Chapter 2. ELECTORAL PRECINCTS. VOTER LISTS

Article 13. Formation of Electoral Precincts

1. Electoral precincts shall be formed to conduct voting and count votes in the election of deputies of the State Duma. Electoral precincts shall be formed on the basis of the information about the number of voters registered on the territory 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 with the concurrence of the relevant territorial election commission by the head of the local administration of a municipal district, urban okrug, inner urban territory of a city of federal significance and, in cases provided by the law of a Russian Federation subject - of a city of federal significance, - by the head of the territorial body of executive power of a city of federal significance or the commander of a military unit, the head of a diplomatic or consular mission of the Russian Federation. In cases provided by Part 4 of this article electoral precincts shall be formed by the territorial election commission. Electoral precincts shall be formed not later than 50 days before voting day with due regard to local and other conditions, so as to ensure maximum convenience for voters.

(as amended by Federal Law No. 64-FZ of April 26, 2007)

3. Electoral precincts shall be formed so that the number of voters registered on the territory of each electoral precinct does not exceed 3,000;

4. In places where voters stay temporarily (hospitals, sanatoriums, holiday hotels, places where persons suspected or accused of commission of a crime are held in custody and other places of temporary stay), in hard-to-reach or remote areas, on ships at sea on voting day, at polar stations and also at the places of settlement of voters who have no residence registration within the Russian Federation electoral precincts may be formed by the territorial election commission within the period established by Part 2 of this article, and, in exceptional cases, with the concurrence of the election commission of the subject of the Russian Federation - not later than three days before voting day. In hard-to-reach or remote areas, on ships at sea on voting day and at polar stations electoral precincts may be formed by the territorial election commission with the concurrence of the head of the organization located in a hard-to-reach or remote area, the captain of the ship or the ship owner, the head of the polar station.

(as amended by Federal Law No. 64-FZ of April 26, 2007)

5. Servicemen shall vote in common electoral precincts. By a decision of the election commission of the subject of the Russian Federation on the territory of military units stationed in isolated areas, far from populated centers electoral precincts may be formed by the commanders of military units within the period indicated in Part 2 of this article and, in exceptional cases, not later than five days before voting day.

6. To conduct voting and count the votes of voters who on voting day reside or remain outside the territory of the Russian Federation the heads of diplomatic and consular missions of the Russian Federation in the states where such voters are located shall form electoral precincts not later than 50 days or, in exceptional cases, not later than five days before voting day. In this case, the provision of Part 3 of this article relating to the number of voters 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 the formation of electoral precincts not later than 40 days before voting day or, in exceptional cases, not later than three days before voting day.

7. If electoral precincts have not been formed within the periods established by Parts 2 and 4 of this article, the decision to form electoral precincts shall be taken by the election commission of the subject of the Russian Federation within three days of the end of the periods for the formation of electoral precincts established by Parts 2 or 4 of this article.

Article 14. Information of Voters About Formation of Electoral Precincts

1. The lists of electoral precincts indicating their number and boundaries (if an electoral precinct includes a part of the territory of a populated center) or the list of the populated centers (if an electoral precinct is formed on the territory of several populated centers), the location of the premises of precinct election commissions and polling stations and the telephone numbers of precinct election commissions shall be published by the head of the local administration of a municipal district, urban okrug, inner territory of a city of federal significance and, in cases provided by the law of the subject of the Russian Federation - a city of federal significance - by the head of a territorial body of executive power of a city of federal significance not later than 45 days before voting day.

(as amended by Federal Law No. 64-FZ of April 26, 2007)

2. The information about electoral precincts formed after the deadline set by Part 2, Article 13 of this Federal Law shall be published (publicized) within two days of their formation.

3. When the information about electoral precincts mentioned in Part 1 of this article is to be published (publicized), the text of such information relating to electoral precincts formed on the territories of military units shall be agreed with the commanders of the military units.

4. In the case of electoral precincts formed outside the territory of the Russian Federation the matters connected with the publication of the information about electoral precincts specified in Part 1 of this article shall be dealt with by the heads of relevant diplomatic or consular missions of the Russian Federation, with due regard to the local conditions. If diplomatic and consular missions of the Russian Federation have Internet sites, such information shall be posted on these sites.

