the TV and radio broadcasting organization may apply to a court for canceling the contract for provision of air time.
24. Transmission of election propaganda materials of a registered candidate, a political party and an electoral bloc which nominated registered candidates shall not be interrupted, in particular by commercials advertising goods and services.
25. Transmission of election propaganda materials of a registered candidate, a political party and an electoral bloc which nominated registered candidates on the channels of TV and radio broadcasting organizations shall not be interrupted for transmission of other TV and radio programs, other election propaganda materials.
26. Video and audio recordings of aired TV and radio programs containing election propaganda shall be kept by the given TV and radio broadcasting organization for not less than 12 months from the day of official publication of the general election results.
Article 53. Conditions for Election Campaigning Through Print Media
1. Registered candidates, with the exception of candidates mentioned in Clause 2 of this article, shall be entitled to free space in the national state print media which are published at least once a week, on the following conditions: equal amount of provided space; the same place on the page; the same type size; and other conditions. Political parties and electoral blocs which nominated registered candidates, with the exception of political parties and electoral blocs mentioned in Clause 2 of this article, shall be entitled to free space in the national state print media published at least once a week, on equal terms and conditions.
2. Free space shall not be provided to the following registered candidates, political parties and electoral blocs which nominated registered candidates:
1) political parties which owe debts to state print media as of the day of official publication of the decision to call the election of the President of the Russian Federation, due to provision of free space to these political parties in the election of deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation or the election of the President of the Russian Federation, including such debts owed because of their participation in electoral blocs;
2) political parties which are legal successors to public associations owing debts to state print media as of the day of official publication of the decision to call the election of the President of the Russian Federation, due to provision of free space to these public associations in the election of deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation or the election of the President of the Russian Federation, including such debts owed because of their participation in electoral blocs;
3) electoral blocs formed with the participation of political parties mentioned in Sub-Clauses 1 and 2 of this clause;
4) electoral blocs formed with the participation of all-Russia public organizations, all-Russia public movements owing debts to state print media as of the day of official publication of the decision to call the election of the President of the Russian Federation, due to provision of free air time to these all-Russia public associations, all-Russia public movements in the election of deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation or the election of the President of the Russian Federation, including such debts owed because of their participation in electoral blocs;
5) electoral blocs formed with the participation of all-Russia public associations, all-Russia public movements which are legal successors to all-Russia public associations, all-Russia public movements mentioned in Sub-Clause 4 of this clause;
6) registered candidates nominated by political parties and electoral blocs mentioned in Sub-Clauses 1 to 5 of this clause.
3. The total minimum weekly amount of free space which each national state print media outlet is to provide to registered candidates, political parties and electoral blocs which nominated registered candidates shall be not less than 5 percent of the total weekly space of the given publication. The information about the total amount of free space to be provided by a print media outlet for election campaigning in the aforementioned period shall be announced by the given print media outlet not later than 20 days after official publication of the decision to call the election of the President of the Russian Federation.
4. One half of the total amount of free space declared by a national state print media outlet shall be divided in accordance with the results of lot-drawing mentioned in Clause 6 of this article in equal parts between all registered candidates with the exception of those mentioned in Clause 2 of this article.
5. One half of the total amount of free space declared by a national state print media outlet shall be divided on the basis of the results of lot-drawing mentioned in Clause 6 of this article in equal parts between political parties and electoral blocs which nominated registered candidates and applied for participation in lot-drawing.
6. Lot-drawing to determine the dates for free publication of election propaganda materials of registered candidates, political parties and electoral blocs which nominated registered candidates shall be organized by the national state print media outlet with the participation of interested persons after completion of registration of candidates but not later than 32 days before voting day. The lot-drawing procedure may be witnessed by members of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and the persons mentioned in Clause 1, Article 23 of this Federal Law. The results of lot-drawing shall be recorded in a protocol.
7. The national and regional state print media which are published at least once a week shall reserve space for publication of election propaganda materials of registered candidates on a paid basis in the period established, respectively, by Clauses 2 and 5, Article 50 of this Federal Law. The rates and the terms of payment shall be the same for all registered candidates. The total amount of paid space to be reserved by each national print media outlet shall not be less than the total amount of free space to be made available in accordance with Clause 3 of this article but shall not exceed this amount by more than two times. The total minimum weekly space to be reserved by each regional state print media outlet shall be not less than 5 percent of the total weekly space of the given print media outlet in the period established, respectively, by Clauses 2 and 5, Article 50 of this Federal Law.
8. Each registered candidate shall be entitled, for a charge, to use the reserved space within its share given by the division of the total amount of reserved space by the total number of registered candidates.
9. The date when election propaganda materials are to be published shall be determined by means of lot-drawing organized by the print media outlet with the participation of interested persons on the basis of written applications for participation in the lot-drawing from registered candidates. Lot-drawing shall be conducted within the period established by Clause 6 of this article. The lot-drawing procedure may be witnessed by members of, respectively, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation as well as by the persons mentioned in Clause 1, Article 23 of this Federal Law. The results of lot-drawing shall be recorded in a protocol.
10. Municipal print media as well as state print media published less frequently than once a week, which complied with the provisions of Clause 9, Article 51 of this Federal Law, shall provide space to registered candidates for a charge. The rates and the terms of payment shall be the same for all registered candidates. The total amount of space to be provided to registered candidates in said print media shall be determined by these print media at their own discretion. The date of publication of election propaganda materials of each registered candidate shall be determined by means of lot-drawing to be organized by said print media with the participation of interested persons on the basis of written applications for participation in the lot-drawing from registered candidates. Lot-drawing shall be conducted within the period established by Clause 6 of this article. Lot-drawing shall be conducted within the period established by Clause 6 of this article.
11. If a registered candidate, a political party or an electoral bloc which nominated registered candidates refuses to use space in print media after lot-drawing, they shall inform the given print media outlet to this effect not later than five days before the date when the election propaganda material is to be published and the print media outlet may use the released space at its discretion.
12. Non-state print media, which complied with the provisions of Clause 9, Article 51 of this Federal Law, shall provide space to registered candidates on equal terms and conditions. Non-state print media which failed to comply with the provisions of Clause 9, Article 51 of this Federal Law shall not be allowed to provide space to registered candidates for election campaigning purposes. Non-state print media may refuse to provide space for election campaigning purposes.
13. A payment order to a branch of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation instructing the bank to remit the full amount of the payment for the space in print media shall be presented by a registered candidate not later than two days before the day on which the election propaganda material is to be published or, in the event of the repeat voting, not later than one day before the day of publication. A registered candidate shall submit a copy of the payment order endorsed by a branch of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation to the print media outlet before provision of space therein. If this requirement is not met, provision of space shall not be allowed.
14. A branch of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation shall remit the money not later than the next banking day after receipt of the payment order. The time for processing non-cash remittances shall not exceed two banking days within a Subject of the Russian Federation or five banking days within the Russian Federation.
15. Election propaganda materials published in accordance with this article shall not be accompanied by any editorial comments, by headings and illustrations that have not been agreed with the registered candidates, political parties and electoral blocs which nominated registered candidates.
16. All propaganda materials published by the print media shall indicate the registered candidate from whose electoral fund the given publication has been paid for. If propaganda materials have been published free of charge in accordance with Clause 1 of this article, the publication shall indicate this fact and shall name the registered candidate, the political party or the electoral bloc which nominated a registered candidate that have been given the possibility to publish these materials. The responsibility for compliance with this requirement shall be borne by the print media outlet.
17. The print media which publish propaganda materials shall not give preference to any registered candidate, any political party or any electoral bloc which nominated a registered candidate by changing their circulation and frequency of publication. This requirement shall not apply to the print media founded by registered candidates, political parties which nominated registered candidates, political parties comprised in electoral blocs which nominated registered candidates.
Article 54. Conditions for Election Campaigning in the Form of Public Events
1. State bodies and bodies of local self-government shall render assistance to registered candidates, their agents, political parties and electoral blocs which nominated registered candidates in the organization and holding of election gatherings, meetings with voters, public debates and discussions, rallies, demonstrations and marches.
2. Applications for the provision of premises to hold meetings of voters with registered candidates, their agents, representatives of political parties and electoral blocs which nominated registered candidates shall be considered by state bodies and bodies of local self-government within three days of their receipt. Notifications of organizers of rallies, demonstrations and marches shall be considered by bodies of local self-government within seven days of their receipt in accordance with Russian Federation laws.
3. On the basis of an application from a registered candidate, a political party and an electoral bloc which nominated registered candidates, premises suitable for public events, which are owned by the state or a municipality, shall be made available, free of charge, by their owners, possessors, for the time to be established by the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation or by a territorial election commission asked to do so thereby, to hold meetings of voters with registered candidates, their agents, representatives of political parties and electoral blocs which nominated registered candidates. The election commissions shall ensure equal terms and conditions for registered candidate, political parties and electoral blocs which nominated registered candidates to hold election-related events.
4. If the premises mentioned in Clause 3 of this article or premises owned by an organization which has a state and/or municipal share in its authorized capital exceeding 30 percent thereof as of the day of official publication of the decision to call the election of the President of the Russian Federation were made available for election-related public events to one of registered candidates, one of political parties or electoral blocs which nominated registered candidates, the owner, possessor of the premises shall not refuse to provide the premises to another registered candidate, another political party or electoral bloc which nominated registered candidates, on the same terms and conditions, at some other time during the campaigning period.
5. Candidates may, on a contractual basis, rent buildings and premises belonging to citizens and organizations of all forms of ownership to hold gatherings, meetings with voters, rallies, public debates and other election-related public events.
6. Buildings and structures included in the State Register of Particularly Valuable Memorials of the Cultural Heritage of the Peoples of the Russian Federation shall not be made available for campaigning purposes.
7. No election campaigning shall be allowed on the territory of military units, in military organizations and institutions, save the case where the only building (premises) suitable for meetings with voters is located within the territory of a military unit. Such building (premises) shall be provided for campaigning events by the commanding officer of a military unit upon the request of a relevant election commission. Meetings of voters - servicemen with registered candidates or their agents, representatives of political parties and electoral blocs which nominated registered candidates shall be organized by the commanding officer of a military unit together with the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation, with mandatory notification of all registered candidates or their agents about the place and time of the meeting, with such notification to be made not later than three days before the day of the meeting of all registered candidates or their agents.
8. Security at election-related public events shall be ensured by the state bodies in accordance with Russian Federation laws.
9. Election campaigning and public speeches of registered candidates at events financed, organized or held for the population by bodies of state power, bodies of local self-government, state and municipal organizations shall be allowed only if all registered candidates have been notified about this event and have been given a possibility to speak thereat.
Article 55. Conditions for Production and Distribution of Printed, Audio-Visual and Other Election Propaganda Materials
1. Candidates shall be free to issue and distribute printed, audio-visual and other election propaganda materials subject to Russian Federation laws.
2. All printed, audio-visual and other election propaganda materials, save the materials distributed in accordance with Articles 52 and 53 of this Federal Law, shall indicate the name and legal address of the organization (the surname, first name, patronymic of the person and the name of the Subject of the Russian Federation, raion, city, other populated center where his place of residence is located) that produced these materials, the name of the organization (the surname, first name and patronymic of the person) that placed an order for the production of the materials, the number of copies made and the date of issue.
3. Prior to their distribution printed election propaganda materials or their copies, audio-visual propaganda materials, photos of other propaganda materials shall be submitted by a candidate to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation or the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation. Along with the aforementioned materials it shall be necessary to submit information concerning the location (address of the place of residence) of organizations (persons) that have produced and ordered these materials.
4. Election propaganda materials shall not contain commercial advertisements.
5. Election propaganda materials shall not be produced without prepayment from a relevant electoral fund or in violation of the requirements of Clauses 2 and 4 of this article.
6. Distribution of election propaganda materials in violation of the requirements set forth in Clause 3 of this article and Clause 7, Article 49 of this Federal Law shall not be allowed.
7. Not later than 30 days before voting day, on the recommendation of the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation or a territorial election commission the bodies of local self-government shall designate and fit out special places for displaying printed election propaganda materials on the territory of each electoral precinct. Such places shall be located where they can be conveniently visited by voters and shall be arranged so that voters could read the displayed information. Registered candidates shall be allocated equal areas for displaying their printed election propaganda materials. The area of such places must be sufficient to display information materials of election commissions and printed propaganda materials of candidates. Candidates may receive a list of places designated for the display of printed election propaganda materials from the appropriate territorial election commissions.
8. In cases other than those provided by Clause 7 of this article printed election propaganda materials may be displayed (posted, placed) indoors, on buildings, structures or other objects only with the consent of the owners, possessors of said objects and on the terms and conditions set by them. Display of election propaganda materials on an object which is a state or municipal property or is owned by an organization which has a state and/or municipal share in its authorized capital exceeding 30 percent thereof as of the day of official publication of the decision to call the election of the President of the Russian Federation shall be allowed on equal terms and conditions for all registered candidates. No payment shall be charged for the display of election propaganda materials on objects which are a state or municipal property.
9. Election propaganda materials shall not be placed (posted, displayed) on monuments, obelisks, buildings, structures and inside premises which have a historical, cultural or architectural value, inside the buildings and offices of election commissions and inside polling stations or at a distance less than 50 meters from the entrance thereto.
10. Advertising agencies shall offer equal terms and conditions to registered candidates with regard to the placement of their election propaganda materials.
11. Printing organizations shall offer equal terms of payment to registered candidates for orders for production of election propaganda materials. The information about the rates charged (in Russian Federation currency) and other terms of payment for production of election propaganda materials shall be announced by a printing organization not later than 30 days from the day of official publication of the decision to call the election of the President of the Russian Federation and shall be, within the same period, submitted to the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation where this printing organization is registered. A printing organization which fails to comply with these requirements shall not be allowed to accept order for production of election propaganda materials.
12. The election commission which was informed about production and distribution of false printed, audio-visual and other election propaganda materials or about distribution of such election propaganda materials in violation of the provisions of Clauses 2 to 4, 8, 9 and 11 of this article shall take appropriate measures and may apply to law enforcement and other bodies for stopping unlawful election campaigning activities and seizing unlawful election propaganda materials.
Article 56. Inadmissibility of Misuse of the Right to Election Campaigning
1. Misuse of the freedom of mass information in election campaigning shall not be allowed. Election programs of registered candidates, political parties and electoral blocs which nominated registered candidates, other election propaganda materials, speeches at gatherings and rallies, publications in the mass media shall not contain calls for the violent seizure of power, violent change of the constitutional system and breaking of the integrity of the Russian Federation, warmongering propaganda. Propaganda exciting social, racial, national, religious hatred or enmity, misuse of the freedom of mass information in other forms defined by Russian Federation laws shall be prohibited. Propaganda aimed at protection of the ideas of social justice shall not be regarded as fomenting social enmity. Propaganda in violation of Russian Federation laws on intellectual property shall be prohibited.
2. Candidates, their agents and authorized representatives for financial matters, political parties, electoral blocs, their authorized representatives, other persons and organizations engaged in election campaigning shall not bribe voters: they shall not give voters money, gifts and other things otherwise than for the performance of organizational work (collection of voter signatures, propaganda activities); remunerate voters who carried out said organizational work depending on the results of voting or promise such remuneration; sell goods at reduced prices; distribute free any goods other than printed materials (including illustrated materials) and badges specially produced for the election campaign; render services free of charge or at reduced rates. In the course of election campaigning candidates, their agents and authorized representatives for financial matters, political parties, electoral blocs, their authorized representatives, other persons and organizations shall not influence voters by promising them money, securities, other material benefits (in particular, depending on the results of the voting) and by rendering services otherwise than on the basis of decisions of bodies of state power and bodies of local self-government taken in accordance Russian Federation laws.
3. During the period of an election campaign, the election and election results shall not be an object of lotteries, totalizators (pari-mutuel) and other risk-based games.
4. In the course of an election campaign publication of materials advertising the business activity and other activities of candidates, their agents and authorized representatives for financial matters, political parties and electoral blocs which nominated candidates, their authorized representatives, political parties and other all-Russia public associations comprised in such electoral blocs, which are unrelated to the election or contain the names or pictures of these persons, publication of materials advertising organizations, which are founded, owned or possessed by these persons or have governing or auditing bodies on which these persons and/or organizations serve as their members, shall be paid for only from the relevant electoral funds. No such advertising materials shall be published on voting day or a day preceding voting day.
5. In the course of an election campaign candidates, their agents and authorized representatives for financial matters, political parties and electoral blocs which nominated candidates, their authorized representatives, political parties and other all-Russia public associations comprised in such electoral blocs as well as organizations registered after the commencement of an election campaign, which are founded, owned or possessed by these persons or have governing or auditing bodies on which these persons and/or organizations serve as their members, shall not engage in any charity activities. In the course of an election campaign other natural persons and legal entities shall not engage in any charity activities at the request, on the instructions or on behalf of candidates, their agents and authorized representatives for financial matters, political parties and electoral blocs which nominated candidates, their authorized representatives, political parties and other all-Russia public associations comprised in such electoral blocs, and shall not combine charity activities with election campaigning. Candidates, their agents, said authorized representatives, political parties, other all-Russia public associations, electoral blocs shall not ask other natural persons and legal entities to render material or financial assistance or services to voters.
6. Mass media organizations shall not make public (publish) propaganda and informational materials (including such materials which contain accurate information) which may damage the honor, dignity or business reputation of a candidate if these organizations cannot give a candidate a possibility to make public (publish), free of charge, a denial or some other explanation in defense of his honor, dignity or business reputation before the end of the election campaigning period. When a possibility is offered to a candidate to publish (make public), free of charge, a denial or some other explanation in defense of his honor, dignity or business reputation the air time shall be provided at the same time of the day at which the original information was made public. The amount of air time provided for making a denial or explanation shall not be less than the amount of air time provided for presentation of the original information and shall not be less than two minutes. In the print media a denial or explanation shall be printed in the same type, in the same place on the page and shall be allocated no less space than the original compromising text. The failure to provide such possibility to a candidate may serve as a ground for bringing to responsibility the organizations indicated in this clause and their officials under Russian Federation laws. The rules established by this clause shall not apply to the non-state print media founded by candidates, political parties, including political parties comprised in an electoral bloc, other all-Russia public associations comprised in an electoral bloc.
