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Election Schedule - A Quick Reference Guide

For the prescheduled election of the President of the Russian Federation

26 March 2000

This Election Calendar is intended to serve only as a quick reference guide. The information and descriptions of the deadlines and election activities provided in this calendar have been abbreviated and are not intended to represent the full text or requirements of the relevant laws.

To gain a thorough and accurate understanding of the legal requirements, readers should refer to the actual laws and to the regulations and instructions issued by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.

Deadline: # of Days: Before/After Election Day (date relative to 26 March 2000)	Activity	Responsible Entity	Authority		COMMENTS
			«On the Election of the President of the Russian Federation»1	«On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights»2
Not later than 14 days after the retirement of the President (31 December 2000 - 14 January 2000)	The Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation issues a decree calling for prescheduled election of the President within this period with official publication not later than 5 days after the decision.	Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation	Article 5.4, 5.5	Article 10.1
10 days after the official publication of the decree calling for election (February 2000)	Provide funds to CEC for preparation and conduct of election.	Federal Budget	Article 54.2
Not later than 14 January 2000	Publish list of all media to be used in the presidential campaign.	The CEC & SEC	Article 47.3, 4	Article 28.3 Article 29
	The period of nomination of candidates begins.		Article 34
	The nomination of candidate directly by voters submits an application for registration of an initiative voters group.		Article 33
	The CEC has 5 days to register the initiative voters group. If the application is refused, an appeal to the Supreme Court shall adjudicate within 3 days.			Article 30
	Nomination of candidate by electoral association/block shall submit the decisions of the congress of the association/bloc on the nomination of a person for candidacy. The CEC has 7 days to register the nomination. If refused, an appeal to the court shall adjudicate within 3 days.		Article 34
No later than 29 January 2000)	Public mass media organizations must reserve space paid air time and space for campaigning and make public their tariffs: they must be the same and available for everyone.	Mass Media	Article 48.4	Article 40.3
No later than 72 days prior (March 2000)	CEC to remit funds to SEC for preparation and conduct of election.	CEC	Article 54.5
Not earlier than 18 January not later than 13 February 2000	Documents required for registration and the first financial report shall be submitted to the CEC.	Candidates/Election associations, blocs	Article 37.1	Article 32
Not later than 22 February 2000	Upon acceptance of application the CEC has 8 days to register or reject the candidate.	CEC	Article 38.2
	Within 24 hours after a decision was taken to refuse registration of a candidate the CEC shall issue a copy of the decision.	CEC	Article 39.3	Article 32.9
	Appeal of a decision to register a candidate must be heard within five days of the decision.	Supreme Court	Article 39.6
Not later than 60 days prior (25 January 2000)	The list of Territorial Election Commissions approved.	SEC with approval of CEC	Article 14.1
Not later than 27 January 2000	Within 3 days of approval, submit list to local government and publish in the mass media.	SEC
Not earlier than 2 February 2000 and not later than 9 February 2000	Formation of Territorial Electoral Commission (TEC) consisting of 5 to 9 members appointed by the representative bodies of local self-government, in part on the basis of recommendations by electoral commissions/bloc, public associations and others.	Representative bodies of local government	Article 14.1	Article 23.2
	First meeting of TEC within 3 days of formation.	TEC	Article 23.3
No later than 9 February 2000	Voter data compiled and updated and submitted to TEC	Local Administration	Article 25.7, 25.8
	Approval of form of Absentee Certificates and requirements of printing.	CEC	Article 64.1
30 days prior and ends 1 day prior (25 February 2000 -24 March 1999)	Campaigning in state and municipal publications commences.	Candidates	Article 48.5
