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Chapter IV. Election Commissions
Article 18. The System and the Status of Election Commissions for the Election of Deputies of the State Duma
Article 19. Formation of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and Election Commissions of the Russian Federation Subjects
Article 20. Formation of District Election Commissions
Article 21. Formation of Territorial Election Commissions
Article 22. Formation of Precinct Election Commissions
Article 23. Appointment of Non-Voting Members of Election Commission
Article 24. Organization of the Work of Election Commissions
Article 25. Status of Members of Election Commissions
Article 26. Powers of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation
Article 27. Powers of the Election Commission of a Russian Federation Subject
Article 28. Powers of the District Election commission
Article 29. Powers of a Territorial Election Commission
Article 30. Powers of a Precinct Election Commission
Article 31. Openness in the Activity of Election Commissions
Article 32. Foreign (International) Observers
Article 18. The System and the Status of Election Commissions for the Election of Deputies of the State Duma
1. The election of deputies of the State Duma shall be prepared and conducted by:
the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation;
election commissions of the Russian Federation subjects;
district election commissions;
territorial (rayon, city and other) election commissions;
precinct election commissions.
2. The powers and working procedures of election commissions for the election of deputies of the State Duma (hereafter «election commissions») are laid down 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. At the election of deputies of the State Duma the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall be superior to all election commissions.
4. An election commission of a Russian Federation subject shall be the higher election commission in respect of the district, territorial and precinct election commissions acting on the territory of the given Russian Federation subject, a precinct election commissions formed in electoral precincts outside the territory of the Russian Federation and territorial election commissions formed in accordance with Clause 3, Article 21 of this Federal Law for directing the activity of the said precinct election commissions.
5. A district election commission shall be the higher election commission in respect of the territorial and precinct election commissions acting on the territory of the given single-seat electoral district, the precinct election commissions formed in the electoral precincts outside the territory of the Russian Federation and territorial election commissions formed in accordance with Clause 3, Article 21 of this Federal Law for directing the activity of the said precinct election commissions.
6. A territorial election commission shall be the higher election commission in respect of any precinct election commission acting in the given territory. A territorial election commission formed in accordance with Clause 2 or 3, Article 21 of this Federal Law for directing the activity of precinct election commissions formed in electoral precincts on ships, at polar stations, outside the territory of the Russian Federation, shall be the higher election commission in respect of the said precinct election commission.
7. Decisions of the higher election commission taken within the scope of its competence shall be binding on the lower election commissions.
8. Acting within the scope of their competence election commissions shall consider complaints which they receive in the course of the election campaign concerning violations of this Federal Law, other federal laws as regards preparation and conduct of the election, check these complaints and give written answers to the complainants within five days, but not later than the day preceding voting day or, on voting day and the day which follows voting day, immediately. If the facts cited in the complaints require additional verification, decisions thereon shall be taken within ten days. If the complaint mentions a violation of the law committed by a candidate, political party, electoral bloc, then the candidate, political party, electoral bloc or their authorized representatives shall be immediately notified of receipt of such complaint. The candidate or his authorized representative, authorized representatives of the political party, electoral bloc may provide explanations on the substance of the complaint. Should a candidate, political party, electoral bloc violate this Federal Law a 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.
9. Election commissions may apply to law enforcement authorities, in particular in connection with the complaints mentioned in Clause 8 of this article, for conducting the necessary investigation and stopping violations of this Federal Law, other federal laws as regards the preparation and conduct of the election. The law enforcement authorities shall take measures prescribed by law to stop such violations and shall inform the election commission, which made the application, of the results within five days or immediately, if such application was made five or less than five days before voting day but not later than the day preceding voting day, on voting day and on the day which follows voting day. If the facts cited in the application require additional verification, such measures shall be taken within ten days.
10. Election commissions shall inform voters about the time and procedure for the performance of electoral actions and the progress of the election campaign, about the political parties and electoral blocs which nominated lists of candidates.
11. A decision of an election commission which conflicts with federal laws or which has been taken in excess of the commission's competence shall be revoked by the higher election commission or a court. In this case, the higher election commission shall be entitled to take a decision on the substance of the matter or return the documents in question for re-consideration to the election commission whose decision was revoked.