7. Law enforcement and other bodies shall take measures to stop unlawful propaganda activities, prevent production of false and unlawful printed, audio-visual and other election propaganda materials, seize such materials, identify the producers of such materials and the sources from which they are paid for and promptly inform the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation about the facts established and measures taken.
8. Should a mass media organization violate the election campaigning rules laid down by this Federal Law, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation or the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation may apply to law enforcement bodies, courts, bodies of executive power which implement the state policy vis-a-vis the mass media for stopping the unlawful campaigning activities and bringing the mass media organization, its officials to responsibility under Russian Federation laws.
CHAPTER VIII. FUNDING OF THE ELECTION
Article 57. Funding of the Preparation and Conduct of the Election of the President of the Russian Federation
1. Expenditures incurred in the preparation and conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation and in the funding of the operation of election commissions during the term of their powers, in the operation and development of automation facilities and in legal education of voters and training of election officials shall be financed by election commissions in the election of the President of the Russian Federation from the funds allocated for these purposes from the federal budget. These expenditures shall be included in the federal budget in accordance with the budget classification of the Russian Federation.
2. The funds allocated from the federal budget for the preparation and conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation shall be placed at the disposal of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation within ten days of the day of official publication of the decision to call the election of the President of the Russian Federation.
3. In the event of the early or repeat election of the President of the Russian Federation the amount of funds allocated from the federal budget for the preparation and conduct of the election shall not be less than the sum contained in the report of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation on the expenditure of funds for the preparation and conduct of the previous election of the President of the Russian Federation (with due account for the change in the minimum monthly wage established by the federal law for regulation of labor remuneration as of the day of official publication of the decision to call the previous election of the President of the Russian Federation).
4. If insufficient funds have been allocated from the federal budget to finance the election of the President of the Russian Federation, including the early and repeat election, and if the funds allocated from the federal budget have not been transferred in the due time or in full, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall be entitled to obtain credits from banks on a competitive basis. The total amount of funds for the preparation and conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation shall not exceed the sum contained in the report of the Central Election Commission on the expenditure of funds for the preparation and conduct of the previous election of the President of the Russian Federation (with due account for the change in the minimum monthly wage established by the federal law for regulation of labor remuneration as of the day of official publication of the decision to call the previous election of the President of the Russian Federation). The repeat voting in the election of the President of the Russian Federation may be funded in a similar manner if the allocations initially made for the conduct of the election have been used up. Within ten days upon receipt of an appropriate application of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation the Government of the Russian Federation shall issue a state guarantee for the obligation to repay the credits and pay interest thereon.
5. The received credit shall be returned and interest thereon paid from the federal budget. Allocations for meeting this debt obligation shall be approved by the federal budget law for the coming fiscal year as a special expenditure item.
6. Not later than 60 days before voting day, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall remit the funds for the conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation to the election commissions of the Subjects of the Russian Federation, which shall distribute the received funds between territorial election commissions not later than 30 days before voting day. In the event of the early or repeat election of the President of the Russian Federation and if the election of the President of the Russian Federation has not been not funded in the due time or in full, the election commissions shall distribute funds as they are received. The funds for the conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation in electoral precincts formed in accordance with Clauses 5 and 6, Article 25 of this Federal Law shall be distributed by the Central Election Commission between state bodies in charge of registration of voters in said precincts not later than 30 days before voting day.
7. The funds allocated for the preparation and conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation shall be managed by the chairmen of election commissions, who shall be responsible for compliance of financial documents with the decisions taken by election commissions on financial matters and for submission of the reports on the expenditure of these funds in the due time and in the procedure established by this Federal Law.
8. After the end of the election of the President of the Russian Federation the federal budget funds which were not expended by election commissions shall remain in the accounts of the election commissions acting on a permanent basis (with the exception of territorial election commissions) and shall be used for the purposes provided by this Federal Law.
9. The unspent credits shall be returned by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation to the bank from which they were received not later than three months from the day of official publication of the general results of the election of the President of the Russian Federation.
Article 58. Electoral Funds of Candidates
1. A candidate shall be obliged to establish his own electoral fund.
2. Electoral funds of candidates may be formed only from the following sources:
1) the own money of a candidate in an amount not exceeding 10 percent of the maximum limit on all expenditures from a candidate's electoral fund established in accordance with this Federal Law and not exceeding 15 percent for candidates for whom the repeat voting is announced;
2) sums allocated to a candidate by the political party which nominated the candidate, by political parties and other all-Russia public associations comprised in the electoral bloc which nominated the candidate, totaling not more than 50 percent of the maximum limit on all expenditures from a candidate's electoral fund established in accordance with this Federal Law;
3) voluntary donations of citizens and legal entities in an amount not exceeding, respectively, 1.5 and 7 percent of the maximum limit on all expenditures from a candidate's electoral fund established in accordance with this Federal Law, for each citizen, each legal entity.
3. The maximum amount of all expenditures of a candidate from his electoral fund shall not exceed 250 million rubles.
4. The maximum amount of all expenditures from an electoral fund of a candidate for whom the repeat voting has been announced shall not exceed 300 million rubles.
5. Every year, beginning with January 1, 2005, the maximum limit on all expenditures of a candidate from his electoral fund established by Clauses 3 and 4 of this article as well as the amounts mentioned in Clause 8, Article 62 of the this Federal Law shall be indexed to the inflation rate determined by the federal budget law for the coming year. In this case, the provisions of the federal budget law for the coming year, which determine the inflation rate and come into force during the period of an election campaign, shall not apply to indexation of said maximum limit during the given election campaign.
6. No donations shall be made to electoral funds of candidates from:
1) foreign states and foreign legal entities;
2) foreign nationals;
3) stateless persons;
4) citizens of the Russian Federation under 18 years of age on voting day;
5) Russian legal entities with foreign participation if the foreign stake in their authorized capital exceeds 30 per cent thereof as of the day of official publication of the decision to call the election of the President of the Russian Federation (for open joint-stock companies – as of the date of the list of shareholders for the previous year);
6) international organizations and international public movements;
7) bodies of state power and bodies of local self-government;
8) state and municipal institutions and organizations;
9) legal entities with a state and/or municipal stake in their authorized capital exceeding 30 per cent thereof as of the day of official publication of the decision to call the election of the President of the Russian Federation;
10) organizations established by state and/or municipal bodies as well as organizations established by legal entities mentioned in Sub-Clauses 5 and 9 of this clause;
11) military units, military institutions and organizations and law enforcement bodies;
12) charity organizations and religious associations as well as organizations established by them;
13) anonymous donors. "Anonymous donor" means a person who has not indicated any of the following data in the payment order for remittance of the donation: the surname, first name and patronymic; address of the place of residence - or a person who has indicated wrong data; a legal entity which has not indicated any of the following data in the payment order for remittance of the donation: the tax payer's identification number; the bank details - or a legal entity which has indicated wrong data;
14) legal entities registered less than a year before voting day.
7. The electoral funds shall be managed by the candidate who has formed the fund. The resources of electoral funds shall be purpose-oriented and may be used only for:
1) funding of organizational and technical arrangements for the collection of signatures in support of nomination of a candidate, including remuneration of persons engaged for collection of voter signatures;
2) election campaigning and payment for information and consulting services;
3) payment for other services rendered by citizens of the Russian Federation or legal entities and payment of other expenses directly related to the conduct of a candidate's election campaign.
8. When making payments for services related to his election campaign a candidate shall not use any sums of money other than those which were paid into his electoral fund. A candidate may only use the sums of money which were remitted by contributors to a special electoral account of the candidate's electoral fund before voting day, in the procedure established by this Federal Law.
9. In the event of additional nomination of candidates under the circumstances mentioned in Clause 6, Article 39 and Clause 5, Article 44 of this Federal Law the maximum limit on all expenditures from the electoral fund of previously registered candidates shall be increased 1.5 times.
10. If a citizen who is a candidate for the office of President of the Russian Federation was simultaneously nominated as a candidate in some other election held on the territory of the federal electoral district and has to form other electoral funds in addition to the electoral fund mentioned in Clause 1 of this article, the maximum limit on all expenditures from all these funds shall be the largest maximum limit established by this Federal Law, other federal laws, a law of a Russian Federation subject. This citizen shall notify the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation in writing about opening of special electoral accounts.
Article 59. Authorized Representatives of Candidates for Financial Matters
1. A candidate shall appoint authorized representatives for financial matters. An authorized representative for financial matters of a candidate shall act on the basis of a notarized power of attorney issued by the candidate. The power of attorney shall indicate the surname, first name and patronymic of the authorized representative for financial matters, his date of birth, series and number (number) and date of issue of the passport or an equivalent identity paper, address of the place of residence, the powers of the authorized representative for financial matters and shall show a sample of the seal for financial documents.
2. A candidate shall grant the following powers to the authorized representative for financial matters appointed by him:
1) opening of a special electoral account;
2) management of the resources of the electoral fund;
3) maintenance of accounting records for the resources of the electoral fund;
4) control over the sums received to and expended from the electoral fund;
5) right of signature on payment documents.
3. A candidate may grant his authorized representative for financial matters other powers in addition to those mentioned in Clause 2 of this article.
4. An authorized representative for financial matters of a candidate shall be registered by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation on the basis of an application from the candidate and the power of attorney mentioned in Clause 1 of this article, upon production by the authorized representative of a passport or an equivalent identity paper. The term of powers of an authorized representative for financial matters of a candidate shall commence from the day on which the authorized representative was registered by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and expire 60 days after voting day or, if the given candidate is involved in any on-going court proceedings, after a final decision has been handed down by the court.
5. A candidate may at any time terminate the powers of his representative for financial matters by notifying the representative to this effect in writing and submitting a written application to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation along with a notice indicating the person who is to exercise the powers of the recalled authorized representative for financial matters. At the same time, the copies of the application and notice shall be sent by a candidate to the appropriate branch of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation.
6. The new authorized representative for financial matters shall be registered in the procedure established by Clause 4 of this article.
Article 60. Special Electoral Account
1. A candidate shall open a special electoral account for the formation of his electoral fund before the day on which the documents required for registration of the candidate are submitted to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.
2. A special electoral account for the formation of an electoral fund shall be opened with a branch of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation.
3. A candidate may open only one special electoral account for the formation of his electoral fund.
4. A special electoral account of a candidate shall be opened after the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation registers authorized representatives of a political party or an electoral bloc which nominated candidates, authorized representatives of a group of voters, an authorized representative for financial matters of a candidate, on the basis of a document issued by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation simultaneously with registration of an authorized representative for financial matter of a candidate.
5. After presentation of documents required under and executed in accordance with this Federal Law a branch of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation shall, without delay, open a special electoral account for a candidate. No fee shall be paid for the bank's services in opening and servicing an electoral account and the bank shall pay no interest on the money kept in the special electoral account. All sums of money shall be credited to a special electoral account in the Russian Federation currency.
6. All financial operations involving payment of expenses from special electoral accounts of registered candidates shall be discontinued on voting day. Financial operations involving payment of expenses from special electoral accounts of candidates who have not submitted registration documents to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation in the procedure established by this Federal Law or have been denied registration or have withdrawn a statement expressing the consent to run or have withdrawn their candidatures or have been recalled by a political party, an electoral bloc or whose registration has been cancelled or annulled shall be discontinued by branches of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation on the instruction of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.
7. The responsibility for violation of the procedure established by this Federal Law for a candidate to finance his election campaign shall be borne by the candidate personally.
8. In the event of the repeat voting financial operations involving payment of expenses from special electoral accounts of registered candidates on whom the repeat voting is to be held shall be resumed after the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation sets the day for the repeat voting, and shall be discontinued on the day of the repeat voting.
9. Based on an application of a candidate the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation may extend the period for the performance of the following financial operations:
1) for a candidate who has not been registered before expiration of the period established by this Federal Law for registration of candidates - payment for work (services, goods) performed (rendered, acquired) before the date when the candidate's registration was denied, the candidate was recalled by a political party, an electoral bloc, the candidate withdrew a statement expressing his consent to run, before the deadline established by this Federal Law for submission of signature sheets and other registration documents;
2) for a registered candidate who withdrew his candidature, was recalled by a political party, an electoral bloc, or a registered candidate whose registration was cancelled or annulled - payment for work (services, goods) performed (rendered, acquired) before the date of the withdrawal of the candidature, recalling of the registered candidate, adoption of the decision to cancel or annul registration;
3) for other candidates - payment for work (services, goods) performed (rendered, acquired) before voting day.
Article 61. Voluntary Donations to the Electoral Fund of a Candidate
1. Voluntary donations of a citizen to the electoral fund of a candidate shall be made by citizens of the Russian Federation from their own funds and shall be paid by them to post offices or credit institutions upon production of a passport or an equivalent identity paper. When paying a voluntary donation a citizen shall indicate the following information about himself in the payment order: the surname, first name and patronymic; date of birth and address of the place of residence; series and number (number) of the passport or an equivalent identity paper, citizenship.
2. Voluntary donations of legal entities to the electoral fund of a candidate shall be made by means of non-cash transfers to the special electoral account. When a voluntary donation is made by a legal entity the following information about the legal entity shall be indicated in the payment order: the taxpayer's identification number; name; date of registration; bank details; absence of a state or municipal stake in its authorized capital or presence and size of such stake; absence of a foreign stake in its authorized capital or presence and size of such stake; absence among its founders of state and municipal bodies and legal entities mentioned in Sub-Clauses 5 and 9, Clause 6, Article 58 of this Federal Law.
3. Voluntary donations of citizens and legal entities shall be remitted (credited) to the special electoral account of a candidate by post offices and credit institutions not later than the next banking day after acceptance of the payment order. A non-cash payment shall be processed in not more than two banking days within a Subject of the Russian Federation and five banking days within the Russian Federation.
4. A candidate may return any donation, with the exception of anonymous ones, to donors. If a voluntary donation was paid into the electoral fund of a candidate by a citizen or a legal entity that is not allowed to make such donations or in an amount exceeding that established by Clause 2, Article 58 of this Federal Law or in violation of Clauses 1 and 2 of this article, a candidate shall, within ten days of receipt of the donation to the special electoral account, return it to the donor fully or in an amount exceeding the maximum limit on voluntary donations, minus postage, indicating the reasons for the return. A candidate shall not be held responsible for acceptance of donations whose donors falsified the data required under Clauses 1 and 2 of this article, if he was not informed in the due time of inadmissibility of these donations.
5. Within ten days of the day on which anonymous donations were received to the special electoral account a candidate shall remit these donations to the federal budget.
6. Citizens and legal entities may financially support a candidate only through the candidate’s electoral fund. No paid work shall be performed, goods sold, paid services rendered, if they are directly or indirectly related to the election and are intended to produce a definite result in the election, without a written consent of a candidate or his authorized representative for financial matters or without payment from the candidate's electoral fund. Legal entities, their branches, representative offices and other divisions shall not, free of charge or at unreasonably low (high) rates, perform any work, render any services directly or indirectly related to the election and intended to produce a definite result in the election. Material support may be rendered to a candidate only if it is paid for from the electoral fund of the given candidate. During an election campaign a citizen may personally perform work for, and render services to, a candidate on a voluntary basis, free of charge, without involvement of third persons.
Article 62. Electoral Fund Reporting. Publication of Information About Consolidated Financial Reports of Political Parties
1. The procedure for opening and maintaining special electoral accounts, the accounting and reporting requirements as well as the forms of reports of candidates containing information about the sums of money contributed to and expended from their electoral funds shall be determined by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and agreed upon with the Central Bank of the Russian Federation. Candidates shall be obliged to keep records of the sums of money contributed to and expended from their electoral funds.
2. Candidates shall file financial reports with the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation within the following periods:
1) the first financial report - simultaneously with the submission of the registration documents to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation in the procedure prescribed by this Federal Law; the report shall be drawn up as of the date not more than five days before the date when the report is filed;
2) the second financial report - not earlier than 12 days and not later than 10 days before voting day; the report shall be drawn up as of the date five days before the date when the report is filed;
3) the final financial report - not later than 30 days after official publication of the general results of the election of the President of the Russian Federation. The final financial report shall be submitted together with the primary financial documents confirming receipts to and expenditures from an electoral fund as well as the materials mentioned in Clause 3, Article 55 of this Federal Law.
3. If a candidate has lost his status, the obligation to submit the final financial report shall be borne by the citizen who was a candidate.
4. A candidate running for election in several electoral districts in different elections shall submit copies of his financial reports for each of the districts, where he stands for election, to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation within the periods established for submission of financial reports by this Federal Law, other federal laws, the law of a Subject of the Russian Federation.
5. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall release copies of financial reports of candidates to the mass media and shall publish them in the Internet within five days of their receipt.
6. At least once a week and, within a period of less than ten days before voting day at least once every three banking days, branches of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation shall furnish to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation the information concerning the sums credited to and expended from the special electoral accounts of candidates, according to a format established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. For this purpose use may be made of the state automated information system. Periodically, but at least once every two weeks up to voting day, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall release the information concerning sums contributed to and expended from the electoral funds to the mass media for publication. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall disclose the information about the sums contributed to and expended from the electoral funds, which it received from the branches of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation, to candidates and the mass media upon their official requests.
7. Upon the request of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and, for an electoral fund of a candidate also upon the request of the candidate branches of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation shall, within three days or, during three days before voting day - immediately, furnish certified copies of primary financial documents confirming receipt of sums to, and their expenditure from, electoral funds.
8. The state print media shall be obliged to publish the information about the sums received to and expended from the electoral funds, released by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. The following information shall be subject to mandatory publication:
1) any financial operation which involves expenditure of sums from an electoral fund in an amount exceeding 200 thousand rubles;
2) legal entities which made voluntary donations to the electoral fund in an amount exceeding 400 thousand rubles;
3) the number of citizens who made voluntary donations to the electoral in an amount exceeding 40 thousand rubles;
4) sums returned to donors and the reasons for the return;
5) the total amount of money received to the electoral fund and the total amount of money expended therefrom.