Article 15. Preparation of Voter Lists

1. Voter lists shall be prepared by relevant election commissions separately for each electoral precinct in accordance with the form established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.

2. The territorial election commission shall prepare voter lists not later than 21 days before voting day on the basis of the voter data furnished by the head of the local administration of an municipal district, urban okrug, inner territory of a city of federal significance and, in cases provided by the law of the subject of the Russian Federation - a city of federal significance - by the head of a territorial body of executive power of a city of federal significance, the commander of a military unit, the head of an institution where voters are temporarily staying.

(as amended by Federal Law No. 64-FZ of April 26, 2007)

3. Should the territorial election commission (territorial election commissions) discover that a Russian Federation citizen is included in the voter lists in different electoral precincts, this commission (these commissions) shall correct the errors or inaccuracies in the voter lists before passing them on to precinct election commissions.

4. The voter list for an electoral precinct formed in a hard-to-reach or remote area shall be prepared by the precinct election commission not later than 20 days before voting day and, in exceptional cases, not later than on the day of the formation of the precinct election commission, on the basis of the voter data furnished by the head of the local administration of the settlement.

5. In an electoral precinct formed on the territory of a military unit the list of voters - servicemen serving in the military unit, members of their families and other voters, if they reside within the territory of the military unit, shall be prepared by the precinct election commission not later than 20 days before voting day and, in exceptional cases, not later than on the day of the formation of the precinct election commission, on the basis of the voter data furnished by the commander of the military unit.

(as amended by Federal Law No. 64-FZ of April 26, 2007)

6. The voter lists for electoral precincts formed in places of temporary stay of voters (hospitals, sanatoriums, holiday hotels, places where persons suspected or accused of commission of a crime are held in custody and other places of temporary stay), on ships at sea on voting day or at polar stations shall be prepared by the relevant precinct election commissions not later than the day preceding voting day, on the basis of the 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. The voter lists for electoral precincts formed in accordance with Part 4, Article 13 of this Federal Law at the places of settlement of voters who have no residence registration within the Russian Federation shall be prepared on the basis of the applications filed by such voters in accordance with Part 7, Article 16 of this Federal Law.

7. The voter list for an electoral precinct formed outside the territory of the Russian Federation shall be prepared by the relevant precinct election commission on the basis of applications of Russian Federation citizens who permanently reside outside the territory of the Russian Federation or stay abroad on long business trips, in accordance with Part 4, Article 16 of this Federal Law.

8. The voter data shall be gathered and corrected by the officials mentioned in Parts 2, 4 - 6 of this article and shall be submitted by them to territorial election commissions not later than 60 days before voting day, or, if the voter list is to be prepared by the precinct election commission, to such precinct election commissions immediately upon their formation. Voter data shall be gathered, corrected and submitted in accordance with a procedure established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.

(Part 8 as formulated by Federal Law No. 64-FZ of April 26, 2007)

9. Preparation of voter lists may be carried out with the use of GAS “Vybory.”

10. Voter data for voters included in the voter list shall be arranged in the alphabetical or some other order (by populated centers, streets, houses, flats). The voter list must indicate the surname, first name and patronymic of the voter, the year of birth (for the age of 18 years - also the day and month of birth), the residence address of the voter. Blank spaces shall be left in the voter list for the voter to write the series and number of his passport or an equivalent identity document of a citizen, a voter and sign for the received ballot; for the signature of a member of the precinct election commission who issued the ballot to the voter; for making special notes and for entering the summary data for each sheet of the list.

11. The voter list shall be prepared in duplicate. The first copy of the voter list shall be made on paper in a machine-printed form, the second copy in a machine-readable form. In exceptional cases voter lists may be made in a hand-written form.

12. The first copy of the voter list prepared in accordance with the requirements of Part 2 of this article shall be handed over to the relevant precinct election commission on the basis of a transfer certificate not later than 20 days before voting day. The second copy of the voter list shall be kept by the territorial election commission and shall be used as prescribed by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. The voter list shall be signed by the chairman and the secretary of the territorial election commission, with the indication of the signing date, and certified by the seal of the territorial commission.