12. State bodies, state institutions and organizations and their officials shall assist election commissions in the exercise of their powers. In particular, they shall, free of charge, provide the necessary premises, including premises for safekeeping of electoral documentation before it is handed over to archives or destroyed upon the expiry of the safekeeping periods established by Russian Federation laws, make arrangements for guarding the said premises and documentation and supply transport and communication facilities, technical equipment.
13. Organizations with a charter capital in which the state and/or municipality holds a stake exceeding 30 percent as of the day of the 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 and, in particular, they shall provide transport and communications facilities, technical equipment, premises, including premises for safekeeping of electoral documentation before it is handed over to archives or destroyed upon the expiry of the safekeeping periods established by Russian Federation laws, make arrangements for guarding the said premises and documentation.
14. The state and municipal organizations engaged in TV and/or radio broadcasting as well as editorial offices of state and municipal print media shall provide election commissions with free air time for information of voters in the procedure, established by this Federal Law, other federal laws, and with free space in print media for the publication of decisions and acts or election commissions, other information. In this case the expenditures of these organizations engaged in TV and/or radio broadcasting and of these editorial offices of the print media shall be covered 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.»
15. State bodies, bodies of local self-government, public associations, organizations of all forms of ownership, including organizations engaged in TV and/or radio broadcasting (hereafter «TV and radio broadcasting organizations»), editorial offices of print media and the officials of these bodies and organizations shall provide election commissions with the necessary information and materials and shall respond to the applications of election commissions within five days or, during five and less than five days before and on voting day, immediately. Such information and materials shall be provided to election commissions free of charge.
Article 19. Formation of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and Election Commissions of the Russian Federation Subjects
The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, election commissions of the Russian Federation subjects shall be formed 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.»
Article 20. Formation of District Election Commissions
1. A district election commission shall be formed in each single-seat electoral district.
2. A district election commission shall consist of 8 to 14 voting members and shall be formed not later than 80 days before voting day by the election commission of a Russian Federation subject in whose territory the given electoral district is located, in accordance with the general conditions for the formation of election commissions and the procedure for the formation of district election commissions for the elections to federal bodies of state power, 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.» The election commission of a Russian Federation subject shall establish the period for receipt of proposals concerning the composition of the district election commission. This period shall not be less than ten days. The decision of the election commission of a Russian Federation subject which establishes this period shall be published.
3. If the election commission of a Russian Federation subject has not appointed all or some of members of the district election commission within the period established by Clause 2 of this article, the formation of the district election commission or appointment of some of its members shall be carried out by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation in compliance with the requirements of this Federal Law.
4. If a Russian Federation subject has only one single-seat electoral district, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation may decide that a district election commission need not be formed. In this case the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall confer the powers of a district election commission on the election commission of the given Russian Federation subject.
Article 21. Formation of Territorial Election Commissions
1. The powers of territorial election commissions for the election of deputies of the State Duma shall be exercised by territorial election commissions formed 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» or the election commissions of municipalities vested with the powers of territorial election commissions. If there is no such territorial election commission in some territory, it shall be formed in accordance with the said Federal Law not later than 35 days from the day of the official publication of the decision to call the election. In this case, the election commission of a Russian Federation subject shall establish a period for receipt of proposals on the membership of a territorial election commission, which shall not be less than one month. The decision of the election commission of a Russian Federation subject establishing this period shall be published.
2. The election commission of a Russian Federation subject may form one or several territorial commissions to direct the preparation and conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma carried out by precinct election commissions formed on ships and at polar stations.
3. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation may form one or several territorial commissions to direct the preparation and conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma carried out by precinct election commissions formed outside the territory of the Russian Federation.
4. The territorial election commissions indicated in Clauses 2 and 3 of this article shall be formed in accordance with the general conditions for the formation of election commissions and the procedure for the formation of territorial 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 22. Formation of Precinct Election Commissions
1. A precinct election commission shall be formed not earlier than 30 days and not later than 28 days before voting day by the higher territorial election commission in accordance 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:
for up to 1000 voters - 3 to 7 voting members of the election commission;
for 1001 to 2000 voters - 5 to 11 voting members of the election commission;
over 2000 voters - 5 to 15 voting members of the election commission;
2. If voting day at the election of deputies of the State Duma coincides with voting day at the election of bodies of state power of Russian Federation subjects, bodies of local self-government, voting day at a referendum of a Russian Federation subject, local referendum the maximum number of voting members of a precinct election commission indicated 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 a period during which they were relieved from their main job shall be paid to them out of the relevant budget.