9. Within five days of receipt of a corresponding request from a relevant election commission, the federal bodies of state power, bodies of state power of the Subjects of the Russian Federation and bodies authorized by them to carry out registration of citizens and legal entities shall, free of charge, verify the information indicated by citizens and legal entities when making donations to electoral funds of candidates and shall inform the relevant election commission of the results of the verification. This information shall be submitted in formats established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. For this purpose use may be made of the state automated information system. Upon the request of candidates, their authorized representatives for financial matters the relevant election commission shall, without delay, disclose to them the information which it has at its disposal as of the date of the request. If an election commission has received information about donations made in violation of Clause 6, Article 58 of this Federal Law, this information shall be promptly made known by the election commission to the candidates concerned or to their authorized representatives for financial matters.
10. Within ten days of receipt of a request from the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, the tax authorities of the Russian Federation shall submit the following documents to this commission:
1) copies of consolidated financial reports of political parties which nominated registered candidates and political parties, other all-Russia public associations comprised in electoral blocs which nominated registered candidates for four accounting years preceding the year of the election. If a political party, other all-Russia public association was registered less than four years before the year of the election, such reports shall be submitted for the period which commences from the year of the registration of the political party, other all-Russia public association and ends in the year preceding the year of the election;
2) information at the disposal of the tax authorities about audits of the consolidated financial reports of political parties, other all-Russia public associations mentioned in Sub-Clause 1 of this clause, including information about infractions in the financial activity of these political parties, other all-Russia public associations.
11. The information contained in consolidated financial reports of political parties which nominated registered candidates, political parties, other all-Russia public associations comprised in electoral blocs which nominated registered candidates as well as the results of verification of these reports by tax authorities shall be published in the scope established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.
12. It shall not be necessary to submit copies of consolidated financial reports and publish information contained in these reports and the results of verification of consolidated financial reports of the political parties which participated in the election of deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation if the decision to call this election was published less than one year before the day of official publication of the decision to call the election of the President of the Russian Federation.
Article 63. Return of Money by Candidates
1. Before filing the final financial report a candidate shall return the unspent sums remaining in his electoral funds to citizens and legal entities that have made voluntary donations to his electoral fund, in proportion to the contributed amounts, minus postage.
2. After 60 days elapse from voting day, on a written instruction of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation branches of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation shall remit the sums remaining in the special electoral accounts to the budget.
3. A political party and electoral bloc which nominated candidates who, according to vote returns, received less than 2 percent of the vote and did not take part in the repeat voting or were recalled by a political party, an electoral bloc without any compelling circumstances shall fully compensate state TV and radio broadcasting organizations and state print media for the cost of free air time and free space provided to them.
4. Within three days of the day of official publication of the general results of the election of the President of the Russian Federation, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall deliver to state TV and radio broadcasting organizations and the state print media the list of political parties and electoral blocs falling within Clause 3 of this article and the list of political parties, other all-Russia public associations which were comprised at the relevant time in electoral blocs falling within Clause 3 of this article, along with their legal addresses and certified copies of excerpts from joint decisions of electoral blocs on the procedure for reimbursing the cost of free air time and free space in print media provided to them.
5. Within ten days of the official publication of the general results of the election of the President of the Russian Federation, state TV and radio broadcasting organizations and state print media shall advise each political party, each electoral bloc falling within Clause 3 of this article, each political party and each other all-Russia public association, which were comprised in an electoral bloc falling within Clause 3 of this article, of the amount and cost of free air time and free space which were provided to them as well as of their own legal addresses and bank details.
6. The cost of free air time and free space in print media shall be determined by multiplying the amount of air time and space, provided to political parties and electoral blocs in accordance with Clause 5, Article 52 and Clause 5, Article 53 of this Federal Law, by the rates charged for air time and space, as fixed and published by the TV and radio broadcasting organizations and the print media in accordance with Clause 9, Article 51 of this Federal Law. If a political party, an electoral bloc used free air time for joint campaigning events, the sums to be paid by each political party, each electoral bloc shall be calculated by TV and radio broadcasting organizations in equal parts in proportion to the total number of the participants (political parties, electoral blocs) in each of these joint campaigning events. No compensation shall be paid for the provided free air time and space if a political party, an electoral bloc officially refused to use such air time and space in the procedure and within time limits established by Clause 18, Article 52 and Clause 11, Article 53 of this Federal Law.
7. A political party, an electoral bloc falling within Clause 3 of this article may pay compensation for the cost of free air time, free space to TV and radio broadcasting organizations and print media within 12 months of voting day.
8. If political parties, electoral blocs default in the obligations which are imposed on them by Clause 3 of this article, TV and radio broadcasting organizations and print media shall, after expiration of the period for the return of money, collect the sums owed for provision of free air time and free space through a court.
9. After the end of the election campaign the obligations imposed by this article on electoral blocs shall pass to political parties, other all-Russia public associations which took part in the election campaign as members of an electoral bloc.
10. Not later than 13 months after voting day, state TV and radio broadcasting organizations and state print media shall inform the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation about political parties, other all-Russia public associations falling within Clause 3 of this article, which did not pay full compensation for the cost of free air time and free space provided to them
Article 64. Financial Support of Election Commissions
1. The funds allocated for the preparation and conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation, financial support of the activity of election commissions, operation and development of automation facilities, training of election officials and legal education of voters shall be used by election commissions at their discretion for the purposes established by this Federal Law.
2. The allocations from the federal budget, including the funds remaining from previous periods, shall be used to finance the expenditures of election commissions incidental to:
1) payment of travel expenses (with the exception of taxi trips and chartered transport) to registered candidates in the procedure and amount established by Article 42 of this Federal Law;
2) additional remuneration of voting members and the staff of election commissions, payment of compensation to voting members of election commissions relieved from their main job for the period of the preparation and conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation and payments to citizens who are employed by commissions on the basis of civil-law contracts;
3) production of printed materials and publishing activity;
4) acquisition, delivery and installation of equipment (including technological equipment), other tangible assets required for the conduct of the election and exercise of the powers of election commissions;
5) payment of travel expenses, including expenses on the organization of voting in remote and hard-to-reach areas;
6) delivery and safekeeping of electoral documents, their preparation for the transfer to archives and their disposal;
7) development of the electoral system, including introduction of new electoral technologies and automation facilities, training of election officials and legal education of voters, implementation of target programs;
8) business trips and other activities connected with the conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation and the arrangements to ensure the exercise of the powers of election commissions and their activity.
3. Additional remuneration may be paid to voting members of an election commission for the service on the election commission during the period of the preparation and conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation. A voting member of an election commission released from the main job for said period upon the commission's request shall retain his main job (position) and shall be paid compensation for the period during which he was relieved from the main job. Such compensation and additional remuneration shall be paid from and within the limits of the federal budget funds allocated for the preparation and conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation, in the amount and procedure established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.
4. Labor remuneration of voting members of an election commission working on a permanent (staff) basis and of members of an election commission's staff shall be paid within the limits of the funds allocated from the federal budget to the election commission, in the amount and procedure established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.
5. The rules for opening and servicing bank accounts, the accounting and reporting procedures and the procedure for transferring federal budget funds to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, other election commissions for the preparation and conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation shall be established in accordance with the Federal Law "On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum." The banks shall not charge any fee for opening and servicing accounts of election commissions and shall not pay any interest on the funds kept therein. Election commissions shall keep accounting records for the funds allocated to them from the federal budget.
6. The formats of reports of election commissions on receipt and expenditure of funds allocated for the preparation and conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation and the forms to be used for presenting information about the sums received to and expended from electoral funds of candidates shall be established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and agreed with the Central Bank of the Russian Federation.
7. A precinct election commission shall submit a report on the receipt and expenditure of federal budget funds, allocated to the given precinct election commission for the preparation and conduct of the election, to the territorial election commission not later than ten days after voting day (after the repeat voting, if such voting is conducted). A territorial election commission shall submit a report on the receipt and expenditure of federal budget funds, allocated to the given territorial election commission for the preparation and conduct of the election, to the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation not later than 20 days after voting day (after the repeat voting, if such voting is conducted).
8. The election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation shall submit a report on the receipt and expenditure of federal budget funds, allocated to the given election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation for the preparation and conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation, to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation not later than 50 days after the day of official publication of the general results of the election of the President of the Russian Federation.
9. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall submit a report on the expenditure of federal budget funds and the information about the sums, received to and expended from the electoral funds of candidates, to the chambers of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation and shall release this report and this information to the mass media not later than three months after the day of official publication of the general results of the election of the President of the Russian Federation. This report and this information shall be published by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation in its official bulletin and in the Internet not later than one month after their submission to the chambers of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation.
Article 65. Control and Review Services of Election Commissions
1. Control and review services shall be organized in the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and election commissions of the Subjects of the Russian Federation to exercise control over correct use of funds allocated to election commissions; monitor the sources, proper recording and use of the financial resources of electoral funds; audit financial reports of candidates; verify information submitted by candidates about their property, income and sources of the income:
2. The control and review service shall consist of the head and the deputy head (deputy heads) of the service; members of the appropriate election commission appointed to the control and review service; specialists – heads and experts of state (law-enforcement, fiscal and other) bodies and other bodies, organizations and institutions, including the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation, the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation, a branch of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation (national bank) in a Subject of the Russian Federation. Upon the request of a relevant election commission these bodies shall, not later than a month after the day of official publication of the decision to call the election of the President of the Russian Federation, assign specialists to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation for a period of not less than five months and to election commissions of the Subjects of the Russian Federation for a period of not less than three months.
3. For the period of their work in a control and review service the specialists mentioned in Clause 2 of this article shall be released from their main job and shall receive their salary and other payments at the main place of employment. These specialists may also be paid remuneration from the funds allocated for the preparation and conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation.
4. The regulations on the control and review service shall be approved by the appropriate election commission. The organizational, legal and logistical support of the control and review service of election commissions shall be provided by the relevant election commissions.
5. Upon the request of an election commission the control and review service shall:
1) audit the financial reports of candidates, lower election commissions;
2) request information concerning all matters within the scope of its competence and receive this information from candidates, election commissions;
3) verify information submitted by candidates about their property and income; sources of the income; monetary deposits; securities, shares of stock and other forms of participation in the capital of commercial organizations; property located outside the territory of the Russian Federation, including property transferred to trust management; other property liabilities;
4) check compliance with the established procedure for funding election campaigning activities, other activities directly related to the election campaign of a candidate;
5) apply to federal bodies of executive power, other bodies of state power, other state bodies, organizations of all forms of ownership and to citizens on all matters within the scope of its competence, request the necessary information and documents relating to the funding of the election of the President of the Russian Federation. A response to applications of the control and review service shall be given and the requested materials provided within ten days or, five and less days before voting day and on voting day, immediately;
6) document financial irregularities in the funding of the election of the President of the Russian Federation;
7) request election commissions to call to account candidates as well as citizens and legal entities for the infractions committed by them in funding an election campaign of candidates;
8) engage experts for the performance of audits and for the preparation of reports and expert assessments.
6. When exercising its powers the control and review service may use the state automated information system.
CHAPTER IX. VOTING AND DETERMINATION OF THE RESULTS OF THE ELECTION OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
Article 66. Polling Station
1. The premises for the polling station shall be placed at the disposal of the precinct election commission free of charge by the head of the municipality (if the charter of the municipality does not provide for an office of head of the municipality, by a person authorized to do so by the representative body of local self-government), and, in the cases provided by this Federal Law, by the commanding officer of a military unit, ship captain, head of a polar station, head of a diplomatic or consular mission of the Russian Federation.
2. The polling station shall have a hall where ballot boxes, booths or other specially equipped places for secret voting provided with a lighting system, tables, writing utensils (with the exception of pencils) shall be located.
3. Inside or directly in front of the polling station a precinct election commission shall set up a bulletin board displaying the following information about all candidates entered in the ballot:
1) the biographical data of candidates in the scope established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation but not less detailed than the data indicated in the ballot;
2) if a candidate was nominated by a political party, an electoral bloc, the words "nominated by the political party (electoral bloc)" and the name of the given political party, electoral bloc;
3) if a candidate nominated his candidature himself, the word "self-nominated";
4) if a candidate is registered on the basis of voter signatures the words "registered on the basis of voter signatures";
5) information about the income and property of candidates and their spouses within the scope established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation;
6) information, if any, about the inaccuracy of the data presented by candidates under Sub-Clause 3, Clause 6 and Clause 7, Article 34; Sub-Clauses 1 and 3, Clause 11, Article 35 of this Federal Law;
7) information from the financial reports of political parties which nominated registered candidates, political parties comprised in electoral blocs which nominated registered candidates and information about the results of verification of these reports by the tax authorities of the Russian Federation, within the scope established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian.
4. If a registered candidate has a conviction that has not expired or has not been cancelled, the information shall indicate this fact.
5. If, apart from Russian citizenship a registered candidate has foreign citizenship, the information shall indicate this fact and the name of the corresponding foreign state.
6. The bulletin board shall display a sample of a marked ballot that shall not contain the names of registered candidates and the names of political parties, electoral blocs which nominated registered candidates in the given election of the President of the Russian Federation.
7. Information about registered candidates shall be arranged in the order which was determined when the form and the text of a ballot were approved.
8. The materials displayed on the bulletin board shall be free from any election propaganda.
9. The bulletin board shall display excerpts from the criminal and administrative laws of the Russian Federation establishing responsibility for violation of electoral rights of citizens of the Russian Federation. A precinct election commission shall place these materials so that voters could easily read them.
10. An oversize protocol of vote returns shall be displayed inside the polling station to record vote returns as they are tabulated. The oversize protocol of vote returns shall be posted before the commencement of voting so that it should be within the field of vision of members of the precinct election commission, observers, at a distance at which the information contained therein can be perceived.
11. Inside the polling station there shall be stationary ballot boxes. The functions of stationary ballot boxes may be performed by vote-counting machines, including programmed technical complexes for processing of ballots. Vote-counting machines shall be used in the procedure established by the Federal Law "On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum," in accordance with the Instructions approved by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.
12. The polling station shall be fitted out so that the places where ballots are issued, the places for secret voting and the ballot boxes are all located in the field of vision of members of the precinct election commission, observers.
Article 67. Ballot
1. Ballots shall be documents of strict accountability. Numbering of ballots shall not be allowed. The procedure for the printing of ballots, their quantity shall be established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation not later than 32 days before voting day.
2. The form and the Russian text of the ballot shall be approved by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation not later than 32 days before voting day. The text shall be printed only on one side of the ballot. In the event of the repeat voting the text of the ballot and the quantity of the ballots shall be established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation when the decision to hold the repeat voting is taken.
3. Ballots shall be produced with the use of special paper (paper with water marks or colored paper) or special paint. A ballot blank shall be provided with a micro-inscription or a protective grid printed thereon.
4. The surnames of registered candidates shall be arranged in the ballot in the alphabetical order; the ballot shall indicate the following information about each registered candidate:
1) the surname, first name and patronymic;
2) year of birth;
3) place of residence (name of the Subject of the Russian Federation, raion, city, other populated center);
4) the main place of work or service, position (occupation if there is no main place of work or service). If a candidate is a deputy and exercises his powers on a non-permanent basis, this fact and the name of the representative body;
5) if a candidate was nominated by a political party, an electoral bloc, the words "Nominated by the political party (electoral bloc)" and the abbreviated name of the political party, electoral bloc;
6) if a candidate nominated his candidature himself, the word "self-nominated";
7) if a candidate is registered on the basis of voter signatures the words "registered on the basis of voter signatures";
5. A blank box shall be placed to the right of the data of each registered candidate. A line reading "Against all candidates" with a blank box to the right thereof shall be placed at the end of the list of registered candidates.
6. If a registered candidate has a conviction that has not expired or has not been cancelled, the ballot shall indicate the information about his conviction. If a registered candidate has Russian Federation citizenship and foreign citizenship, the ballot shall indicate this fact and the name of the corresponding foreign state. The information about convictions and foreign citizenship shall be indicated in the ballot on the basis of the documents which were submitted to the election commission before approval of the text of the ballot.
7. Each ballot shall contain marking instructions.
8. Ballots shall be printed in the Russian language. Subject to a decision of the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation, ballots may be printed in the Russian language and in the official language of the given Subject of the Russian Federation, and, in the necessary cases, in the languages of the peoples of the Russian Federation on the territories where they are concentrated. If ballots for an electoral precinct are printed in two or more languages, the text in the Russian language shall be printed on each ballot. The text of such ballot in the official language of the Subject of the Russian Federation and in the languages of peoples of the Russian Federation shall be approved by the election commission of the Subject of the Russian Federation not later than 27 days before voting day.
9. Ballots shall be printed only by a decision of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation by printing organizations adequately equipped for printing electoral documents, not later than 22 days before voting day. The quantity of ballots printed for the election of the President of the Russian Federation shall not exceed by more than 3 percent the number of voters registered in the federal electoral district.
10. The printing organization employees, under the supervision of voting members of the election commission which placed an order for the printing of ballots, shall reject defective ballots and then shall hand over the ballots to members of the election commission on the basis of a transfer record. The transfer record shall indicate the date and time when it was drawn up and the quantity of ballots being handed over. After the ballots packed in bundles have been handed over in the quantity indicated in the order the employees of the printing organization shall destroy the rejected and surplus ballots (if any) and shall execute a record to this effect. The election commission which placed an order for the printing of ballots shall notify all members of the commission, registered candidates (their representatives) about the time when and the place where ballots are to be rejected, handed over to the relevant election commission, destroyed. The printing organization shall allow at least one representative from each candidate, political party, electoral bloc to be present when all these actions are performed and each of these persons may put his signature on the records mentioned in this clause.
11. After receiving ballots from the printing organization the election commission which placed an order for the printing of ballots shall, not later than 20 days before voting day, deliver the ballots to territorial election commissions on the basis of a transfer record indicating the time when the record was executed and the quantity of delivered ballots. The quantity of ballots to be delivered to each territorial election commission shall be determined by a decision of the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation. The quantity of ballots to be delivered shall not exceed by more than 2.5 percent the number of voters registered on the relevant territory. The ballots remaining after the delivery of ballots to territorial election commissions shall be kept by the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation. Proceeding in the same manner a territorial election commission shall deliver ballots to precinct election commissions not later than four days before voting day. For each electoral precinct the number of ballots to be delivered to a precinct election commission shall not be less than 90 percent of the number of voters included in the voters lists of the given electoral precinct as of the day of the delivery of ballots and shall not exceed this number by more than 0.5 percent. If the number of voters included in the voters list is less than 200, two extra ballots shall be supplied to a precinct election commission. Precinct election commissions formed in electoral precincts outside the territory of the Russian Federation or territorial election commissions formed in accordance with Clause 3, Article 14 of this Federal Law may be supplied with ballots directly by the election commission which placed an order for their printing, in a procedure established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, in the quantity determined on the basis of the data of the registration of voters, referendum participants.