13. The voter list prepared by the precinct election commission in accordance with Parts 4 - 7 of this article shall be signed by the chairman and the secretary of the precinct election commission and certified by seal of the precinct election commission.

14. Having received the voter list the precinct election commission shall verify and update the list on the basis of personal applications from citizens made in accordance with Articles 16 and 17 of this Federal Law and the relevant documents of the bodies of local self-government, territorial bodies of executive power of a city of federal significance and their officials, registries, bodies in charge of the registration of Russian Federation citizens at the place of their residence and stay within the Russian Federation, information from the higher-level election commission about inclusion of the voter in the voter list in some other electoral precinct. The verified and updated voter list shall be signed by the chairman and the secretary of the precinct election commission and certified by its seal not later than the day preceding voting day.

(as amended by Federal Law No. 64-FZ of April 26, 2007)

15. The precinct election commission may divide the first copy of the voter list into separate books. Not later than the day preceding voting day, a title sheet shall be attached to each such book, indicating the consecutive number of the book and the total number of the books into which the voter list has been divided, each book shall be stitched and certified by the seal of the precinct commission and the signature of its chairman.

16. The persons furnishing voter data shall be responsible for the accuracy and completeness of the data and its timely submission.

Article 16. Procedure for Inclusion of Russian Federation Citizens In, and Their Removal From, the Voter List

1. All citizens of the Russian Federation who are entitled to an active electoral right shall be included in voter lists, save as otherwise provided by Part 4 of this article. A Russian Federation citizen may be included in the voter list only in one electoral precinct.

2. A Russian Federation citizen shall be included in the voter list in a concrete electoral precinct on the basis of the fact that his place of residence is located on the territory of this electoral precinct as established by the bodies in charge of the 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 the 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 live outside the territory of a military unit shall be included in the voter lists at the place of their residence on the usual terms. Servicemen serving in a military unit, members of their families and other voters living within the territory of a military unit shall be included in the voter list on the basis of the fact that their place of residence is located within 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 an order of the commander of a military unit whereby persons called up for military service were enrolled in the military unit.

4. Citizens of the Russian Federation who permanently reside outside the territory of the Russian Federation or stay abroad on long business trips shall be included in voter lists on the basis of their written applications to be submitted to the relevant precinct election commission not later than the day preceding voting day, or an oral application made on voting day.

5. Voters - full-time students with their registered place of residence being in a hostel (at the place of location of the educational establishment) shall be included in the voter lists at the place where the hostel (educational establishment) is located. The precinct election commission of the electoral precinct, where the given voter is included in the voter list as a resident of this electoral precinct, shall be informed of this fact through the territorial election commission (if the place of residence of the voter is located within the same Russian Federation subject) or the election commission of the subject of the Russian Federation (if the place of residence of the voter is located within some other Russian Federation subject). In the corresponding line of the voter list the precinct election commission shall write “Included in the voter list in electoral precinct N” and shall indicate the number of the electoral precinct and the name of the subject of the Russian Federation.

6. Voters staying on voting day in hospitals, sanatoriums, holiday hotels, places where persons suspected or accused of commission of a crime are held in custody and other places of temporary stay shall be included in the voter list on the basis of the passport, an equivalent identity document and an absentee certificate for voting in the election of deputies of the State Duma (hereafter "absentee certificate").

7. Voters at the place of temporary stay, voters who work at enterprises with a continuous operating cycle or at some jobs where the working hours (shift duration) cannot be reduced as well as servicemen who stay outside the area where their units are stationed, if they were unable to receive an absentee certificate, may be included in the voter list in the electoral precinct where they are temporarily staying by the decision of the given precinct election commission on the basis of a personal written application to be submitted to such precinct election commission not later than three days before voting day. The precinct election commission of the electoral precinct where this voter is included in the voter list as a resident of this electoral precinct shall be informed of this fact through the territorial election commission (if the place of residence of the voter is located within the same Russian Federation subject) or the election commission of the subject of the Russian Federation (if the place of residence of the voter is located within some other Russian Federation subject). In the corresponding line of the voter list the precinct election commission shall write “Included in the voter list in electoral precinct N” and shall indicate the number of the electoral precinct and the name of the subject of the Russian Federation. By a decision of the precinct election commission voters who are not registered at the place of residence within the Russian Federation may be included in the voter list in the electoral precinct formed in accordance with Part 4, Article 13 of this Federal Law at the place of their settlement or at the place where, by a decision of the election commission of the subject of the Russian Federation, such voters shall vote, on the basis of a personal written application submitted to the precinct election commission not later than on voting day.