3. Territorial election commission shall establish a period for receipt of proposals for the membership of a precinct election commission. This period shall be not less than 15 days. The decision of a territorial election commission establishing 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 locality far from populated centers, in a hard-to-reach or remote area members of a precinct election commission shall be appointed within the period established by Clause 1 of this article and, in exceptional cases, not later than three days before voting day.
5. In an electoral precinct formed outside the territory of the Russian Federation a precinct election commission shall be formed within the period established by Clause 1 of this article by the head of a relevant diplomatic or consular mission of the Russian Federation or by the commander of a military unit stationed outside the territory of the Russian Federation.
Article 23. Appointment of Non-Voting Members of Election Commission
1. A political party, an electoral bloc which have nominated a federal list of candidates registered by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation may, from the day of submission of the documents to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation for the registration of the federal list of candidates, appoint one non-voting member to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, all election commissions of the Russian Federation subjects, all district, territorial, precinct election commission.
2. A candidate nominated in a single-seat electoral district may, from the day of submission of registration documents to the district election commission, appoint one non-voting member to the given district election commission as well as to all territorial and precinct election commissions of the single-seat electoral district in which the candidate has been nominated.
3. A political party, an electoral bloc which do not fall within Clause 1 of this article and which have nominated a registered candidate (registered candidates) in a single-seat electoral district also may appoint one non-voting member to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, the election commission of a Russian Federation subject.
4. Persons occupying elective offices, holding command posts in military units, military organizations and institutions, judges, prosecutors shall not be appointed as non-voting members of election commissions
5. A non-voting member of an election commission shall have the same rights as voting members with regard to the matters relating to the preparation and conduct of the election, save the right to
(1) issue and sign ballots and absentee certificates;
(2) participate in sorting out, counting and canceling ballots,
(3) complete the protocol of vote returns, election results;
(4) participate in the voting on the matters which are within the competence of the given election commission, and sign decisions of the election commission.
The provisions of this clause shall not be used as a reason for refusing a non-voting member of an election commission the right to be present at the performance of actions indicated in this clause.
6. A non-voting member of an election commission shall be entitled to:
(1) receive timely notices of meetings of the election commission;
(2) speak at meetings of the election commission, make proposals on matters within the competence of the given election commission and request that these matters be put to the vote;
(3) put questions to other participants in the meetings of the election commission in accordance with the meeting agenda and receive meaningful answers to these questions;
(4) inspect any documents and materials (including voters lists, signature sheets, financial reports of candidates, political parties, electoral blocs, ballots) directly connected with the election, including documents and materials of the given commission and lower election commissions, recorded on machine-readable media, and receive copies of these documents and materials (with the exception of ballots, absentee certificates, voters lists, signature sheets, other documents and materials containing confidential information classified as such in the procedure established by law) and request that these copies be certified;
(5) make sure that the number of voters who took part in the voting has been calculated correctly according to the voters list and that the ballots have been correctly sorted out in accordance with candidates, political parties, electoral blocs;
(6) appeal decisions and actions (omissions) of the election commission in the higher commission and in a court.
7. Non-voting members of an election commission shall be issued with certificates of the form established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation
8. The powers of a non-voting member of an election commission may be terminated at any time during the term of these powers by a decision of the person or body that appointed this member of the election commission and such powers may be transferred to another person by a decision of the person or body that appointed the given member of the election commission.
9. Deputies of the State Duma elected in single-seat electoral districts and political parties, electoral blocs whose lists of candidates were included in the distribution of deputy seats shall, during the term of office of the deputy (deputies), be entitled to appoint non-voting members of an election commission operating on a permanent basis, in particular to fill vacancies.
Article 24. Organization of the Work of Election Commissions
1. The work of election commissions shall be organized in accordance 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 the election campaign national state TV and radio broadcasting organizations shall, free of charge, allocate not less than 15 minutes of air time to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. Regional state TV and radio broadcasting organizations shall allocate not less than 10 minutes of free air time to the election commissions of Russian Federation subjects and not less than 5 minutes of free air time to district election commissions weekly, on each of their channels, for clarifying electoral laws, informing voters about the time and procedure for the performance of electoral actions, about candidates, political parties, electoral blocs, about the progress of the election campaign and for responding to questions of voters. In addition to this, national state TV and radio broadcasting organizations shall allocate not less than 10 minutes of free air time for these purposes to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation weekly, on each of their channels, in the period which begins 90 days before the expiry of the period in which the election of deputies of the State Duma must be called and ends on the day of the official publication of the decision to call the election.