12. On the face at the upper right of all ballots received by a precinct election commission there shall be signatures of two voting members of the precinct election commission certified with the election commission's seal.
13. The delivery of ballots from a higher to a lower election commission may be observed by members of these and higher election commissions, registered candidates, their agents who expressed their wish to do so. The relevant election commission shall notify all its members about the time and place when and where ballots are to be delivered.
14. The responsibility for the delivery of ballots and ballot security shall be borne by chairmen of election commissions which deliver, receive and keep ballots.
15. In the event of withdrawal of some registered candidates or if registration of some candidates is annulled after the ballots have been printed, territorial and precinct election commissions shall, on the instruction of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, strike out the data of these registered candidates on ballots. If the data of a registered candidate indicated in printed ballots has to be changed or supplemented, members of a territorial election commission, precinct election commission may, subject to a decision of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, make the changes and additions in the ballots by hand or with the use of technical facilities.
16. If a candidate has been registered less than seven days before voting day, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation may take a decision to include the data of the registered candidate in the printed ballots by hand or with the use of technical facilities.
17. In exceptional cases, in electoral precincts formed in remote and hard-to-reach areas, on ships at sea on voting day, at polar stations, in electoral precincts established outside the territory of the Russian Federation electoral documentation, including ballots, may be printed by the precinct election commission itself, if the necessary technical facilities are available. A decision to print the electoral documentation, indicating the necessary quantity of ballots and the deadline for their printing shall be taken by this precinct election commission with the concurrence of a relevant territorial election commission or the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.
18. On voting day, after the voting time ends, unused ballots remaining in the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation, a territorial election commission shall be counted and cancelled and a certificate evidencing this fact shall be executed by the relevant election commission. Cancellation of ballots may be watched by the persons mentioned in Clause 5, Article 23 of this Federal Law. These ballots shall be kept sealed by the secretary of the relevant election commissions together with other documentation of the election commission.
19. In the event of the repeat voting the periods mentioned in this article may be reduced by a decision of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, but by not more than three times.
Article 68. Absentee Certificate
1. An absentee certificate shall be a document of strict accountability, whose degree of protection shall be determined by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. The absentee certificate shall have a detachable coupon. The form of an absentee certificate, the procedure for its printing, the quantity of absentee certificates, the form of a journal to record issuance of absentee certificates and the requirements to the printing of absentee certificates shall be approved by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation not later than 60 days before voting day. The form of an absentee certificate shall be such as to allow the following to be entered in the absentee certificate: the surname, first name and patronymic of the voter and the number of electoral precinct where the voter is included in the voters list at the place of his residence. Absentee certificates shall be delivered from a higher election commission to a lower election commission in the same manner as ballots. The responsibility for the delivery and security of absentee certificates shall be borne by chairmen of election commissions which deliver, receive and keep absentee certificates.
2. A voter unable to come to the polling station of the electoral precinct where he is included in the voters list may obtain an absentee certificate (in the event of the repeat voting – an absentee certificate without a detachable coupon) from a territorial election commission (45 - 25 days before voting day), or from a precinct election commission (24 or less days before voting day and in the period from the day on which the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation declares the repeat voting to the day preceding the day of the repeat voting) and take part in the voting in the electoral precinct where he will be staying on voting day.
3. On the basis of a written application of a voter indicating the reasons why he needs an absentee certificate the relevant election commission shall issue an absentee certificate either to the voter personally or to his representative provided with a notarized power of attorney. A power of attorney may also be certified by the administration of a hospital (if a voter is undergoing medical treatment at this hospital), by the administration of an institution where persons suspected of or charged with commission of a crime are kept in custody (if a voter is held in this institution as a person suspected of or charged with commission of a crime).
4. A territorial election commission shall issue an absentee certificate to a voter or his representative on the basis of the voter data supplied to the commission by the head of a municipality (if the charter of the municipality does not provide for the office of head of the municipality, by a person authorized to do so by the representative body of local self-government) in accordance with the "Regulation on the State Registry of Voters, Referendum Participants." A territorial election commission shall keep a journal of issued absentee certificates, indicating the surname, first name and patronymic of the voter, his year of birth (for voters 18 years old - also the day and month of birth), address of the place of residence. Twenty five days before voting day, a territorial election commission shall, together with the first originals of voters lists, furnish to precinct election commissions certified excerpts from the journal of issued absentee certificates indicating the data of voters registered on the territory of these electoral precincts, who have received absentee certificates. Based on these excerpts a precinct election commission shall make relevant notes in the voters lists, excluding a voter from the voters list in the procedure established by Clause 5 of this article.
5. A voter or his representative shall sign for the receipt of an absentee certificate in the journal of issued absentee certificates (in a territorial election commission) or in the voters list (in a precinct election commission), indicating the series and number (number) of his passport or an equivalent identity paper. This voter shall be excluded from the voters list of the relevant electoral precinct in the given election of the President of the Russian Federation and shall not be reckoned in when the precinct election commission counts the number of registered voters for the preparation of its protocol.
6. An absentee certificate shall be valid if it shows the surname, first name and patronymic of a voter and the number of the electoral precinct where the voter is included in the voters list at his place of residence and bears two imprints of the seal of a territorial or a precinct election commission and two signatures of the member of the territorial or precinct election commission who issued the absentee certificate, one such imprint and one such signature being affixed to the detachable coupon. In the event of the repeat voting an absentee certificate shall be valid if it shows the surname, first name and patronymic of a voter and the number of the electoral precinct where the voter is included in the voters list at his place of residence and bears the seal of a territorial or precinct election commission and the signature of the member of the territorial or precinct election commission who issued the absentee certificate.
7. Upon presentation of an absentee certificate, a voter shall be put on the voters list in any other electoral precinct. When voting is conducted in the general election of the President of the Russian Federation, the detachable coupon shall be removed from an absentee certificate presented by a voter; in the event of the repeat voting the absentee certificate itself shall be withdrawn. When receiving a ballot on the basis of an absentee certificate a voter shall indicate the address of his place of residence in the voters list.
8. In the event of the repeat voting unused detachable coupons of absentee certificates which were issued to voters in the period from the day on which the repeat voting was announced by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation to the day preceding the day of the repeat voting shall be cancelled. On the day of the repeat voting, before voting time begins, unused absentee certificates together with detachable coupons shall be cancelled. A relevant territorial or precinct election commission shall execute a protocol to certify cancellation of unused detachable coupons and absentee certificates indicting the number of such coupons and certificates. If the President of the Russian Federation was elected as a result of the general election or the general election was declared to have not taken place or to be null and void, unused absentee certificates together with detachable coupons shall be cancelled by an election commission on the third day after official publication of the results of the general election of the President of the Russian Federation.
Article 69. Voting
1. Voting shall be conducted from 8.00 to 20.00 local time.
2. Territorial and precinct election commissions shall inform voters about the date, time and place of voting not later than 20 days before voting day through the mass media or by other means or, in the event of early voting conducted in accordance with Article 70 of this Federal Law, not later than five days before the day of early voting.
3. A precinct election commission formed in electoral precincts established on ships at sea, in military units, at polar stations, in remote and hard-to-reach areas may declare the voting completed ahead of the time specified in Clause 1 of this article if all the voters included in the voters list have voted.
4. At 8.00 on voting day, the chairman of a precinct election commission shall declare the polling station open and shall show empty stationary and mobile ballot boxes to the members of the precinct election commission, voters present and persons mentioned in Clause 5, Article 23 of this Federal Law. After this, the ballot boxes shall be sealed with the seal of the precinct election commission (a seal shall be affixed). The chairman of a precinct election commission shall also show to said persons sealed mobile ballot boxes containing ballots marked in accordance with Clauses 2 to 9, Article 70 of this Federal Law by voters (if any) who have voted early.
5. Voting members of a precinct election commission shall receive ballots from the chairman of a precinct election commission for issuance to voters and shall sign for their receipt. Then the chairman of a precinct election commission shall invite voters to start voting.
6. Ballots shall be issued to voters included in the voters lists upon presentation of a passport or an equivalent identity paper and an absentee certificate if a voter votes on the basis of an absentee certificate. Each voter shall be entitled to receive one ballot, save the cases provided by Clause 11 of this article. Before issuing a ballot to a voter the member of a precinct election commission shall make sure that the voter has not voted early, no written application (or oral request) from the voter for voting outside the voting site is recorded in the journal mentioned in Clause 2, Article 71 of this Federal Law and no voting members of the precinct election commission have been sent to the voter to conduct voting outside the polling station.
7. When receiving a ballot, a voter shall write the series and number (number) of his passport or an equivalent identity paper. With the consent or upon the request of the voter the series and number (number) of his passport or an equivalent identify paper may be written in the voters list by any voting member of a precinct election commission. The voter shall check the correctness of the entry and shall sign for the receipt of a ballot. The member of a precinct election commission who issued a ballot to the voter shall also sign in the appropriate column of the voters list. If a voter votes on the basis of an absentee certificate, a note to this effect shall be made in the voters list.
8. A voter shall vote by putting any mark in the box against a candidate chosen by him or the box to the right of the words "Against all candidates".
9. Each voter shall vote in person. Voting for other voters shall not be allowed save as otherwise provided by Clause 10 of this article. Ballots shall be marked in a booth or in some other specially fitted out place or room for secret voting, where the presence of any other persons shall not be allowed save as otherwise provided by Clause 10 of this article.
10 A voter who is unable to sign for the receipt of a ballot or mark the ballot by himself, may be assisted by another voter who is not a member of the election commission, a registered candidate, his agent or authorized representative for financial matters, an authorized representative of a political party, an electoral bloc which nominated a registered candidate, observer, foreign (international) observer. In this case, the voter shall orally inform the election commission of his intention to ask for assistance of another person. The surname, first name and patronymic, series and number (number) of the passport or an equivalent identity paper of the person assisting the voter shall be marked in the appropriate column (columns) of the voters list.
11. If a voter thinks that he has made a mistake when marking a ballot, he may ask the election commission member from whom he received a ballot to give him a new ballot in place of the spoilt one. The election commission member shall issue a new ballot to the voter, make a note to this effect in the voters list against the name of this voter and sign the note. The spoilt ballot bearing an appropriate note and a signature of a voting member of the election commission shall be immediately cancelled.
12. Voters shall drop marked ballots into a sealed stationary ballot box.
13. The chairman of a precinct election commission shall maintain order in the polling station. Instructions of the chairman of a precinct election commission issued within the scope of his competence shall be mandatory for all those present inside the polling station. If the chairman of a precinct election commission is absent, his functions shall be performed by the deputy chairman of the precinct election commission, and, in the absence of the deputy chairman, by the secretary of the precinct election commission or some other voting member of the given election commission authorized thereby.
14. Persons mentioned in Clause 5, Article 23 of this Federal Law may be present in the polling station during the voting, when votes are counted and when a precinct election commission prepares a protocol of vote returns. Based on their credentials a precinct election commission shall make up a list of persons who observed the progress of voting and the counting of votes.
15. Any member of a precinct election commission shall be immediately barred from participation in the commission's work and an observer and other persons shall be expelled from the polling station if they violate the laws on the election of the President of the Russian Federation. The appropriate reasoned decision shall be taken by a precinct election commission or a higher election commission. The law enforcement authorities shall enforce the decision and take steps to bring the barred member of a precinct election commission, expelled observer and other persons to responsibility under Russian Federation laws.
16. Registered candidates, their agents and authorized representatives for financial matters, political parties, electoral blocs which nominated registered candidates and their authorized representatives as well as the organizations whose founders, owners, possessors are and/or whose governing or supervisory bodies include said persons and organizations as well as other natural persons and legal entities acting upon the request or on the instructions of said persons and organizations shall not make any arrangements for transportation of voters to polling stations.
Article 70. Early Voting
1. Election commissions of the Subjects of the Russian Federation may allow all voters in one of or several electoral precincts established on ships at sea on voting day, at polar stations, in other remote and hard-to-reach areas to vote early but not earlier than 15 days before voting day. In this case, early voting shall be conducted in accordance with the rules established by Article 69 of this Federal Law. Immediately after the end of early voting the votes cast by voters shall be counted and vote returns tabulated in accordance with the requirements of Articles 72 and 73 of this Federal Law.
2. If separate groups of voters included in the voters list of the given electoral precinct are located at places which are far away from the polling station and are inaccessible or hard to reach by any means of transport (at polar stations, in remote and hard-to-reach areas, etc.) and, therefore, early voting cannot be conducted in the whole electoral precinct in accordance with Clause 1 of this article, the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation may allow these groups of voters to vote early but not earlier than 15 days before voting day, in the course of several days, in a procedure established by Clauses 3 to 9 of this article.
3. To conduct early voting in accordance with Clause 2 of this article use shall be made of mobile ballot boxes the number of which shall be determined by the relevant precinct election commission. Before early voting starts, empty mobile ballot boxes shall be produced for examination to the majority of its members and to the persons mentioned in Clause 5, Article 23 of this Federal Law present in the commission's premises, and a protocol shall executed to record this fact. After that, empty mobile ballot boxes shall be sealed (seals shall be affixed).
4. Two voting members of a precinct election commission shall put their signatures at the upper right on the face of each ballot issued to a voter who votes early, and their signatures shall be certified with the seal of the precinct election commission.
5. Early voting outside the polling station shall be conducted by not less than two voting members of a precinct election commission. They shall be provided with a mobile ballot box sealed at the precinct election commission, the required number of standard ballots, an excerpt from the voters list containing data of the voters whom they are going to visit to conduct early voting or the voters list as well as the necessary writing utensils (excepting pencils) to mark ballots.
6. A voter who votes early shall sign for receipt of a ballot issued to him in the excerpt from the voters list or in the voters list. Members of a precinct election commission who conduct early voting shall make a note in said excerpt or in the voters list to indicate that the voter voted early and shall mark the date and time of voting. If a voter put his signature in the excerpt from the voters list, these notes as well as the series and number (number) of the passport or an equivalent identity paper of the voter shall be entered in the voters list after the end of early voting. This excerpt shall be kept together with the voters list.
7. A voter shall mark the ballot and drop it into the mobile ballot box as provided by Article 69 of this Federal Law.
8. A protocol shall be executed to record the fact of early voting, indicating the day and time of voting, the number of voters who received ballots for early voting, the names of election commission members and other persons present at the voting. This protocol shall be kept together with the mobile ballot box.
9. After the end of early voting the slots for ballots in mobile ballot boxes shall be sealed by the chairman of a precinct election commission. The secretary of a precinct election commission shall make arrangements for safekeeping of the mobile ballot boxes. The mobile ballot boxes shall not be opened till commencement of vote counting at the polling station. The mobile ballot boxes with the ballots of voters who voted early shall not be used for voting on voting day.
10. Early voting may be observed by the persons mentioned in Clause 5, Article 23 of this Federal Law. When early voting is to be conducted with the use of mobile ballot boxes, a precinct election commission shall make arrangements to ensure that at least two persons - non-voting members of the election commission, observers appointed by different registered candidates - are offered the same possibilities as the voting members of the precinct election commission to go to the place where early voting is to be conducted.
11. Early voting may be conducted only at the time appointed by the decision of a precinct election commission. This time shall be made known to voters and persons mentioned in Clause 5, Article 23 of this Federal Law through the mass media and/or by other means.
12. When conducting early voting a precinct election commission shall ensure the secrecy of voting, prevent any possibility of the expression of the voters' will being distorted, make arrangements for the safekeeping of ballots and ensure that the votes of voters are reckoned in when the vote returns are tabulated.
Article 71. Voting Outside the Polling station On Voting Day
1. A precinct election commission shall make arrangements to enable voters to vote if they are entitled to be or are included in the voters list of the given electoral precinct but are unable to come on their own to the polling station for valid reasons (poor health, physical disability, etc.).
2. Save as otherwise provided by Article 70 of this Federal Law voting outside the polling station shall be carried out only on voting day and only on the basis of a written application or an oral request of a voter (which may be relayed through other persons) for a possibility to vote outside the polling station. The application (request) may be submitted by a voter at any time after formation of a precinct election commission. A precinct election commission shall record all received applications (requests) in a special journal that shall be kept together with the voters list after the end of voting.
3. The entry recording an oral request in the journal mentioned in Clause 2 of this article shall indicate the time when the request was received; the surname, first name and patronymic of a voter who stated his desire to vote outside the polling station; the voter's place of residence. The entry shall be signed by the member of a precinct election commission who received the request (telephone call, message, etc.). If the request was relayed by another person, the surname, first name and patronymic and the place of residence of such person shall be indicated in the journal. Upon arrival of members of a precinct election commission to the voter the request shall be confirmed by a written application.
4. A written application (oral request) of a voter for voting outside the polling station shall state the reason why the voter is unable to come to the polling station. The application shall indicate the same voter data as is contained in the voters list. A precinct election commission may at its meeting determine that the reason for which a voter is unable to come to the polling station is untenable and on this ground refuse to allow the voter to vote outside the polling station.
5. Applications (requests) mentioned in Clause 2 of this article may be submitted to a precinct election commission not later than four hours before the end of voting time.
6. At least 30 minutes before the departure of members of a precinct election commission, the chairman of the precinct election commission shall announce that members of the precinct election commission are going to conduct voting outside the polling station.
7. A precinct election commission shall have the necessary number (but not more than three) of mobile ballot boxes to conduct voting under this article. The number of such boxes shall be determined by the decision of a relevant precinct election commission.
8. The voting members of a precinct election commission who conduct voting outside the polling station shall receive ballots and sign for the receipt of the ballots in the journal of issuance of ballots for voting outside the polling station. Voting outside the polling station shall be conducted by not less than two voting members of a precinct election commission who shall bring with them the following: a mobile ballot box sealed by the precinct election commission; the required number of standard ballots; the journal mentioned in Clause 2 of this article or a certified extract from the journal containing the required voter data and an entry about the applications (requests) received from voters asking for a possibility to vote outside the polling station; written applications received from voters asking for a possibility to vote outside the polling station; the necessary writing utensils (excepting pencils) for the voter to mark the ballots. Voting outside the polling station may be conducted by one voting member of a precinct election commission provided not less than two persons from among the persons mentioned in Clause 13 of this article are present at the voting.