From 21 February 2000 till 7 March 2000	Voters can apply for absentee certificate at the TEC.	Voters	Article 64.2
Not later than 30 days prior (26 February 2000)	SEC remit funds to TEC for the conduct of election.	SEC	Article 54.5
	Money allocated to registered candidates.	CEC	Article 55.2 (d)
Not later than 28 February 2000	Procedure for printing of ballots approved.	CEC	Article 63.1
3 March 2000 24 March 2000	Campaigning on state and municipal TV and Radio during workdays.	Candidates	Article 48.5
Not later than 24 days prior (1 March 2000)	Form and text of ballots approved.	CEC	Article 63.2	Article 51.3
Not later than 24 days prior (2 March 2000)	Electoral precincts formed.	Head of municipal unit, Head of Diplomatic Missions Bodies of local government	Article 24.2 Article 24.6	Article 20.7
	Designate and equip special places to display printed election material within the territory of each precinct.	Local self-government	Article 52.6
	3 days after the formation of electoral precinct. Precinct election commissions (PEC) shall be formed consisting of 3 to 15 members appointed by the representative bodies of local self-government, in part on the basis of recommendations by electoral commissions/bloc, public associations and others.		Article 14.2-4 Article 14.10	Article 23.7
From 3 March till 24 March 2000 during workdays	Provide free air time and to publish information to communicate information to the voters.	Mass media	Article 12.7,8
Not later than 21 days prior (5 March 2000)	Voter lists compiled based on voter data furnished by head of municipal unit.	TEC/municipal units	Article 25.2
Not later than 20 days prior (6 March 2000)	PEC forms voter lists in remote regions, territory of military unit, outside territory of the Russian Federation.	PEC	Article 25.3-6
	Voter lists published with boundaries and numbers of voters.	Head of municipal unit	Article 24.7
	Voter lists furnished to PEC along list of issued Absentee Certificates.	TEC	Article 64.4	Article 18.11
	Last day for voters to obtain Absentee Certificates from TEC.		Article 64.2
18 days prior to 1 day prior (8 March 2000 - 25 March 2000)	Absentee Certificates available at PEC.	PEC	Article 64.2
Not later than 18 days prior (8 March 2000)	Ballots shall be printed by decision of CEC.	CEC	Article 63.7	Article 51.2
Not later than 15 days prior (10 March 2000)	Voter lists made public for examination and corrections.	PEC	Article 27.1	Article 18.13
	CEC informed about Electoral Precincts formed outside the Russian federation.	Heads of diplomatic missions	Article 24.6
	Ballots transferred to TEC.	SEC	Article 63.9	Article 51.13
Not later than 12 days prior (18 May 2000)	Annulment of registration of candidates for inaccuracy of essential information from 11 days prior to day prior courts annuls registration of candidates.	CEC	Article 39.5
Not earlier than 11 days prior (15 March 2000)	Early voting may be allowed in one of several electoral precincts in ships at sea on voting day, at polar stations, in other remote and hard to reach areas.	SEC	Article 66.1	Article 53
Not later than 11 days prior (15 March 2000)	Information displayed on registered candidates.	TEC	Article 39.7
Not earlier than 14 and not later than 9 days prior ( 11 March 2000 - 17 March 2000)	Second campaign finances report due. Made available to mass media within 36 hours upon receipt.	Candidates CEC	Articles 58.2 (b), 58.4
During 5 days prior to end on Voting Day (21 March 2000)	Provide necessary equipment and materials to election commissions.	State bodies, institutions, and their officials	Article 12.7,8
Not later than 5 days prior (21 March 2000)	A registered candidate may at any time but not later than 5 days prior to voting day , withdraw his candidature by submitting written application to CEC.	Candidate	Article 43.2
	Within 24 hours the CEC shall annul registration of candidate.	CEC
Not later than 5 days prior (21 March 2000)	Last day to form precinct in hard to reach or remote regions and where voters reside temporarily.	Head of municipal unit or by a person authorized	Article 24.4 Article 24.5	Article 20.5
Not later than 4 days prior (22 March 2000)	Ballots transferred to PEC.	TEC	Article 63.9	Article 51.13
Not later than 3 days prior (23 March 2000)	Mass media shall not publish any information about the results of public opinion polls and forecasts concerning results of the election.	Mass media	Article 46.3	Article 38.5