3. During the period of the election campaign the editorial offices of national state print media coming out at least once a week shall, free of charge, allocate not less than 1/100th of their weekly space to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. During the period of the election campaign the editorial offices of regional state print media coming out at least once a week shall, free of charge, allocate not less than 1/100th of their weekly space to election commissions of the Russian Federation subjects and not less than 1/200th of their weekly space to district election commissions. Election commissions shall use this space for clarifying electoral laws, informing voters about the time and procedure for the performance of electoral actions, about candidates, political parties, electoral blocs, about the progress of the election campaign and for responding to questions of voters.
Article 25. Status of Members of Election Commissions
The status of voting members of election commissions and the status of 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» and Article 23 of this Federal Law.
Article 26. Powers of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation
During the preparation and conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, acting within the scope of its powers established by federal laws, shall:
(1) direct the activities of election commissions;
(2) exercise control over the observance of electoral rights of citizens of the Russian Federation during the preparation and conduct of the election and ensure uniform application of this Federal Law;
(3) prepare a scheme of single-seat electoral districts and submit it to the State Duma for its consideration in the established procedure; in the case provided by Sub-clause 2, Clause 8, Article 12 of this Federal Law approve the scheme of single-seat electoral districts;
(4) when determining the scheme of single-seat electoral districts deal with the question of inclusion of voters residing outside the territory of the Russian Federation in relevant single-seat electoral districts;
(5) issue instructions and other regulations on the questions connected with the application of this Federal Law;
(6) render legal, methodological, organizational and technical assistance to election commissions;
(7) direct the activity of election commissions to ensure the uniform use of the state automated information system and separate technical facilities of this system, including technical facilities for vote counting;
(8) register electoral blocs;
(9) certify federal lists of candidates and lists of candidates nominated in single-seat electoral districts by political parties, electoral blocs;
(10) register federal lists of candidates nominated by political parties, electoral blocs;
(11) publish the registered federal lists of candidates;
(12) register agents, authorized representatives for financial matters of political parties, electoral blocs;
(13) issue certificates of an established form to candidates registered in the federal electoral district, agents of political parties, electoral blocs;
(14) ensure that the conditions of election activities established by this Federal Law, other federal laws should be observed for all candidates, political parties, electoral blocs;
(15) hear the information of the federal bodies of executive power, bodies of executive power of Russian Federation subjects and bodies of local self-government on the matters relating to the preparation and conduct of the election;
(16) establish unified numeration of electoral precincts formed outside the territory of the Russian Federation;
(17) determine the form of ballots, voters lists and other electoral documents and make arrangements for their production;
(18) determine the form of the absentee certificate and make arrangements for printing of absentee certificates and delivery thereof to election commissions of Russian Federation subjects;
(19) approve the Russian text of the ballot for voting in the federal electoral district;
(20) approve samples of seals of election commissions;
(21) approve the procedure for safekeeping of electoral documents, their transfer to archives and their disposal upon the expiry of their safekeeping periods and agree this procedure with the Federal Archive Service of the Russian Federation;
(22) distribute the funds allocated from the federal budget for funding the preparation and conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma, the activities of election commissions and exercise of their powers, operation and development of the automation facilities, training of election officials and education of voters; exercise control over the proper use of the said funds as well as the money contributed to the electoral funds of candidates, political parties, electoral blocs;
(23) take measures to ensure a uniform procedure for distribution of air time and space in print media between registered candidates, political parties, electoral blocs for election campaigning;
(24) develop standard quotas of the technical equipment required for the work of territorial and precinct election commissions, approve these standard quotas and exercise control over compliance therewith;
(25) deal with the matters connected with the logistical support of the election;