9. Voting outside the polling station shall be carried out in accordance with the provisions of Article 69 of this Federal Law.
10. A voter shall write the series and number (number) of his passport or an equivalent identity paper and the address of the place of residence on his written application for voting outside the polling station and shall sign for receipt of a ballot. With the consent or upon the request of the voter a voting member of a precinct election commission may enter in the application the series and number (number) of the passport or an equivalent identity paper presented by the voter. The voting members of a precinct commission shall confirm the issuance of ballots by putting their signatures on the application. A relevant note shall also be made on the application when a new ballot is issued in place of a spoilt one.
11. The voting members of a precinct election commission who conduct voting outside the polling station shall issue ballots only to those voters whose applications (requests) have been recorded in the journal under Clause 2 of this article.
12. The voting members of a precinct election commission who went to the voter in response to his application (request). shall mark the series and number (number) of the passport or an equivalent identity paper of a voter who voted outside the polling station in the voters list, write the words "Voted outside the polling station" and put their signatures in the relevant column (columns) of the voters list.
13. Voting outside the polling station may be observed by non-voting members of an election commission, observers. In this case, a precinct election commission shall provide the same possibilities to come to the place of voting both to voting members of the precinct election commission who conduct voting outside the polling station and to not less than two non-voting members of the election commission and observers appointed by different registered candidates. Voting outside the polling station shall be organized so as to prevent any violations of electoral rights of citizens and distortion of the expression of voters’ will.
14. If a voter who submitted an application (request) for voting outside the polling station comes to the polling station to vote after the voting members of a precinct election commission were sent to him to conduct voting outside the polling station, none of the members of the precinct election commission shall issue a ballot to this voter at the polling station until the members of the precinct election commission who went to the voter in response to his application (request) to conduct voting outside the polling station come back and until it is established that the voter did not vote outside the polling station.
15. After the end of voting outside the polling station a precinct election commission shall execute an act indicating the number of ballots issued to the voting members of the precinct election commission who conducted voting outside the polling station; the number of written applications from voters asking for a possibility to vote outside the polling station; the number of ballots issued to such voters and the number of returned ballots (ballots which were not used or were spoilt by voters); the data of the voting members of the precinct election commission who conducted voting outside the polling station, the non-voting members of the precinct election commission and observers who were present when voting was conducted outside the polling station with the use of each mobile ballot box.
Article 72. Protocol of Vote Returns of a Precinct Election Commission
1. A precinct election commission shall prepare a protocol of vote returns for the electoral precinct.
2. A precinct election commission shall draw up a protocol of vote returns on one sheet. In exceptional cases the protocol may be drawn up on more sheets than one and, in this case, each sheet shall be numbered, signed by all present voting members of a precinct election commission and certified with the seal of the precinct election commission. The protocol of a precinct election commission shall contain the following:
1) No. of the original;
2) the name of the election, date of voting;
3) the word "Protocol";
4) the name of the election commission and the number of the electoral precinct;
5) the lines of the protocol:
6) the number of complaints (statements) and records, acts and other documents attached to the protocol, which were received by to the precinct election commission on voting day before the end of vote counting;
7) the surnames and initials of the chairman, the deputy chairman, the secretary and other voting members of the election commission and their signatures;
8) the date and time (hours, minutes) when the protocol was singed (if the protocol contains more than one sheet - on each sheet of the protocol);
9) the seal of the election commission (if the protocol contains more than one sheet – on each sheet of the protocol).
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line 1: the number of voters included in the voters list as of the end of voting;
line 2: the number of ballots received by the precinct election commission;
line 3: the number of ballots issued to voters who voted early in accordance with Clauses 2 to 9, Article 70 of this Federal Law;
line 4: the number of ballots issued to voters by the precinct election commission at the polling station on voting day;
line 5: the number of ballots issued to voters who voted outside the polling station on voting day;
line 6: the number of cancelled ballots;
line 7: the number of ballots in the mobile ballot boxes;
line 8: the number of ballots in the stationary ballot boxes;
line 9: the number of invalid ballots;
line 10: the number of valid ballots;
line 11: the number of absentee certificates received by the precinct election commission;
line 12: the number of absentee certificates issued to voters at the polling station by the precinct election commission before voting day (in the event of the repeat voting – the number of absentee certificates without detachable coupons issued to voters at the polling station before voting day);
line 13: the number of voters who voted in the electoral precinct on the basis of absentee certificates;
line 14: the number of unused absentee certificates (in the event of the repeat voting – the number of cancelled unused absentee certificates);
line 15: the number of absentee certificates issued to voters by the territorial election commission);
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3. The following data shall be entered in line 18 and subsequent lines of the protocol of vote returns:
the surname, first name and patronymic of the registered candidates put on the ballot, in the alphabetical order, and, if these names coincide, other data of the registered candidates;
the number of votes cast for each registered candidate;
the number of votes cast against all candidates.
4. The protocol of vote returns shall contain additional lines 16 and 17 to be used for entering the information received in the case provided by Clause 21, Article 73 of this Federal Law.
5. The numerical data mentioned in Clauses 2 to 4 of this article shall be entered in the protocol of vote returns in words and figures.
Article 73. Counting of Votes and Preparation of the Protocol of Vote Returns by Precinct Election Commissions
1. Votes cast by voters shall be counted openly and publicly, with the results of ballot and vote counting carried out by voting members of a precinct election commission being consecutively announced and entered in the oversize version of the protocol of vote returns. The persons mentioned in Clause 5, Article 23 of this Federal Law shall be allowed to be present at and to observe vote counting.
2. After the end of voting time, the chairman of a precinct election commission shall announce that only those voters who are already inside the polling station may receive ballots and vote. Counting of votes shall begin immediately after the voting ends and shall be continued without interruption until the vote returns are tabulated. These vote returns shall be made known to all members of a precinct election commission and persons present at vote counting in accordance with this Federal Law.
3. After the end of voting, the voting members of a precinct election commission in the presence of persons mentioned in Clause 5, Article 23 of this Federal Law shall count unused ballots and cancel them by cutting off the lower left corner (care shall be taken to avoid damaging the boxes located on the ballots to the right of the data of registered candidates and against the line "Against all candidates"), announce the number of cancelled ballots obtained by summing up the number of unused ballots and the number of ballots spoilt by voters in the course of voting and enter this data in line 6 of the protocol of vote returns and in its oversize version. Then members of the precinct election commission shall count and announce the number of unused absentee certificates (in the case of the repeat voting unused absentee certificates shall be cancelled) and shall enter this number in line 14 of the protocol of vote returns and its oversize version. The cancelled ballots, cancelled detachable coupons and absentee certificates may be examined by persons mentioned in Clause 5, Article 23 of this Federal La, who are present at vote counting, under the supervision of voting members of the precinct election commission.
4. The chairman, the deputy chairman or the secretary of a precinct election commission shall announce the number of ballots received by the precinct election commission and enter it in line 2 of the protocol of vote returns and its oversize version and announce the number of absentee certificates received by the precinct election commission and enter it in line 11 of the protocol of vote returns and its oversize form.
5. Before starting to count votes the voting members of a precinct election commission shall sum up the following data on each sheet of the voters list and mark the results of the summation on the sheets:
1) the number of voters put on the voters list as of the end of voting (minus the voters to whom absentee certificates were issued by the territorial and the precinct election commission, and voters withdrawn for other reasons);
2) the number of ballots issued to voters at the polling station on voting day (to be established on the basis of the number of voter signatures in the voters list);
3) the number of ballots issued to voters who voted outside the polling station (to be established on the basis of the number of the relevant notes in the voters list);
4) the number of voters who voted early in accordance with Clauses 2 to 9, Article 70 of this Federal Law (to be established on the basis of the number of the relevant notes in the voters list);
5) the number of absentee certificates issued by the precinct election commission to voters at the polling station before voting day;
6) the number of voters who voted at the polling station of the electoral precinct on the basis of absentee certificates;
7) the number of absentee certificates issued to voters by the territorial election commission.
6. After entering the data mentioned in Clause 5 of this article the voting member of a precinct election commission who entered this data shall sign each sheet of the voters list, sum up this data and announce the results of the summation to the chairman, the deputy chairman or the secretary of the precinct election commission and to persons present at vote counting. The chairman, the deputy chairman or the secretary of the precinct election commission shall announce the summarized data, i.e., the sum total of the data determined in accordance with Clause 5 of this article, write the summarized data on the last sheet of the voters list, confirm this data by their signatures and certify it with the seal of the precinct election commission. The announced data shall be entered in the relevant lines of the protocol of vote returns and its oversize version:
1) in line 1: the number of voters on the voters list as of the end of voting;
2) in line 3: the number of ballots issued to voters who voted early in accordance with Clauses 2 to 9, Article 70 of this Federal Law;
3) in line 4: the number of ballots issued to voters by the precinct election commission at the polling station on voting day;
4) in line 5: the number of ballots issued to voters who voted outside the polling station on voting day;
5) in line 12: the number of absentee certificates issued to voters at the polling station by the precinct election commission before voting day;
6) in line 13: the number of voters who voted at the poling station on the basis of absentee certificates;
7) in line 15: the number of absentee certificates issued to voters by the territorial election commission;
7. After the actions mentioned in Clause 6 of this article have been carried out the persons mentioned in Clause 5, Article 23 of this Federal Law may examine the voters list and non-voting members of a precinct election commission may make sure that the counting was carried out correctly.
8. No further work shall be carried out on the voters list until the control relationships of the data entered in the protocol of vote returns are checked as provided by Clause 21 of this article. In the meantime, the voters list shall be kept in a safe or at a place specially equipped for safekeeping of documents. The chairman or the secretary of a precinct election commission shall make arrangements for safekeeping of the voters list so as to make it inaccessible to persons staying at the polling station.
9. Votes cast by voters shall be counted directly by the voting members of a precinct election commission from the ballots in the ballot boxes.
10. Non-voting members of a precinct election commission, other persons listed in Clause 5, Article 23 of this Federal Law shall be entitled to be present at vote counting.
11. Votes shall be counted at the polling station in special places accessible for the voting and non-voting members of a precinct election commission. While counting votes, voting members of a precinct election commission, with the exception of the chairman (deputy chairman) and the secretary of a precinct election commission, shall not use any writing utensils. At such time, all persons present at vote counting must be able freely to observe the actions of members of the precinct election commission.
12. In the course of sorting out of ballots a precinct election commission shall separate ballots which do not conform to a standard format, i.e., which have not been printed officially or have not been certified by the election commission. Non-standard ballots shall be disregarded in the direct counting of votes. Such ballots shall be packed separately and sealed.
13. First of all, ballots shall be counted in the mobile ballot boxes: first in the boxes containing ballots left by voters who voted early, then in the boxes containing ballots left by voters who voted outside the polling station on voting day. Before each mobile ballot box is opened the number of voters who voted with the use of the given mobile ballot box shall be announced and the chairman of a precinct election commission shall ask the election commission members and other persons present at vote counting to check the integrity of the seals on the box. Ballots shall be counted in such a way as to avoid violating the secrecy of voting; non-standard ballots shall be put aside. The number of standard ballots taken out of the mobile boxes shall be announced and entered in line 7 of the protocol of vote returns and in its oversize version. If the number of standard ballots in a mobile ballot box is found to be larger than the number of notes in the voters list indicating that the voters voted early or larger than the number of applications of voters marked to certify receipt of ballots, all ballots in the given mobile ballot box shall be invalidated by the decision of the precinct election commission and this fact shall be recorded in a separate act which shall be attached to the protocol of vote returns. The act shall indicate the surname and initials of the members of the election commission who conducted early voting or voting outside the polling station using this mobile ballot box. The number of ballots thus invalidated shall be announced and entered into said act and then summed up with the number of invalid ballots found when the ballots were sorted out. A note indicating the reason why the ballot was invalidated shall be made on the face of all such ballots, over the boxes located to the right of the data of registered candidates. This note shall be signed by two voting members of a precinct election commission and certified with the commission 's seal. Such ballots shall be packed separately, sealed and shall not be reckoned in when vote counting is continued..
14. The stationary ballot boxes shall be opened after the seals thereon have been checked and found intact.
15. The voting members of a precinct election commission shall sort out the ballots taken out of the mobile and stationary ballot boxes into separate bundles according to the votes cast for each registered candidate and against all candidates; at the same time, they shall separate ballots which do not conform to the standard format and invalid ballots. While sorting out the ballots, the voting members of the precinct election commission shall read aloud the notes made by voters on ballots and show ballots to all persons present at vote counting for visual inspection. The notes on two and more ballots shall not be read aloud simultaneously.
16. Invalid ballots shall be counted and summed up separately. Ballots shall be pronounced invalid if they contain no marks inside the boxes located to the right of the data of the registered candidates and the words "Against all candidates" or if a mark (marks) was (were) put in more than one box or in none of the boxes. If any doubts arise as to the expression of a voter's will, the ballot shall be put apart in a separate bundle and, after the ballots are sorted out, a precinct election commission shall decide the question of the validity of each doubtful ballot by voting. A note explaining the reasons why the ballot was pronounced valid or invalid shall be made on the back of the ballot This note shall be signed by not less than two voting members of the precinct election commission and certified with the commission's seal. The ballot pronounced valid or invalid shall be put in the corresponding bundle of ballots.. The total number of invalid ballots (including the ballots invalidated on the basis of Clause 13 of this article) shall be announced and entered in line 9 of the protocol of vote returns and its oversize version.
17. After that standard ballots that have been sorted out shall be counted (separately in each bundle), according to the votes cast for each registered candidate and votes cast against all candidates. Ballots shall be counted one by one so that the persons present at vote counting could see the mark made by the voter on each ballot. Ballots from different bundles shall not be counted simultaneously. The data thus obtained shall be announced and entered in line 18 and subsequent lines of the protocol of vote returns and its oversize version.
18. The voting members of a precinct election commission shall sum up the data of line 18 and the subsequent lines of the protocol of voting return, determine the number of valid ballots, announce this number and enter it in line 10 of the protocol of vote returns and in its oversize version.
19. The voting members of a precinct election commission shall count the number of standard ballots in the stationary ballot boxes, announce this number and enter it in line 8 of the protocol of vote returns and in its oversize version
20. After that observers, foreign (international) observers may examine the sorted out ballots under the supervision of voting members of a precinct election commission, and non-voting members of the precinct commission may make sure that the counting was carried out correctly.
21. After non-voting members of a precinct election commission and observers examine the sorted out ballots the control relationships of the data entered in the protocols of vote returns shall be checked in accordance with Annex 4 to this Federal Law. If these control relationships are not complied with, a precinct election commission shall take a decision to carry out additional vote counting for all or some of the lines of the protocol of vote returns, including additional counting of ballots. If, after additional summation of the data in lines 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the protocol of vote returns the control relationships are not complied with again, a precinct election commission shall execute an act to this effect to be appended it to the protocol of vote returns and shall enter the discrepancies in the special lines of the protocol of vote returns: line 16 "The number of lost ballots" and line 17 "Number of ballots unrecorded upon receipt." If the number indicated in line 2 of the protocol of vote returns is larger than the sum of the numbers indicated in lines 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the protocol of vote returns, the difference between the number in line 2 and the sum of the numbers in lines 3, 4, 5 and 6 shall be entered in line 16 and the numeral "0" shall be put in line 17. If the sum of the numbers in lines 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the protocol of vote returns is larger than the number indicated in line 2 of the protocol of vote returns, the difference between the sum of the numbers in lines 3, 4, 5 and 6 and the number in line 2 shall be entered in line 17 and the numeral "0" shall be put in line 16. If changes have to be made in the protocol of vote returns on the basis of additional counting, a new blank form of the protocol shall be completed and appropriate alterations shall be made in the oversize version of the protocol. The form of the protocol of vote returns filled out previously shall be attached to the first original of the protocol of vote returns of the precinct election commission. If the control relationships are complied with, the numeral "0" shall be put in lines 16 and 17.
22. After the counting has been completed the ballots shall be packed in separate bundles according to the registered candidates for whom votes were cast in the ballots. Ballots in which votes were cast against all candidates and invalidated and cancelled ballots shall be packed in separate bundles. Each bundle shall be marked to indicate the quantity of ballots in the bundle, the surname of the registered candidate marked in the ballots or shall be marked "Invalid ballots" or "Against all candidates," etc. The ballots packed as above and ballots packed in compliance with Clauses 12 and 13 of this article, packed detachable coupons or absentee certificates shall be placed in bags or boxes which shall be marked to indicate the number of the electoral precinct, the total number of all packed ballots, the total number of all packed detachable coupons or absentee certificates. The bags or boxes shall be sealed and may be opened only by the decision of a higher election commission or a court. Voting and non-voting members of a precinct election commission, other persons indicated in Clause 5, Article 23 of this Federal Law may put their signatures on these bags or boxes.
23. After all necessary actions have been made and required counting completed a precinct election commission shall hold a mandatory final meeting at which it shall consider complaints and statements about infractions in the conduct voting and in vote counting and then sign the protocol of vote returns of the precinct election commission. A copy of this protocol shall be issued to persons mentioned in Clause 5, Article 23 of this Federal Law. The protocol of vote returns shall be made in duplicate and shall be signed by all voting members of a precinct election commission present at the meeting, with the indication of the date and time (hours and minutes) when it was signed. If vote returns were obtained by means of technical vote counting facilities, the protocol of vote returns shall become legally valid after it is signed by the aforementioned persons. The protocol of vote returns shall not be completed with a pencil and no alterations shall be made therein. Signing of such protocol in violation of these rules may serve as a ground for invalidation of this protocol and for vote recount.
24. If some voting members of a precinct election commission are absent when the protocol of vote returns is being prepared, a note to this effect shall be made in the protocol indicating the reason for their absence. The protocol shall be valid if it is signed by the majority of the established number of voting members of a precinct election commission. If, when a protocol of vote returns is being signed, the signature of any voting member of a precinct election commission is put by another member of the precinct election commission or some other person, this shall provide grounds for invalidation of this protocol and for vote recount.
25. When the protocol of vote returns is being signed voting members of a precinct election commission who dissent from the contents of the protocol may attach their dissenting opinion to the protocol and this fact shall be noted in the protocol.