(as amended by Federal Law No. 64-FZ of April 26, 2007)

8. Citizens of the Russian Federation who have been granted the status of forced migrants or have applied for the status of forced migrants to the federal body of executive power in the field of migration or to the territorial agencies of this body shall be included in the voter list at the place of their temporary residence on the basis of the passport or an equivalent identity document and relevant documents issued by the these authorities.

9. Citizens of the Russian Federation who are entitled to an active electoral right and are staying abroad at private invitations, on official and business trips and as tourists shall be included in the voter list on the basis of an oral application when they come to the premises of the precinct election commission, upon production of the passport or an equivalent identity document and an absentee certificate. Such citizens, who were unable to receive an absentee certificate, shall be included in the voter list by the precinct election commission on the basis of an oral application on voting day.

(as amended by Federal Law No. 64-FZ of April 4, 2007)

10. Citizens of the Russian Federation who were registered at the place of residence within the territory of the electoral precinct after the voter list was made available to voters for inspection, as well as voters who were not included in the voter list for any other reason shall be additionally put on the voter list by the precinct election commission on the basis of the passport or an equivalent identity document and, if necessary, the documents confirming that the voter's place of residence (or, in the absence of any place of residence within the Russian Federation – the place of temporary stay) is located on the territory of the given electoral precinct.

(as amended by Federal Law No. 64-FZ of April 26, 2007)

11. After the voter list has been signed by the chairman and the secretary of the territorial election commission (in the case provided by Part 13, Article 15 of this Federal Law – by the chairman and the secretary of the precinct election commission) and certified by the commission’s seal, a Russian Federation citizen may be removed from the voter list only on the basis of official documents, including a notification of the higher-level territorial commission that the voter has been put on the voter list in some other electoral precinct, or when an absentee certificate is issued to the voter in accordance with the procedure set forth in this Federal Law. In this case, the date when the citizen was removed from the voter list and the reasons therefor shall be noted down in the voter list. This note shall be certified by the signature of the chairman of the precinct election commission and, when an absentee certificate is issued, by the signature of the member of the election commission who issued the absentee certificate, with the indication of the signing date.

12. No alterations shall be made in voter lists after the end of voting and commencement of vote counting.

Article 17. Inspection of Voter Lists by Voters

1. The precinct election commission shall make voter lists available to voters for inspection and additional correction 20 days before voting day and, in cases where the voter list is prepared later than this date as provided by Parts 4 - 6, Article 15 of this Federal Law, immediately after the preparation of the voter list.

(as amended by Federal Law No. 64-FZ of April 26, 2007)

2. A Russian Federation citizen entitled to an active electoral right may request the precinct election commission to put him on in the voter list or to correct errors and inaccuracies in his data entered in the voter list. Within 24 hours and, on voting day, within two hours of receipt of such request and not later than the time when voting ends, the precinct election commission shall verify the information and documents presented by such voter and shall either correct the error or inaccuracy or refuse to do so indicating the reasons why the voter’s request was rejected, and shall issue the voter with a certified copy of the commission’s decision.

3. The decision of the precinct election commission to reject the request mentioned in Part 2 of this article may be appealed to the higher-level election commission or to a court (at the place of location of the precinct election commission) and these bodies must consider the appeal within three days or immediately, if the appeal was filed within three days before or on voting day. If the appeal is granted, the precinct election commission shall immediately make the necessary corrections in the voter list.

4. Each Russian Federation citizen may inform the precinct election commission of changes in the voter data mentioned in Part 10, Article 15 of this Federal Law for voters entered in the voter list of the given electoral precinct.