(26) inform voters about the time and procedure for the performance of electoral actions, the progress of the election campaign, the political parties, electoral blocs;
(27) consider complaints (applications) about decisions and actions (omissions) of the election commissions of Russian Federation subjects and their officials, about decisions of district election commissions to register (or not to register) candidates, and adopt reasoned decisions thereon;
(28) determine which of the registered candidates on the federal lists of candidates nominated by political, parties, electoral blocs have been elected deputies of the State Duma in the federal electoral district and issue certificates of election to them;
(29) establish the general results of the election of deputies of the State Duma for the whole of the Russian Federation and arrange for their official publication;
(30) prepare the lists of persons elected deputies of the State Duma and hand over these lists and the necessary documents to the State Duma;
(31) call and organize the repeat election of deputies of the State Duma and election of deputies of the State Duma to fill vacated seats (by-election);
(32 exercise other powers in accordance with 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 27. Powers of the Election Commission of a Russian Federation Subject
1. The election commission of a Russian Federation subject shall:
(1) coordinate the activities of election commissions on the territory of the Russian Federation subject;
(2) ensure interaction between the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and the bodies of state power of the Russian Federation subject;
(3) exercise control over observance of electoral rights of citizens of the Russian Federation on the territory of the Russian Federation subject;
(4) ensure that the conditions of election activities established by this Federal Law, other federal laws should be observed on the territory of the Russian Federation subject for all candidates, registered candidates, political parties, electoral blocs;
(5) take measures to distribute air time and space in print media between registered candidates, regional groups of candidates;
(6) exercise control over compliance with the maximum limit of all expenditures from the electoral fund of a candidate, established by Clause 11, Article 66 of this Federal Law, when the candidate forms electoral funds in several electoral districts at different elections in accordance with this Federal Law and the laws of the Russian Federation subject
(7) ensure the uniform use of the state automated information system on the territory of the Russian Federation subject in accordance with the procedure established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation;
(8) form district election commissions and appoints their chairmen;
(9) in accordance with the decisions of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation arrange for the printing of ballots for the federal electoral district and single-seat electoral districts formed on the territory of the Russian Federation subject and make arrangements for the delivery thereof to district and territorial election commissions;
(10) make arrangements for the delivery of absentee certificates, other electoral documents to the lower election commissions;
(11) distribute funds allocated to it for funding the preparation and conduct of the election in the Russian Federation subject, in particular, distribute a part of these funds between district and territorial election commissions and exercise control over the proper use of these funds and over contribution of money to and its expenditure from the electoral funds of candidates, political parties, electoral blocs on the territory of the Russian Federation subject;
(12) establish unified numeration of electoral precincts on the territory of the Russian Federation subject;
(13) ensure compliance with the standard quotas of the technological equipment approved by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and compliance with the procedure for safekeeping of electoral documents, their transfer to archives and their disposal upon the expiry of their safekeeping periods;
(14) exercise control over compliance with the uniform procedure for vote-counting, determination of vote returns and election results on the territory of the Russian Federation subject;
(15) hear the information of the bodies of executive power of the Russian Federation subject and bodies of local self-government on the matters relating to the preparation and conduct of the election;
(16) consider complaints (applications) about decisions and actions (omissions) of district election commissions and their officials in the given Russian Federation subject and, if the election commission of the Russian Federation subject has been vested with the powers of a district election commission, consider complaints (applications) about decisions and actions (omissions) of territorial election commissions and their officials in the given Russian Federation subject, adopt reasoned decisions thereon;
(17) inform voters about the time and procedure for the performance of electoral actions, the progress of the election campaign, the candidates, political parties, electoral blocs;
(18) exercise other powers in accordance with 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.»