26. Upon the request of any member of a precinct election commission and persons mentioned in Clause 5, Article 23 of this Federal Law, immediately after the protocol of vote returns (including a corrected protocol) is signed the precinct election commission shall provide copies of the protocol of vote returns to these persons or allow them to copy the protocol and have the copy certified. The issuance of such copies shall be recorded by a precinct election commission in a special journal. The person who received a copy of the protocol of vote returns shall sign for its receipt in the journal. The responsibility for completeness and accuracy of the data contained in a copy of the protocol of vote returns shall be borne by the person who certified this copy.
27. After the first original of the protocol of vote returns was signed by all present voting members of the precinct election commission and after its certified copies were issued to or certified for all persons entitled to receive them, it shall be, without delay, forwarded to a relevant territorial election commission and shall not be returned to the precinct election commission. Precinct election commissions formed outside the territory of the Russian Federation shall forward the first original of the protocol of vote returns together with attached documents directly to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and to the territorial election commission if such territorial election commission is formed in accordance with Clause 3, Article 14 of this Federal Law. Attached to the first original of the protocol of vote returns shall be the dissenting opinions of voting members of the precinct election commission, complaints (statements) about violations of this Federal Law received by the precinct election commission on voting day and before the end of vote counting, decisions taken by the precinct election commission on these complaints (statements) as well as the commission's acts, records and journals. The certified copies of these documents and decisions of a precinct election commission shall be attached to the second original of the protocol. The first original of the protocol of vote returns shall be delivered to a territorial election commission by the chairman or the secretary of a precinct election commission or some other voting member of a precinct election commission upon the request of its chairman. Such delivery of the protocol may be witnessed by other members of a precinct election commission and by observers dispatched to the given precinct election commission. All electoral documents of precinct election commissions formed outside the territory of the Russian Federation including ballots but excluding the first original of the protocol of vote returns forwarded to a higher election commission shall be kept on the premises of diplomatic and consular missions of the Russian Federation for not less than one year after official publication of the general results of the election of the President of the Russian Federation and then it shall be destroyed on the basis of an appropriate act in the procedure established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.
28. The second original of the protocol of vote returns shall be shown to persons mentioned in Clause 5, Article 23 of this Federal Law for examination and its certified copy shall be displayed to the public at large in a place designated by a precinct election commission. After that the second original of the protocol of vote returns together with the electoral documentation provided for by this Federal Law, including sealed ballots and lists of non-voting members of the precinct election commission, persons mentioned in Clause 5 of Article 23 of this Federal Law who were present at the tabulation of vote returns and preparation of the protocol, as well as the seal of the precinct election commission shall be handed over for safekeeping to the territorial commissions not later than five days after official publication of the general results of the election of the President of the Russian Federation.
29. If the necessary technical equipment is available, immediately after the protocol of vote returns is signed by the members of a precinct election commission formed in electoral precincts on a ship at sea, at a polar station, in a remote or hard-to-reach area or outside the territory of the Russian Federation the data of the protocol of vote returns shall be transmitted via technical communication channels to the higher election commission. It shall be mandatory that subsequently, at the earliest opportunity, the first original of the protocol of vote returns and all electoral documentation mentioned in Clause 27 of this article be handed over to the higher election commission directly or through diplomatic and consular missions of the Russian Federation.
30. The procedure for using a technical system for transmission of information concerning the election, the manner and time of transmission, processing and utilization of this information, including the data of the protocols of vote returns transmitted over technical communication channels, shall be approved by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.
31. If, after the protocol of vote returns was signed and its first original was delivered to a territorial election commission, a precinct election commission which had prepared the protocol finds inaccuracies therein (a slip of the pen, a misprint or an error in data summation) or if such inaccuracy is found by a territorial election commission in the course of a preliminary verification of the protocols, the precinct election commission shall at its meeting consider the question of making corrections in the protocol. In its announcement about this meeting to be made in accordance with Clause 2, Article 23 of this Federal Law the precinct election commission shall state that it is going to consider this matter at the meeting. The decision taken by the precinct election commission shall be made known by the precinct election commission to its non-voting members, observers and other persons who were present at the preparation of the previously approved protocol and to members of the press. In this case, the precinct election commission shall prepare a protocol of vote returns marked with the word "Corrected" This protocol shall be promptly forwarded to the territorial election commission. The protocol of vote returns submitted to a territorial election commission earlier shall be attached to the corrected protocol.
Article 74. Tabulation of Vote Returns by a Territorial Election Commission
1. Based on the data of the protocols of vote returns of precinct election commissions, including the data transmitted via technical communication channels from precinct election commissions formed in electoral precincts on ships at sea, at polar stations, in remote and hard-to-reach areas or outside the territory of the Russian Federation, a territorial election commission, after making sure that the protocols have been prepared correctly, shall, not later than on the third day after voting day, tabulate the vote returns for the given territory by summing up all data contained in the protocols. The data of the protocols of vote returns of precinct election commissions shall be summed up directly by the voting members of a territorial election commission. This may be witnessed by the persons mentioned in Clause 5, Article 23 of this Federal Law.
2. The protocols of vote returns of precinct election commissions shall be accepted, the data of these protocols shall be summed up and the protocols of vote returns for the given territory shall be prepared in one room so that all actions of members of a territorial election commission when they accept the protocols of vote returns of precinct election commissions, sum up the data of these protocols and prepare a protocol of vote returns for the given territory shall be within the field of vision of members of the territorial election commission, observers and other persons mentioned in Clause 5, Article 23 of this Federal Law. There shall be an oversize version of the summary table of the territorial election commission for the given territory in this room, where the data of the protocols of vote returns of a precinct election commission shall be entered and the time of its entry indicated as soon as the first original of the protocol of vote returns is delivered by the chairman, the secretary or some other voting member of the precinct election commission.
3. The chairman, the secretary or some other voting member of a precinct election commission shall deliver the first original of the protocol of vote returns of the precinct election commission together with the attached documents to a voting member of a territorial election commission, who shall make sure that the protocols are completed correctly and that all required documents are attached to the protocol. If a territorial election commission has a complex of automation facilities of the state automated information system, the data of the protocol of vote returns of a precinct election commission shall be immediately entered in this system and the system will check compliance with the control relationships. If the state automated information system is not used, compliance with the control relationships shall be checked by a member of a territorial election commission who checks correct completion of the protocol.
4. If the protocol of vote returns of a precinct election commission does not meet the requirements of this Federal Law to such protocols, a precinct election commission shall prepare a corrected protocol in accordance with the requirements of Clause 31, Article 73 of this Federal Law and the previously submitted protocol shall be kept by the higher election commission.
5. If the protocol of vote returns of a precinct election commission meets the requirements of this Federal Law to such protocols, a member of a territorial election commission shall enter the data of this protocol in the summary table of the territorial election commission. The chairman, the secretary or some other voting member of a precinct election commission who submitted the protocol of vote returns to a member of a territorial election commission shall put his signature in the oversize version of the summary table under the data of the protocol of vote returns of the precinct election commission.
6. The election commissions of the Subjects of the Russian Federation shall publish the data of the protocols of vote returns of precinct election commissions in the public information-telecommunications network Internet as this data is entered in the state automated information system, but not later than one day after voting day (for protocols marked "Vote Recount" not later than one day from the day on which vote recount was conducted).
7. On the basis of the vote returns, a territorial election commission shall prepare a protocol of vote returns for the given territory indicating:
1) the number of precinct election commissions in the given territory;
2) the number of received protocols of vote returns of precinct election commissions on the basis of which the protocol of the territorial election commission is prepared;
3) the summarized data for all lines of protocols of vote returns of precinct election commissions established by Clauses 2 and 3, Article 72 of this Federal Law.
8. To sign the protocols of vote returns a territorial election commission shall call a mandatory final meeting, at which it shall consider complaints (statements) about infractions in the conduct of voting, in vote counting and preparation of protocols of vote returns of the lower election commissions. After that the territorial election commission shall sign the protocol of vote returns and issue copies of the protocol to persons mentioned in Clause 5, Article 23 of this Federal Law. The protocol of vote returns shall be made in duplicate and shall be signed by all voting members of a territorial election commission present at the meeting, with the indication of the date and time (hours and minutes) when the protocol was signed. Signing of a protocol in violation of these rules shall provide grounds for invalidation of this protocol. Any voting member of a territorial election commission who dissents from the whole protocol or any part thereof may attach his dissenting opinion to the protocol and this fact shall be noted in the protocol.
9. The following documents shall be attached to each original of the protocol:
1) the summary table of vote returns for the given territory, including the complete data of all protocols of vote returns received from the precinct election commissions;
2) the records and acts certifying receipt of ballots by the territorial election commission, delivery of ballots to precinct election commissions, cancellation of unused ballots kept by the territorial election commission, with the indication of the number of such ballots;
3) the records certifying issuance of absentee certificates to voters by the territorial election commission, delivery of absentee certificates to precinct election commissions and, in the case of the repeat voting, cancellation of unused absentee certificates, with the indication of the number of such certificates.
10. The summary tables, the records and acts shall be signed by the chairman and the secretary of a territorial election commission.
11. Attached to the first original of the protocol of vote returns of a territorial election commission shall be the dissenting opinions of members of the territorial election commission; the complaints (statements) about violations of this Federal Law received by the territorial election commission in the period from voting day to the date of the protocol of vote returns of the territorial election commission; the decisions taken by the territorial election commission on such complaints (statements). Certified copies of the dissenting opinions, complaints (statements) and decisions of the territorial election commission shall be attached to the second original of the protocols.
12. Once signed by all voting members of a territorial election commission present, the first original of the protocol of vote returns of the territorial election commission along with the documents attached thereto and the protocols of precinct election commissions shall be, without delay, forwarded to the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation and the protocol of a territorial election commission formed in accordance with Clause 3, Article 14 of this Federal Law shall be forwarded to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and shall not be returned to the territorial election commission.
13. The second original of the protocol of vote returns of a territorial election commission along with the second original of the summary table and the records and acts mentioned in Clause 9 of this article shall be made available for examination and copying to non-voting members of the territorial election commission and higher election commissions, persons mentioned in Clause 5, Article 23 of this Federal Law, and their certified copies shall be displayed for general observation at the place to be designated by the territorial election commission.
14. The second original of the protocol of vote returns of a territorial election commission along with the second original of the summary table of vote returns and the records and acts mentioned in Clause 9 of this article and the lists of non-voting members of the election commission and persons mentioned in Clause 5, Article 23 of this Federal Law, who were present at the tabulation of the vote returns and the preparation of the protocol, shall be kept by the secretary of the territorial election commission in a guarded room for the period established in accordance with Article 81 of this Federal Law.
15. If, after the protocol of vote returns of a territorial election commission and/or the summary table was/were signed and their first originals were delivered to the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation, the territorial election commission which had prepared the protocol and summary table or the election commission of the Subject of the Russian Federation, in the course of a preliminary inspection, finds an inaccuracy in these documents (including a slip of the pen, a misprint, an error in the summation of the data of protocols of precinct election commissions), it shall consider at its meeting the question of correcting the protocol and/or the summary table. In its announcement about this meeting to be made in accordance with Clause 2, Article 23 of this Federal Law the territorial election commission shall indicate that it is going to consider this matter. It shall be mandatory that the territorial commission make its decision known to its non-voting members, observers and other persons who were present at the preparation of the previously approved protocol and to members of the press. In this case, the territorial election commission shall prepare a protocol of vote returns and/or summary table and mark it with the word "Corrected." This protocol and/or summary table shall be, without delay, forwarded to the election commission of the Subject of the Russian Federation. The protocol and/or the summary table previously submitted to the election commission of the Subject of the Russian Federation shall be attached to the corrected protocol and/or summary table.
16. Upon detection of errors, inconsistencies in the protocol of vote returns and if doubts arise as to the correctness of a protocol of vote returns received from a precinct election commission a territorial election commission may, either during the preliminary inspection of such protocol or after its acceptance, resolve that the precinct election commission conduct a vote recount or that the given territorial commission conducted out not later than three days before expiration of the period for determining the results of the election of the President of the Russian Federation set by this Federal Law.
17. Votes shall be recounted in the presence of a voting member (members) of a territorial election commission by the election commission which prepared and approved the protocol being verified or by the election commission that resolved that votes be recounted. The election commission which is to recount votes shall inform about vote recount the members of the relevant precinct election commission, registered candidates or their agents, other persons mentioned in Clause 2 Article 23 of this Federal Law, who may be present at vote recount. On the basis of the results of vote recount the election commission which carried out the vote recount shall prepare a protocol of vote returns and mark it with the words "Vote Recount." Certified copies of this protocol shall be issued to persons mentioned in Clause 2 Article 23 o this Federal Law. If the protocol has been prepared by a precinct election commission, it shall be immediately forwarded to the territorial election commission. The protocol of vote returns submitted by the precinct election commission earlier shall be attached to this protocol. The failure to meet these rules for the preparation of a protocol of vote returns marked "Vote Recount" may serve as a ground for invalidation of the protocol.
Article 75. Tabulation of Vote Returns by the Election Commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation
1. Based on the data of the first originals of the protocols of vote returns of territorial election commissions the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation, after making sure that the protocols have been prepared correctly, shall, not later than on the fifth day after voting day, tabulate the vote returns for the given Subject of the Russian Federation by summing up the data contained in these protocols. The data of the protocols of vote returns of the territorial election commissions shall be summed up directly by the voting members of the election commission of the Subject of the Russian Federation.
2. The protocols of vote returns of territorial election commissions shall be accepted, the data of these protocols shall be summed up and the protocols of vote returns on the territory of a Subject of the Russian Federation shall be prepared in one room, so that all actions of members of the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation when they accept the protocols of territorial election commissions, sum up the data of these protocols and prepare the protocols of vote returns on the territory of the given Subject of the Russian Federation shall be within the field of vision of members of the election commission of the Subject of the Russian Federation, observers and other persons mentioned in Clause 5, Article 23 of this Federal Law. There shall be an oversize version of the summary table of the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation in this room, where the data of the protocols of vote returns of territorial election commissions shall be entered, with the indication of the time of its entry, as soon as the first original of the protocol of vote returns of a territorial election commission is delivered by the chairman, the secretary or some other voting member of the territorial election commission.
3. The chairman, the secretary or some other voting member of a territorial election commission shall submit the first original of the protocol of vote returns of the territorial election commission together with the attached documents to a voting member of the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation, who shall make sure that the protocol has been prepared correctly, all required documents are attached to the protocol and the control relationships are duly complied with.
4. If the protocol and/or the summary table of vote returns of a territorial election commission do/does not meet the requirements of this Federal Law to such protocol and/or summary table, a territorial election commission shall prepare a corrected protocol and/or a corrected summary table in accordance with the requirements of Clause 15, Article 74 of this Federal Law and the previously submitted protocol and/or summary table shall be kept by the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation.
5. If the protocol and/or summary table of vote returns of a territorial election commission meets the requirements of this Federal Law to such protocol and/or summary table, a member of the election commission of the Subject of the Russian Federation shall enter the data of this protocol in the summary table of the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation. The chairman, the secretary or some other voting member of a territorial election commission who delivered the protocol of vote returns to a member of the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation shall put his signature in the oversize version of the summary table of the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation under the data of the protocol of vote returns of the territorial election commission.
6. On the basis of the protocols of vote returns of the relevant territorial election commissions the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation shall prepare a protocol of vote returns on the territory of the given Subject of the Russian Federation indicating:
1) the number of territorial election commissions on the territory of the Subject of the Russian Federation;
2) the number of the protocols of vote returns of the territorial election commissions, on the basis of which the given protocol of vote returns is prepared;
3) the number of electoral precincts where vote returns were declared null and void and the total number of voters on the voters lists of these electoral precincts as of the end of voting;
4) the summarized data for all lines of the protocols of vote returns of the territorial election commissions.
7. To sign the protocols of vote returns on the territory of a Subject of the Russian Federation the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation shall call a mandatory final meeting, at which it shall consider complaints (statements) received by the commission about infractions in the conduct of voting, vote counting and preparation of protocols of the lower election commissions. Then the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation shall sign the protocol of vote returns and issue copies of the protocol to persons mentioned in Clause 5, Article 23 of this Federal Law. The protocols of vote returns of the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation shall be made in duplicate and shall be signed by all voting members of the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation present at the meeting, with the indication of the date and time (hours and minutes) when the protocol was signed. Signing of a protocol in violation of these rules shall provide grounds for invalidation of this protocol. Any voting member of the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation who dissents from the whole protocol of vote returns or any part thereof may attach his dissenting opinion to the protocol and this fact shall be noted in the protocol.
8. The following documents shall be attached to each original of the protocol:
1) the summary table of vote returns, including the complete data of all received protocols of vote returns of the territorial election commissions;
2) the records and acts certifying receipt of ballots by the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation, delivery of the ballots to territorial and precinct election commissions, cancellation of unused ballots kept by the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation, with the indication of the number of such ballots;
3) the records certifying issuance of absentee certificates to territorial election commissions and, in the case of the repeat voting, cancellation of unused absentee certificates, with the indication of the number of such certificates.
9. The summary table and the records and acts mentioned in Clause 8 of this article shall be signed by the chairman and the secretary of the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation.
10. Attached to the first original of the protocol of vote returns of the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation shall be the dissenting opinions of members of the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation; complaints (statements) about violations of this Federal Law received by the given commission in the period from voting day to the date when the protocol of vote returns were prepared by the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation; the decisions taken on such complaints (statements). Certified copies of the dissenting opinions, the complaints (statements) and the decisions of the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation shall be attached to the second original of the protocol.
11. After the protocol and the summary table are signed, the first original of the protocol of the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation with the attached documents shall be immediately forwarded to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and shall not be returned to the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation.
12. The second original of the protocol of vote returns of the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation along with the second original of the summary table and the records and acts mentioned in Clause 8 of this article, shall be made available for examination and copying to non-voting members of the election commission of a Subject of a Russian Federation and of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, persons mentioned in Clause 5, Article 23 of this Federal Law, and their certified copies shall be displayed to the public at large at a place designated by the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation.