2 days prior (24 March 2000)	Free mass media access ends for all registered candidates.	Electronic and print media	Article 48.5
	Not later than 3 days after formation of precincts in remote regions and hard to reach locations, numbers and boundaries shall be published.	Officials authorized to do so	Article 24.7
1 day prior (25 March 2000)	Hours local time the election campaign ends.	Candidates	Article 45.1	Article 38.1
	Last day a voter can apply for use of an absentee certificate.	Voter	Article 64.2
Voting day (26 March 2000)	Voting open from 8:00 to 21:00 local time.	PEC	Article 65.1
	Voters who do not appear on voter's list may apply in writing to PEC to be added to list and obtain a decision within 2 hours; the decision may be appealed to a higher election commission or to a court.	Voters, PEC	Article 27.3
Not later than 2 days after (29 March 2000)	A TEC shall determine the election results for the given territory by adding up all data contained in the protocols.	TEC	Article 70.1
Not later than 4 days after (31 March 2000)	A SEC shall determine the election Results for the given subject by adding up all protocols from the territories.	SEC	Article 71.1
Within 24 hours after election results are determined	Mass media notified of official results.	CEC	Article 72.9, 75.2
	A registered candidate shall be elected. If he received more than a half of the votes cast by the voters who took place in the election.		Article 72.3
Within 2 weeks of voting day (9 April 2000)	Publish the data contained in the protocols of voting returns of all TEC and PEC in regional state run periodicals.	SEC	Article 75.3
Not later than 3 weeks after voting day (16 April 2000)	Publish results of election providing number of votes for each candidate The number of votes cast against all candidates.	CEC	Article 75.4
Within 30 days after voting day (26 April 2000)	Registered candidate who meets 3% requirement returns unspent money to CEC and registered candidates who do not meet 3% requirement return full amount of money received to CREC.	Candidates	Article 59.4
Within 2 months after voting day (26 May 2000)	Publish in its official bulletin the information about voting returns and results of all election commissions.	CEC	Article 75.5
Not later than 15 days after results issued	Repeat voting shall be held between the two candidates receiving the most votes.	CEC	Article 73.1,2
	The campaign may begin.		Article 45.4
Not later than 2 days after	Publish in mass media that repeat voting will take place.	CEC	Article 73.2
8 days prior to repeat voting day ends 1 day prior to repeat voting day	In the event of repeat voting campaigning on TV, Radio, and in periodicals commences.	Mass media	Article 48.6
Not later than 4 months after initial election (26 July 2000)	Repeat election, if needed.	CEC	Article 74.2
Not later than 3 months after initial election (4 June 2000)	Repeat election, if election was declared to have not taken place or null and void.
Within 3 days after official publication of results	Notify registered candidates who do not meet 3% requirement to return funds to CEC.	CEC	Article 59.5
Not later than 5 days after decision declaring election not to have taken place	Announcement about repeat election published in mass media.	CEC	Article 74.3
General results 10 days after official results published	Termination of powers of PEC after official publication of the election results if no protests or statement have been received by a higher commission.		Article 20.2	Article 23.13
15 days after official results published	The terms and powers of a TEC expire if no complaints and protests have been received by a higher commission.		Article 19.2	Article 23.12
30 days after official results published	Powers of non-voting members of a parliament election commission shall terminate except for members appointed by the winning candidate who serve until next presidential election.		Article 16.14
	The final financial campaign finance report is due.	Candidates	Article 58.2
	Inauguration of President.		Article 78

1 Federal Law «On the Election of the President of the Russian Federation», dated xxx

2 Federal Law «On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and Right of Citizens of the RF to Participate in a Referendum», dated September 19, 1997 and as amended March 30, 1999.