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Article 28. Powers of the District Election commission
1. The district election commission shall:
(1) exercise control over compliance with this Federal Law on the territory of the electoral district;
(2) coordinate the activities of territorial and precinct election commissions, consider complaints (applications) about decisions and actions (omissions) of territorial election commissions and their officials and adopt reasoned decisions thereon;
(3) advise the participants in the electoral process about the information to be submitted by candidates nominated in the given single-seat electoral districts, publish information about registered candidates;
(4) register candidates in the given single-seat electoral district and their agents, issue certificates of a standard form to candidates and their agents, register authorized representatives of candidates for financial matters;
(5) ensure that the conditions of election activities established by this Federal Law, other federal laws should be observed on the given territory for all candidates, political parties, electoral blocs;
(6) ensure that the state automated information system should be used on the territory of the electoral district in accordance with the procedure established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation;
(7) hear the information of the bodies of executive power of the Russian Federation subject and bodies of local self-government on the matters relating to the preparation and conduct of the election;
(8) exercise control over compliance of participants in the electoral process with the procedures and rules of election campaigning;
(9) exercise control over the proper use of funds allocated to it for the preparation and conduct of the election and over contribution of money to and its expenditure from electoral funds of candidates;
(10) approve the text of the ballot for voting in the single-seat electoral district and, subject to a decision of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, arrange for the printing of ballots for voting in the single-seat electoral district;
(11) make arrangements for the delivery of ballots for voting in the federal electoral district and the single-seat electoral district to territorial election commissions in the cases provided by this Federal Law;
(12) make arrangements for the delivery of absentee certificates, other electoral documents to the lower election commissions in the procedure established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation;;
(13) exercise control over compliance with the uniform procedure for vote-counting, determination of vote returns and election results on the territory of the electoral district;
(14) determine election results for the single-seat electoral district and vote returns for the federal electoral district and forward the information concerning the election results for the single-seat electoral district and the vote returns for the federal electoral district on the given territory to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, publish summary election results and the data contained in the protocols of vote returns submitted by the lower election commissions in accordance with the procedure and within time limits established by this Federal Law;
(15) issue a certificate of election to the registered candidate elected to the State Duma in the given single-seat electoral district;
(16) supervise the provision of territorial and precinct election commissions with premises, transport and communication facilities and check implementation of the decisions taken by election commissions on the other matters connected with the logistical support of the election;
(17) ensure compliance with the standard quotas of the technological equipment, procedures for safekeeping of electoral documents, their transfer to archives and their disposal upon the expiry of the safekeeping period of these documents, approved by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.
(18) inform voters about the time and procedure for the performance of electoral actions, the progress of the election campaign, the candidates.
(19) conduct the repeat election and by-election to the State Duma
(20) exercise other powers in accordance with this Federal Law.
2. The term of powers of the district election commission shall expire on the day of the official publication of the decision to call the election of deputies of the State Duma of a new convocation.
Article 29. Powers of a Territorial Election Commission
1. A territorial election commission shall:
(1) supervise the preparation and conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma in the given territory;
(2) form precinct election commissions and appoint their chairmen;
(3) coordinate the work of precinct election commissions in the given territory, consider complaints (applications) about decisions and actions (omissions) of these election commissions and adopt reasoned decisions thereon;
(4) hear the information of bodies of local self-government on the matters connected with the preparation and conduct of the election;
(5 prepare voters lists for the given territory, separately for each precinct, save as otherwise provided by Clauses 3 to 6, Article 15 of this Federal Law;
(6) distribute funds allocated to it for the preparation and conduct of the election and, among other things, distribute a part of these funds between precinct election commissions and exercise control over their proper use;
(7) together with the district election commission ensure that the conditions of election activities established by this Federal Law, other federal laws should be observed on the given territory for all candidates, political parties, electoral blocs;
(8) exercise control over compliance of participants in the electoral process with the procedures and rules of election campaigning;
(9) ensure that the state automated information system should be used on the given territory in accordance with the procedure established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation;
(10) make arrangements for the delivery of ballots and other electoral documents to precinct election commissions;
(11) issue absentee certificates to voters;
(12) render organizational and technical assistance to precinct election commissions in the conduct of voting at polling stations;
(13) exercise control over compliance with the uniform procedure for vote-counting, determination of vote returns and election results on the given territory;
(14) determine the vote returns for the given territory, present these returns to members of the press and deliver the protocols of vote returns to the district election commission;
(15) ensure safekeeping of documents relating to the preparation and conduct of the election and their transfer to the higher election commission or to the archives in accordance with the procedure approved by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, dispose of electoral documents after the expiry of their safekeeping periods;
(16) ensure compliance with the standard quotas of the technological equipment approved by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation;
(17) inform voters about the time and procedure for the performance of electoral actions, the progress of the election campaign, the candidates.
(18) exercise other powers in accordance with this Federal Law.
2. Territorial election commissions formed in the cases provided by Clauses 2 and 3, Article 21 of this Federal Law shall have powers indicated in Clause 1 of this article, save the powers indicated in Sub-clauses 2, 11 and 17, Clause 1 of this article.