13. The second original of the protocol of vote returns of the election commission of the Subject of the Russian Federation together with the second original of the summary table and records and acts mentioned in Clause 8 of this article, the lists of non-voting members of the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation and persons mentioned in Clause 5, Article 23 of this Federal Law, who were present at the tabulation of vote returns and the preparation of the protocol, the protocols of territorial and precinct election commissions as well as the other documents provided for by this Federal Law shall be kept by the secretary of the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation.
14. If, after the protocol of vote returns of the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation and/or the summary table was/were signed and their first originals were sent to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation which had prepared the protocol, summary table or the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation in the course of a preliminary examination finds an inaccuracy (including a slip of the pen, a misprint, an error in the summation of the data of protocols of territorial election commissions), the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation shall at its meeting consider the question of correcting the protocol and/or the summary table. In its announcement about this meeting to be made in accordance with Clause 2, Article 23 of this Federal Law the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation shall indicate that it is going to consider this matter. It shall be mandatory that the election commission of the Subject of the Russian Federation make its decision known to its non-voting members, observers and other persons who were present at the preparation of the previously approved protocol as well as to members of the press. In this case, the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation shall prepare a protocol of vote returns and/or a summary table and mark it with the word "Corrected." This protocol and/or summary table shall be, without delay, forwarded to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. The protocol and/or summary table submitted to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation earlier shall be attached to the corrected protocol and/or corrected summary table.
15. Upon detection of errors, inconsistencies in the protocols of vote returns and when doubts arise as to the correctness of protocols received from lower election commissions the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation may resolve that the votes cast by voters in some electoral precinct, territory be recounted. Such recount may be conducted not later than one day before expiration of the period established by this Federal Law for determining the results of the election of the President of the Russian Federation.
16. In the case mentioned in Clause 15 of this article votes shall be recounted in the presence of a voting member (members) of the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation by the election commission which prepared and approved the protocol being verified or by a higher territorial election commission, election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation. The election commission which is to recount votes shall inform about the recount the members of the relevant election commission, registered candidates or their agents, persons mentioned in Clause 2, Article 23 of this Federal Law, who may be conducted vote recount shall prepare a protocol of vote returns and mark it with the words "Vote Recount." The certified copies of this protocol shall be issued to observers, other persons mentioned in Clause 5, Article 23 of this Federal Law. If such protocol was prepared by a lower election commission it shall be immediately forwarded to the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation. The protocol of vote returns of a precinct, territorial election commission submitted earlier shall be attached to the protocol prepared on the basis of the results of vote recount. The failure to meet these rules for the preparation of a protocol of vote returns marked "Vote Recount" shall provide grounds for invalidation of the protocol.
Article 76. Determination of the Results of the Election of the President of the Russian Federation
1. Based of the data contained in the first originals of protocols of vote returns received from the election commissions of the Subjects of the Russian Federation, territorial election commissions mentioned in Clause 3, Article 14 of this Federal Law (if territorial election commissions mentioned in Clause 3, Article 14 of this Federal Law were not formed - also the data contained in the protocols of vote returns of precinct election commissions formed in electoral precincts established outside the territory of the Russian Federation, including the data transmitted over the technical communication channels from said precinct election commissions) the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall, after making a preliminary examination of the protocols to make sure that they are prepared correctly, sum up the data of the protocols and determine the results of the election of the President of the Russian Federation not later than ten days after voting day. The data of the protocols of election commissions shall be summed up directly by the voting members of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.
2. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall prepare a protocol of the results of the election of the President of the Russian Federation which shall contain the following data:
1) the number of the election commissions of the Subjects of the Russian Federation;
2) the number of territorial election commissions mentioned in Clause 3, Article 14 of this Federal Law (if territorial election commissions mentioned in Clause 3, Article 14 of this Federal Law were not formed – the number of precinct election commissions formed in electoral precincts outside the territory of the Russian Federation);
3) the number of the protocols of the election commissions of the Subjects of the Russian Federation, on the basis of which the given protocol was prepared;
4) the number of the protocols of vote returns of territorial election commissions mentioned in Clause 3, Article 14 of this Federal Law, on the basis of which the given protocol was prepared (if territorial election commissions mentioned in Clause 3, Article 14 of this Federal Law were not formed – the number of protocols of vote returns of precinct election commissions formed in electoral precincts outside the territory of the Russian Federation, on the basis of which the given protocol was prepared);
5) the summarized data for all lines of the protocols of vote returns of the election commissions of the Subjects of the Russian Federation, territorial election commissions – if territorial election commissions mentioned in Clause 3, Article 14 of this Federal Law were not formed – for all lines of the protocols of vote returns of precinct election commissions formed in electoral precincts outside the territory of the Russian Federation;
6) the surname, first name and patronymic of the registered candidates put on the ballot, and, if they coincide, other data of the registered candidates;
7) the number of votes cast for each registered candidate;
8) the number of votes cast against all registered candidates.
3. A registered candidate shall be deemed elected if he received more than a half of the votes cast by voters who took part in the voting. The number of voters who took part in the voting shall be determined from the number of standard ballots found in the ballot boxes.
4. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall declare the election of the President of the Russian Federation to have not taken place if:
1) less than a half of the voters included in the voters lists by the end of the voting time took part in the election (the number of voters who took part in the voting shall be determined by summing up the numbers in lines 3, 4 and 5 of the protocol of the results of the election of the President of the Russian Federation prepared by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation);
2) the number of votes cast for the registered candidate who polled the largest number of votes in relation to the other registered candidate (other registered candidates) is less than the number of votes cast against all candidates;
3) two candidates were put on the ballot in the general election and neither has received more than a half of the votes cast by voters who took part in the voting;
4) all candidates ceased to be candidates before the repeat voting.
5. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall declare the election of the President of the Russian Federation null and void:
1) if violations committed during the voting or tabulation of vote returns do not allow the results of the expression of the voters will to be reliably determined;
2) if the vote returns have been declared null and void in some electoral precincts where, at the end of voting, the number of voters on voters lists totals not less than one-fourth of the total number of voters included in the voters lists as of the end of voting;
3) by a court decision.
6. The protocol of the results of the election of the President of the Russian Federation shall be prepared by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and signed by all present voting members of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. Attached to the protocol shall be the summary table including the complete data of all protocols of vote returns received from the election commissions of the Subjects of the Russian Federation and the protocols of vote returns received from the territorial election commissions mentioned in Clause 3, Article 14 of this Federal Law (if territorial election commissions mentioned in Clause 3, Article 14 of this Federal Law were not formed – also the protocols of vote returns of precinct election commissions formed in electoral precincts outside the territory of the Russian Federation).
7. Any voting member of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation who does not agree with the protocol of the results of the election of the President of the Russian Federation in full or with certain provisions thereof shall be entitled to attach his dissenting opinion to the protocol and a note to this effect shall be made in the protocol. Complaints (statements) about violations of this Federal Law received by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and the decisions taken thereon shall also be attached to the protocol.
8. Certified copies of the protocol of the results of the election of the President of the Russian Federation and of the summary table shall be circulated to all members of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, persons mentioned in Clause 1, Article 23 of this Federal Law, members of the press who were present when the results of the election of the President of the Russian Federation were being determined.
9. If, after the protocol of the results of the election of the President of the Russian Federation and/or the summary table was/were signed, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation finds an inaccuracy in these documents (including a slip of the pen, a misprint, an error in the summation of the data of the protocols of lower election commissions), the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall, at its meeting, consider the question of correcting the protocol and/or the summary table. In its announcement about this meeting to be made in accordance with Clause 2, Article 23 of this Federal Law the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall indicate that it is going to consider this matter at the meeting. The decision taken by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall be made known by the commission to its non-voting members, other persons who were present when the previously approved protocol was being prepared as well as to members of the press.
10. Upon detection of errors, inconsistencies in the protocols of vote returns and when doubts arise as to the correctness of the protocols received from the election commissions of the Subjects of the Russian Federation the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation may resolve that votes cast in the relevant electoral precinct, territory, Subject of the Russian Federation be recounted. Such vote recount may be conducted not later than one day before expiration of the period set by this Federal Law for determining the results of the election.
11. In the case mentioned in Clause 10 of this article votes shall be recounted in the presence of a voting member (members) of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation by the election commission which prepared and approved the protocol of vote returns being verified or by a higher election commission or by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. The election commission which is to recount votes shall inform about vote recount the members of the given election commission, registered candidates or their agents, other persons mentioned in Clause 2, Article 23 of this Federal Law, who are entitled to be present at vote recount. On the basis of the results of vote recount the election commission which carried out the vote recount shall prepare a protocol of vote returns marked with the words "Votes recounted." The protocol of vote returns submitted earlier shall be attached to the protocol prepared on the basis of vote recount. The failure to meet these rules for the preparation of a protocol of vote returns marked "Vote Recount" may serve as a ground for invalidation of the protocol.
Article 77. Repeat Voting in the Election of the President of the Russian Federation
1. If more than two registered candidates were put on a ballot and none of them was elected President of the Russian Federation according to the results of the general election, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall announce the repeat voting in the election of the President of the Russian Federation on the two candidates who polled the largest number of votes. The repeat voting on a registered candidate shall be announced if the registered candidate has submitted a written statement expressing his consent for the repeat voting to be held on his candidature.
2. The repeat voting shall be held 21 days after voting day in the general election in compliance with the requirements of this Federal Law, save the requirement set forth in Clause 3 and Sub-Clause 1, Clause 4, Article 76 of this Federal Law. An announcement about the repeat voting shall be published in the mass media not later than two days after the relevant decision was taken by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.
3. If, before the repeat voting, one of the registered candidates on whom the repeat voting is to be held withdrew his candidature or ceased to be a registered candidate for some other reason, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall, by its decision, transfer his place on the ballot to the registered candidate who received the next largest number of votes after the candidates for whom the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation initially announced the repeat voting, provided said registered candidate has submitted a written statement expressing his consent for the repeat voting to be held on his candidature. Such statement shall be submitted not later than the second day after the day on which the candidate for whom the repeat voting was initially announced ceased to be a registered candidate. In this case, the repeat voting shall be held on the first Sunday after 14 days elapse from the day on which the statement was submitted under Clause 1, Article 44 of this Federal Law or from the day on which the candidate ceased to be a registered candidate for some other reason.
4. According to the results of the repeat voting that registered candidate shall be deemed to have been elected to the office of President of the Russian Federation who received more votes cast by voters taking part in the voting than the other registered candidate, provided that the number of votes cast for the registered candidate who received more votes is larger than the number of votes cast against all candidates.
5. The repeat voting may be held on one candidature, if only one registered candidate remains after withdrawal of the other registered candidates. In this case, the registered candidate shall be deemed elected to the office of President of the Russian Federation, if he receives not less than 50 percent of votes cast by voters who took part in the voting.
Article 78. Repeat Election of the President of the Russian Federation
1. If the election of the President of the Russian Federation was declared to have not taken place or null and void or if, as of the day of the repeat voting, both registered candidates on whom the repeat voting was announced withdrew their candidatures or ceased to be registered candidates for some other reason or if neither registered candidate was elected to the office of President of the Russian Federation as a result of the repeat voting, the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation shall call the repeat election of the President of the Russian Federation. The decision to call the repeat election of the President of the Russian Federation shall be published in the mass media not later than three days after the day on which it was taken.
2. Voting in the repeat election of the President of the Russian Federation shall be held not later than four months after the day of the initial election or not later than four months after the day on which the election was declared to have not taken place or null and void. In the event of the repeat election of the President of the Russian Federation the periods for the performance of electoral actions may be reduced by a decision of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, but by not more than one-third.
3. Nomination and registration of candidates, other electoral actions connected with the repeat election of the President of the Russian Federation shall be carried out in a procedure established by this Federal Law.
4. In the event of the repeat election of the President of the Russian Federation candidates whose actions (omissions) served as a reason for declaring the general election or the election in the repeat voting null and void shall not be eligible for repeated nomination.
5. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation may decree that the powers of precinct election commissions be extended or new precinct election commissions be formed for the repeat election, in a procedure established by Article 15 of this Federal Law.
Article 79. Publication of the Vote Returns and the Results of the Election of the President of the Russian Federation
1. The vote returns for each electoral precinct, each territory, each Subject of the Russian Federation within the scope of the data contained in the protocols of relevant election commissions and election commissions of the next lower shall be made available for examination to all voters, foreign (international) observers, members of the press upon their request immediately after the protocols of vote returns, election results were signed by the members of the election commission to which this request was made. Said data shall be provided by the appropriate election commission.
2. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall release the general results of the election of the President of the Russian Federation to the mass media within one day after the election results were determined.
3. The election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation shall, within two weeks after voting day, officially publish in regional state print media the data contained in the protocols of vote returns of all territorial and precinct election commissions, including the full numerical data contained in the protocols of each precinct election commission. If vote recount was carried out in some electoral precincts, territories and the results of the vote recount were received by the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation past this deadline, the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation shall officially publish the corrected data within a week after this data was accepted on the basis of a corresponding decision. The election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation shall be entitled to officially publish the data contained in the protocols of vote returns of precinct election commissions in municipal print media.
4. The results of the election of the President of the Russian Federation as well as the information about the number of votes received by each registered candidate, the number of votes cast against all candidates shall be officially published by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation in the mass media not later than three days after it signs the protocol of the results of the election of the President of the Russian Federation. Within ten days after it signs the protocol of the results of the election of the President of the Russian Federation, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall officially publish the complete data of the protocols of vote returns of all election commissions of the Subjects of the Russian Federation in its official bulletin.
5. Within two months of voting day, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall publish in its official bulletin the information about the vote returns, including the complete data of the protocols of all election commissions, with the exception of precinct election commissions, relating to the vote returns and the results of the election of the President of the Russian Federation as well as the information about the elected candidate required under Clauses 4 and 6, Article 67 of this Federal Law. Within three months of the official publication of the complete data of the results of the election of the President of the Russian Federation, the data contained in the protocols of vote returns, election results of all election commissions shall be published by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation in the public information-telecommunications networks (including The Internet).
Article 80. Use of the State Automated Information System
1. For receipt, transmission and processing of information in the election of the President of the Russian Federation, including registration of voters, preparation of voters lists, tabulation of vote returns and determination of election results, use shall be made only of the state automated information system.
2. If appropriate equipment is available, immediately after the protocol of vote return is signed the data of the protocol shall be transmitted in an electronic form to the higher election commission over the state automated information system, subject to a mandatory rule that the first original of the protocol of vote returns shall be subsequently submitted to the higher election commission.
3. A relevant election commission shall, by its decision, form a supervisory group consisting of voting and non-voting members of the commission to supervise the use of the state automated information system or its separate technical facilities. This supervisory group shall check the operational readiness of the set of automation facilities; exercise control over correct entry of data from the protocols of election commissions and correct re-entry or correction of entered data to be carried out by a decision of an election commission; monitor compliance with the requirements of this Federal Law, instructions and other documents of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation relating to the use of the state automated information system, including technical facilities used for vote counting; check mandatory documentation of the actions prescribed by the schedules and plans of relevant election commissions (entries in the journal, acts and records, computer printouts certified by the signatures of supervisory group members). The supervisory group may involve in its work specialists in the field of automatic data processing systems.
4. All members of an election commission, observers shall have the right to examine any information entered into and retrieved from the state automated information system.
5. Voting and non-voting members of an election commission who are included in the supervisory group shall have the same rights, such as the right to examine any information transmitted to the given election commission via technical communication channels; inspect the technical documentation of the state automated information system; require explanations of their actions from the operating personnel of the state automated information system; compare the results of the manual and automated data processing; receive the data of the protocols of vote returns and the associated summary tables on machine readable media provided by said members of an election commission. If any infractions or unlawful actions are discovered on the part of the operating personnel of this system or observers, the supervisory group shall inform about such infractions and actions the chairman of an election commission and shall make proposals aimed at their correction. The results of checkups carried out by the supervisory group shall be recorded in the documents of the information center of the relevant election commission.
6. From the beginning of voting and up to the time when the relevant election commission signs the protocol of vote returns the state automated information system in which the data are transmitted from lower election commissions to higher election commissions shall be used for monitoring the progress of voting and tabulating vote returns. During this period transmission of any data from the information centers of higher election commissions to the information centers of lower election commissions shall not be allowed, except for the signals acknowledging receipt of information.
7. The information about the progress of voting and vote returns received through the state automated information system shall be regarded as preliminary information of no legal significance, save the cases where technical facilities are used for vote counting in a procedure established by the Federal Law "On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum".
8. The computer printout containing the data entered into the state automated information system shall be attached to the protocol of an election commission kept by its secretary. The authenticity of the data contained in the computer printout shall be certified by the signatures of members of the supervisory group and the person responsible for data entry.
9. The information about the voter turnout in the election of the President of the Russian Federation, preliminary and final vote returns entered into the state automated information system shall be readily accessible (in the "read only" mode) to the users of the public information-communication networks (including the Internet) in a procedure established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.
Article 81. Safekeeping of Electoral Documentation
1. Documents of precinct election commissions (including ballots) and territorial election commissions shall be kept in guarded rooms and shall be handed over to higher election commissions within the period established by this Federal Law.
2. Documents of the election commissions of the Subjects of the Russian Federation and the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation together with the documents which have been transferred to them for safekeeping from lower election commissions shall be kept by these commissions for periods established by Russian Federation laws.
3. The safekeeping periods for ballots, absentee certificates, voters lists and signature sheets shall be not less than one year from the day of official publication of the results of the election of the President of the Russian Federation.
4. The safekeeping period for first originals of protocols of vote returns and election results and of summary tables, financial reports of election commissions, final financial reports of registered candidates shall be kept for not less than one year from the day on which the decision to call the next election of the President of the Russian Federation was officially published.
5. If there are appeals against decisions of election commissions on vote returns, election results pending in courts or if criminal cases were initiated in connection with the violation of the electoral rights of citizens, the safekeeping periods of the relevant electoral documents shall be extended until the court decision enters into legal force or until the case is dismissed in accordance with the law.
6. Ballots, absentee certificates, detachable coupons of absentee certificates, voters lists, protocols of vote returns and election results of election commissions and the documents attached thereto, summary tables, financial reports of election commissions, final financial reports of registered candidates shall be kept in accordance with the rules established for documents of strict accountability. Until the electoral documentation is handed over to the higher election commission or to the archives or until it is destroyed upon expiration of its safekeeping period the responsibility for its preservation shall be borne by the chairman (deputy chairman) and the secretary of a relevant election commission.
CHAPTER X. INAUGURATION OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
Article 82. Inauguration of the President of the Russian Federation
The President of the Russian Federation elected in accordance with the Constitution of the Russian Federation and this Federal Law shall be inaugurated after four years elapse from the day of the inauguration of the President of the Russian Federation elected in the previous election or, in the event of the early election or if the repeat election of the President of the Russian Federation was announced before the last day of the four-year period elapsing from the day of the inauguration of the President of the Russian Federation elected in the previous election, on the thirtieth day after the day on which the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation officially published the general results of the election of the President of the Russian Federation.
CHAPTER XI. COMPLAINTS ABOUT VIOLATIONS OF ELECTORAL RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITY FOR VIOLATION OF LEGISLATURE ON THE ELECTION OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
Article 83. Appealing Decisions and Actions (Omissions) Which Violate Electoral Rights of Citizens
Appeals against decisions and actions (omissions) which violate the electoral rights of citizens shall be filed in a procedure and within periods established by the Federal Law "On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum."
Article 84. Grounds for Annulment, Cancellation of Registration of a Candidate
1. Registration of a candidate shall be annulled by a decision of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation on the basis of a statement of the candidate about withdrawal of his candidature, the decision of a political party, an electoral bloc to recall the candidate, to be submitted to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation in accordance with Clause 1 or 2, Article 44 of this Federal Law.
2. Registration of a candidate shall be annulled by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation if the candidate loses a passive electoral right.
3. Registration of a candidate may be cancelled by a court on the basis of an application of the election commission which registered the candidate, on the basis of an application of a registered candidate not later than five days before voting day in the following cases:
1) new circumstances have come to light, which provide grounds for the refusal of registration in accordance with Clause 2, Article 39 of this Federal Law;
2) a candidate has taken advantage of his office or official position;
3) facts of bribery of voters have been established, i.e., it has been established that acts prohibited by Clause 2, Article 56 of this Federal Law were done by a candidate, his authorized representative for financial matters or agent or by some other person upon their request or on their instructions;
4) in order to achieve a definite result in the election of the President of the Russian Federation a candidate, his authorized representative for financial matters have used financial resources other than those of the candidate's own electoral fund in an amount exceeding by more than 5 percent the maximum limit on all expenditures from a candidate's electoral fund established by this Federal Law;
5) a candidate, his authorized representative have used financial resources of the electoral fund in an amount exceeding by more than 5 percent the maximum limit on all expenditures from a candidate’s electoral fund established by this Federal Law;
6) a candidate has violated the provisions of Clause 1, Article 56 of this Federal Law;
7) it has been established that a candidate concealed the information about his conviction or foreign citizenship;
8) in order to achieve a definite result in the election of the President of the Russian Federation a candidate simultaneously nominated in several electoral districts in different elections, his authorized representative for financial matters have used financial resources other than those of the candidate's electoral fund formed for the federal electoral district, in an a the candidate, established by Clause 10, Article 58 of this Federal Law;
9) the expenditures made by a candidate simultaneously nominated in several electoral districts in different elections, by his authorized representative for financial matters from all electoral funds formed by the candidate have exceeded by more than 5 percent the maximum limit on all expenditures from all electoral funds of a candidate, established by Clause 10, Article 58 of this Federal Law.
4. An application for canceling registration of a candidate may be filed with a court not later than eight days before voting day.
Article 85. Annulment of the Decision of an Election Commission on Vote Returns,
Results of the Election of the President of the Russian Federation
1. In the event of any violations of this Federal Law, the Federal Law "On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum" the higher election commission may, before it tabulates the vote returns and determines the results of the election of the President of the Russian Federation, annul the decision of a lower election commission on the vote returns and order vote recount or, if the violations do not make it possible reliably to determine the results of the expression of the voters' will, it may declare the vote returns null and void. In this case, the data of the corresponding protocol of vote returns shall not be included in the protocols of vote returns, election results of the higher election commissions.
2. A court may annul the decision of an election commission on the results of the election of the President of the Russian Federation after determination of these results, on the basis of the following facts as established by the court:
1) a candidate declared elected has expended sums of money on his election campaign from sources other than the candidate’s own electoral fund that exceed 10 percent of the maximum limit on all expenditures from the electoral fund of a candidate established by this Federal Law or has exceeded said maximum limit by more than 10 percent;
2) a candidate declared elected bribed voters and this infraction does not make it possible to determine the real will of the voters;
3) in the course of election campaigning a candidate declared elected failed to comply with the requirements of Clause 1, Article 56 of this Federal Law and this infraction does not make it possible to determine the real will of the voters;
4) a candidate declared elected took advantage of his office or official position and this infraction does not make it possible to determine the real will of the voters.
3. A court of an appropriate level may also annul the decision of an election commission on the vote returns in an electoral precinct, territory, Subject of the Russian Federation, the decision on the results of the election of the President of the Russian Federation in the event of violation of the rules for the preparation of voters lists, procedures for the formation of election commissions, voting and vote counting procedures (including interference with their monitoring), procedure for determination of election results, if a candidate was unlawfully refused registration and this fact was admitted after voting day, and in the event of other violations of electoral laws of the Russian Federation if such violations do not make it possible to determine the real will of the voters.
4. The decision of an election commission on vote returns, results of the election of the President of the Russian Federation shall not be annulled because of violations of this Federal Law which were conducive to the election of, or which aimed to encourage or encouraged voters to vote for, registered candidates who have not been elected according to the vote returns.
5. Annulment of the decision on election results by an election commission or a court in the cases where the infractions do not make it possible to determine the real will of the voters shall make the results of the election of the President of the Russian Federation null and void.
6. If vote returns in some electoral precinct are declared null and void and this results in the reversal of the decision to declare a candidate elected, all higher election commissions shall prepare new protocols and summary tables. In the other cases alterations shall be made in the previously prepared protocols and summary tables.
Article 86. Responsibility for Violation of Legislation on the Election of the President of the Russian Federation
Criminal, administrative or other responsibility shall be established for the violation of the legislation on the election of the President of the Russian Federation, in accordance with the federal laws.
Chapter XII. Concluding and Transitional Provisions
Article 87. Entry into Force of this Federal Law
1. This Federal Law shall enter into force on the day of its official publication.
2. The following shall no longer be in force:
Federal Law "On the Election of the President of the Russian Federation" No. 228-FZ of December 31, 1999 (Collection of Russian Federation Laws, 2000, No. 1, art. 11);
Clause 42, Article 2 of Federal Law No. 31-FZ of March 21, 2002 "On Bringing Legislative Acts in Line with the Federal Law 'On State Registration of Legal Entities'" (Collection of Laws of the Russian Federation, 2002, No. 12, art. 1093).
3. If there is no office of head of a municipality in a municipality and the municipality has no representative body of local self-government or a representative body of local self-government has not appointed a person authorized to perform electoral actions under this Federal Law, such electoral actions shall be performed by the head of the executive body of state power of a Subject of the Russian Federation or by some other official appointed by him.
4. Clause 2, Article 36 of this Federal Law shall not apply in the first election of the President of the Russian Federation after entry into force of this Federal Law on the Election of the President of the Russian Federation, if the registration of candidates in said election is completed before the official publication of the results of the election of deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation held after this Federal Law entered into force.
Article 88. Transitional Provisions
1. In the first election of the President of the Russian Federation after entry into force of this Federal Law if a political public association, which was recognized as an electoral association and had the right to propose candidates for membership in election commissions and make proposals about extension of invitations to foreign (international) observers before this Federal Law entered into force, underwent transformation which did not affect its status as a political public association or was transformed into a political party, it shall retain the right to make said proposals. A voluntary association of two and more electoral associations, which was recognized as an electoral bloc and had the right to propose candidates for membership in election commissions before this Federal Law entered into force, shall retain the right to make said proposals. Subject to the decision of a duly authorized body such electoral bloc may grant this right to one of the electoral associations comprised in the given electoral bloc or to an electoral association founded by the electoral associations comprised in this electoral bloc. If this electoral association undergoes transformation which does not affect its status as a political public association or is transformed into a political party, it shall retain the right to make said proposals.
2. If the first election of the President of the Russian Federation after entry into force of this Federal Law is called before two years elapse from the day on which the Federal Law "On Political Parties" entered into force, all-Russia political public associations may participate in this election as political parties. These political public associations, or modifications and amendments introduced in the charters of public associations to grant them the status of political public associations, shall be registered not later than one year before voting day. This time requirement shall not apply to other modifications and amendments introduced in the charters of political public associations.
V. PUTIN
President
of the Russian Federation
Moscow, Kremlin
January 10, 2003
No. 19-FZ
Annex 1
SIGNATURE SHEET
Election of the President of the Russian Federation
________ , ____
_______________________________________________________________________________________
(name of the Subject of the Russian Federation; if signatures of citizens of the Russian Federation are collected outside its territory,
indicate the name of the foreign state)
No. of the registration certificate: ____________________________________________________________
We, the undersigned, support self-nomination of citizen of the Russian Federation __________________ , born _____________ , working as _________________ , residing at _______________________________ , as a candidate for the office of President of the Russian Federation.
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No. |
Surname, first name, patronymic, |
Year of birth (for the age of 18 years, also the day and month of birth) |
Address of the place of residence |
Series, number, date of issue of the passport or equivalent identity paper |
Signature |
Signing date |
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I hereby certify the signature sheet:
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(surname, first name and patronymic, address of the place of residence, series and number (number), date of issue of the passport or equivalent identity paper (indicate the name or the code of the issuing body) of the signature collector, the collector's autograph signature and date)
Candidate (candidate’s agent):
_______________________________________________________________________________________
(surname, first name and patronymic, autograph signature and date)
Note. If a candidate is a deputy and exercises his powers on a non-permanent basis, the signature sheet shall indicate this fact as well as the name of the representative body. If a candidate has a conviction that has not expired or has not been cancelled, the signature sheet shall indicate the number (numbers) and the name (names) of the article (articles) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation under which the candidate was convicted and the article (articles) of the criminal code adopted in accordance with the Fundamental Criminal Legislation of the USSR and the Union republics, the article (articles) of the law of a foreign state and the name of the law, if the candidate was convicted under these legislative acts for actions qualified as crimes by the current Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. If the candidate has Russian Federation and foreign citizenship, the signature sheet shall indicate this fact along with the name of the relevant foreign state. The signature sheet shall also indicate membership of candidate in a public association if he indicated his membership and status therein in his statement of consent to run in accordance with Clause 8 , Article 34 of this Federal Law.
Annex 2
SIGNATURE SHEET
Election of the President of the Russian Federation
___________ , ________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
(name of the Subject of the Russian Federation; if signatures of citizens of the Russian Federation are collected outside its territory,
indicate the name of the foreign state)
No. of the registration certificate: ________________________________________________ .
We, the undersigned, support nomination by the political party, electoral bloc of citizen of the Russian Federation __________________________, born ____________ , working as ________________ , residing at ______________________________ , as a candidate for the office of President of the Russian Federation.
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No. |
Surname, first name, patronymic, |
Year of birth (for the age of 18 years, also the day and month of birth) |
Address of the place of residence |
Series, number, date of issue of the passport or equivalent identity paper |
Signature |
Signing date |
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I hereby certify the signature sheet:
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(surname, first name and patronymic, address of the place of residence, series and number (number), date of issue of the passport or equivalent identity paper (indicate the name or the code of the body that issued it) of the signature collector, the collector's autograph signature and date)
Authorized representative of the political party, electoral bloc:
_______________________________________________________________________________________
(surname, first name and patronymic, autograph signature and date)
Note. If a candidate is a deputy and exercises his powers on a non-permanent basis, the signature sheet shall indicate this fact as well as the name of the representative body. If a candidate has a conviction that has not expired or has not been cancelled, the signature sheet shall indicate the number (numbers) and the name (names) of the article (articles) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation under which the candidate was convicted and the article (articles) of the criminal code adopted in accordance with the Fundamental Criminal Legislation of the USSR and the Union republics, the article (articles) of the law of a foreign state and the name of the law, if the candidate was convicted under these legislative acts for actions qualified as crimes by the current Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. If the candidate has Russian Federation and foreign citizenship, the signature sheet shall indicate this fact along with the name of the relevant foreign state. The signature sheet shall also indicate membership of candidate the in a public association if he indicated his membership and status therein in his statement of consent to run in accordance with Clause 11 , Article 35 of this Federal Law.
Annex 3
Declaration of Property and Property Liabilities
I, candidate for the office of President of the Russian Federation,
_______________________________________________________________________________________
(surname, first name and patronymic, date of birth)
_______________________________________________________________________________________
(main place of work or service, position; occupation, if there is no main place of work or service)
residing at _______________________________________________________________________________________,
(address of the place of residence)
hereby present information about the property owned by myself, my spouse and my children (including co-owned property) and property liabilities <*>:
______________________________________________________________
<*> The information must be indicated as of the first day of the month in which the decision to call the election of the President of the Russian Federation was officially published.
1. Real Estate
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Kind and name of real estate |
Kind of ownership<*> |
Location (address) |
Floor space,. sq. m. |
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Land plots <**> (1) (2) (3) |
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Residential houses (1) (2) (3) |
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Apartments (1) (2) (3) |
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Country houses (1) (2) (3) |
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Garages (1) (2) (3) |
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Other real estate, property: (1) (2) (3) |
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<*> Indicate the kind of ownership (personal, common); for co-ownership indicate the other owners of the property (surname, first name and patronymic of persons or name of organization); for shared ownership indicate the share of the person about whom the information is provided.
<**> Indicate the kind of land plot (share): for individual residential construction, country house, garden, kitchen garden, etc.
2. Vehicles
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Kind and model of vehicle |
Kind of ownership<*> |
Place of registration |
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Cars: (1) (2) |
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Trucks: (1) (2) |
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Other vehicles subject to registration: (1) (2) |
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<*> Indicate the kind of ownership (personal, common); for co-ownership indicate the persons (surname, first name and patronymic or name of organization) owning the property; for shared ownership indicate the share of the person about whom the information is provided.
3. Money In Accounts at Banks and Other Credit Institutions
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Name and address of bank or credit institution |
Kind and currency of account<*> |
Account opening date |
Balance of account<**> (rubles) |
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<*> Indicate the kind of account (time, current, settlement, loan, etc.) and its currency.
<**> For accounts in foreign currency indicate the balance in rubles according to the exchange rate of the Bank of Russia effective as of the indicated date.
4. Securities
4.1. Shares of Stock and Other Forms of Participation in Commercial Organizations
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Name and corporate form of organization<1> |
Location (address) of organization |
Authorized capital<2> (rubles) |
Participating interest<3> |
Method of acquisition <4> |
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<1> Indicate the full or abbreviated official name of the organization and its corporate form (joint-stock company, limited-liability company, partnership, production cooperative, etc.).
<2> The authorized capital must be indicated in accordance with the incorporation documents of the organization as of the first day of the month in which the decision to call the election of the President of the Russian Federation was officially published. If denominated in foreign currency the authorized capital must be indicated in rubles according to the exchange rate of the Bank of Russia effective at the indicated date.
<3> The participating interest must be indicated in percent of the authorized capital. For joint-stock companies indicate also the par value and quantity of stock.
<4> Indicate the method of acquisition of the participating interest (foundation agreement, privatization, purchase, exchange, gift, inheritance, etc.) and the data (date, number) of the relevant contract or deed.
4.2. Other Securities
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Kind of security <*> |
Issuer |
Par value of security (rubles) |
Total quantity |
Total value<**> (rubles) |
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<*> Indicate all securities by kind (bonds, bills, etc.) with the exception of the shares indicated in the Section "Shares of Stock and Other Forms of Participation in Commercial Organizations."
<**> Indicate the total value of the securities of the given kind on the basis of their acquisition cost (if this cost cannot be determined, on the basis of the market value or par value). For securities denominated in foreign currency the value must be indicated in rubles according to the exchange rate of the Bank of Russia effective as of the first day of the month in which the decision to call the election of the President of the Russian Federation was officially published.
For Section 4 "Securities" the total declared value of securities, including participating interests in commercial organizations (rubles): ______________
5. Liabilities
5.1. Real Estate in Use
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No. |
Kind of real estate<*> |
Owner of real estate |
Kind and period of use<**> |
Basis of use<***> |
Location (address) |
Floor space (sq. m.) |
Owner |
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__________________
<*> Indicate the kind of real estate (land plot, residential house, country house, etc.)
<**> Indicate the kind of use (lease, gratis use, etc.) and the period of use.
<***> Indicate the basis of use (contract, actual provision, etc.) and the data (date, number) of the relevant contract or deed.
5.2. Other Liabilities <*>
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* Indicate accrued financial liabilities as of the first day of the month in which the decision to call the election of the President of the Russian Federation was officially published, to an amount exceeding one hundred times the minimum monthly wage established by the federal law as of the indicated date.
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No. |
Description of liability <1> |
Creditor (debtor) <2> |
Basis of liability <3> |
Amount of liability (rubles) <4> |
Period of liability |
Terms of liability <5> |
Debtor (creditor) |
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
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<1> Indicate the nature of the liability (loan, credit, etc.).
<2> Indicate the other party of the liability (creditor or debtor), his surname, first name and patronymic (name and legal address of the organization) and the data (date, number) of the relevant contract or deed.
<3> Indicate the basis of the liability (contract, transfer of money or property, etc.) and the data (date, number) of the relevant contract or deed.
<4> Indicate the amount of the principal (without accrued interest). For liabilities in foreign currency indicate the amount in rubles according to the exchange rate of the Bank of Russia as of the first day of the month in which the decision to call the election of the President of the Russian Federation was officially published.
<5> Indicate per annum interest on the liability, property pledged to secure the liability, guarantees and sureties issued to secure the liability.
I hereby confirm the accuracy and fullness of this information
___________ , ____
__________________________
(signature of the candidate)
Annex 4
CONTROL RELATIONSHIPS FOR THE DATA ENTERED
IN THE PROTOCOL OF VOTE RETURNS
(THE NUMERALS INDICATE LINES OF THE PROTOCOL NUMBERED IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE 72 OF THIS FEDERAL LAW)
1 is larger than or equal to 3+4+5
2 is equal to 3+4+5+6
7+8 is equal to 9+10
10 is equal to 18 + all subsequent lines of the protocol.