Article 30. Powers of a Precinct Election Commission
1. 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) correct the voters list for the given electoral precinct and, in the cases provided by Clauses 3 to 6, Article 15 of this Federal Law, prepare and correct the voters list, arrange for voters to inspect the voters list, consider statements about errors and inaccuracies in the voters list and make required corrections therein;
(3) prepare voting sites, ballot boxes and other equipment;
(4) inform voters about registered candidates, lists of candidates on the basis of the information received from the higher election commission;
(5) exercise control over compliance with the rules for election campaigning on the territory of the electoral precinct;
(6) issue absentee certificates to voters;
(7) organize voting at the polling station on voting day and early voting;
(8) count votes, determine vote returns for the given electoral precinct and deliver the protocols of vote returns to a territorial election commission;
(9) within the scope of its competence consider complaints (applications) about violations of this Federal Law and take reasoned decisions thereon;
(10) ensure safekeeping and transfer of the documents relating to the preparation and conduct of the election in accordance with the procedure 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 ten days after the official publication of the general election results if no complaints (applications) and protests have been received by the higher election commission against decisions and actions (omissions) of the given election commission, which resulted in the violation of the voting and the vote-counting procedure and also if these facts are not being investigated by a court. If the vote returns have been contested, the powers of a precinct election commission shall expire after a court or the higher election commission hands down a final decision on the substance of the complaint (application) or the protest.
Article 31. Openness in the Activity of Election Commissions
1. Members of the higher election commissions, a candidate registered by the given or any higher election commission or his agent or authorized representative for financial matters, the authorized representative or agent of a political party, an electoral bloc which have registered a federal list of candidates or any candidate on the said list may attend all meetings of any election commission and be present when a relevant precinct, territorial election commission is working with voters lists, ballots, absentee certificates, protocols of vote returns. The aforementioned persons shall not need any additional permission to attend the meetings and be present when the election commission is working with the said electoral documents. Election commissions shall provide free access for the aforementioned persons to their meetings and to premises where the commission is counting votes and working with the said electoral documents. Members of the press may also be present at all meetings of election commissions, when they are working with the said electoral documents and counting votes.
2. The election commission shall inform the election commission of the next higher level, each candidate registered in the given single-seat electoral district or his agent or authorized representative for financial matters, the agent or authorized representative of each political party, each electoral bloc which have registered federal lists of candidates about the time when the commission is to hold its meetings or work with the electoral documents listed in Clause 1 of this article.
3. Representatives of the parties concerned may be present at the meetings of election commissions when the commission considers complaints (applications) and may give explanations and submit evidence on the substance of the matter being considered.
4. Election commissions shall inform voters about the results of the registration of candidates, lists of candidates; about biographical and other data of registered candidates which was received by the election commission in accordance with this Federal Law; about vote returns for each registered candidate, federal list of candidates.
5. On voting day and on the days of early voting, from the time a precinct election commission begins its work and until it is notified by the higher election commission about acceptance of the protocols of vote returns and also when votes are recounted, the persons indicated in Clause 1 of this article as well as observers, including foreign (international) observers, may be present at polling stations.
6. Observers, members of the press, foreign (international) observers may be present in other election commissions when these commissions are determining the vote returns, election results, working on the protocols of vote returns, election results and when votes are being recounted.
7. All members of an election commission, the persons indicated in Clause 1 of this article, observers shall be given access to the premises of a precinct election commission of any electoral precinct formed on the territory of a military unit, in a closed administrative-territorial unit, at a hospital, sanatorium, holiday hotel, places where suspects and defendants are held in custody or in other places of a temporary stay as well as to the polling station of the given electoral precinct. .
8. Observers may be appointed by each candidate registered in the given single-seat electoral district, each political party and each electoral bloc which have registered a federal list of candidates, each all-Russia public association registered in accordance with the federal law. Officials holding elective offices, persons directly subordinated to them, judges, prosecutors may not be appointed observers.
9. The powers of an observer shall be certified by written credentials issued by a candidate registered in a single-seat electoral district or his agent, by a political party, an electoral bloc or some other public association represented by the observer. The credentials must indicate the surname, first name and patronymic of the observer; address of his place of residence; number of the electoral precinct; name of the election commission (district, territorial, precinct election commission) to which the observer is sent. Provision of any additional information about the observer shall not be required. and the credentials need not be certified by a seal if the observer is appointed by a candidate or his agent. These credentials shall be valid if produced together with a document certifying the identity of the observer. No advance notification about sending of an observer shall be required.
10. The written credentials indicated in Clause 9 of this article may be presented to a precinct election commission in the period indicated in Clause 5 of this article and to a territorial commission or other election commissions - during early voting or in the period from the commencement of voting at polling stations to completion of the work on the protocol of vote returns for the given territory.
11. Two and more representatives of one registered candidate, one political party, one public association shall not simultaneously act as observers on the premises of an election commission or at the polling station. No restrictions other than those imposed by this Federal Law shall be established on the presence of observers on the premises of an election commission or at the polling station; on monitoring of voting and vote counting, preparation of the protocols of vote returns; on the issuance of copies of the protocols of vote returns.
12. The observer may:
(1) inspect voters lists;
(2) be present at the polling station of the given electoral precinct at any time during the period indicated in Clause 5 of this article;
(3) watch ballots being issued to voters;
(4) be present when voters vote outside the polling station;
(5) watch the number of voters on the voters lists, number of ballots issued to voters, number of canceled ballots being counted; watch votes being counted at the polling station from a distance and in the conditions which allow the observer to see the marks made on the ballots by voters; inspect any marked and unmarked ballot when votes are being counted; watch the election commission preparing the protocol of vote returns and other documents during the period indicated in Clause 5 of this article;
(6) make proposals and remarks concerning the organization of voting to the chairman of a precinct election commission or, in his absence, to a person acting for him/her;
(7) inspect the protocols of vote returns, election results of the election commission to which the observer has been sent and of the lower election commissions and the documents attached to these protocols; receive from the election commission certified copies of the said protocols, of the documents attached thereto and of other documents received or prepared by the election commission in the period indicated in Clause 5 of this article, including a copy of the list of persons present at the voting, or make copies of the said documents by himself and have these copies certified by the election commission.
(8) appeal decisions and actions (omissions) of a precinct election commission, other election commissions in the election commission of the next higher level or a court;
(9) be present when votes are being recounted by the election commission.
13. The observers shall not:
(1) issue ballots to voters;
(2) sign for a voter for receipt of ballots even when asked to do so by the voter;
(3) mark ballots for a voter even when asked to do so by the voter;
(4) do anything that may violate the secrecy of voting;
(5) directly participate in the counting of ballots together with the voting members of the election commission;
(6) do anything that may interfere with the work of the election commission;
(7) conduct election campaigning among voters;
(8) participate in the adoption of decisions by the election commission.
14. Members of the press shall be entitled to examine the decisions and the protocols of vote returns and election results of all election commissions, make or receive from the election commission copies of the said decisions and protocols and of documents attached thereto. At the request of members of the press the election commission shall certify a copy of its decision, copies of its protocols of vote returns, election results.
15. Copies of the protocols and of other documents of election commissions shall be certified by the chairman, or the deputy chairman, or the secretary of the election commission. The aforementioned persons shall write «This is a true copy» on the copy being certified, sign the copy, write their surname and initials, indicate the date and time of certification and affix the seal of the given election commission.
16. Non-voting members of election commissions, observers, members of the press present at the voting and at vote counting in precinct election commissions may wear ID cards free from any election propaganda, which show their status and full name, the full name of the registered candidate or the name of the political party, electoral bloc that nominated the non-voting member of the election commission, the full name of the registered candidate, the name of the political party, electoral bloc, public association that have sent the observer to the election commission and, in the case of members of the press, the name of the organization which they represent.
Article 32. Foreign (International) Observers
1. Foreign (international) observers shall receive a permission for entry into the Russian Federation in accordance with 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 the official publication of a decision to call the election. Applications for invitations may be made by international and national government and non-government organizations and private persons that enjoy high prestige in the field of the protection of human and civil rights and freedoms. The State Duma shall extend invitations in accordance with the proposals of each political party, each electoral bloc whose federal lists were included in the distribution of deputy seats.
3. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall issue a foreign (international) observer with an identity card of an established form on the basis of the documents to be presented by the observe to confirm that he has been invited by one of the bodies or persons listed in Clause 2 of this article. This identity card shall allow the foreign (international) observer to carry on his activity during the preparation and conduct of the election.
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 when the observer receives accreditation at the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and shall end on the day of the official publication of the general election results.
6. A foreign (international) observer shall carry on his activity independently and by himself. The material and financial support for the activity of a foreign (international) observer shall be provided for the account of the organization which sent 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 patronage of the Russian Federation. Election commissions, federal bodies of state power and bodies of state power of Russian Federation subjects shall render the observe the necessary assistance.
8. After the end of the voting time foreign (international) observers may express their opinion about electoral laws and the preparation and conduct of the election, hold press conferences and apply to the mass media.
9. Foreign (international) observers may meet with candidates and their agents and authorized representatives and with authorized representatives of political parties, electoral blocs.
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.
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.
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