Chapter 3. ELECTION COMMISSIONS
Article 18. System and Status of Election Commissions for the Election of Deputies of the State Duma
1. The following election commissions listed below in the order of their seniority shall be charged with the preparation and conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma, assurance of the exercise of electoral rights of citizens and protection of these rights:
(1) the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation;
(2) election commissions of the subjects of the Russian Federation;
(3) territorial election commissions - rayon, city and other territorial election commissions or election commissions of municipalities acting in cases provided by the Federal Law "On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum“ as territorial election commissions;
(4) precinct election commissions.
2. The decisions of the higher-level election commission adopted within the scope of its competence shall be binding on the lower-level election commissions.
3. A decision of any election commission, which is contrary to law or goes outside the established competence, shall be reversed by the higher-level commission or by a court. In this case, the higher-level election commission may take a decision on the merits of the matter or return the relevant materials for reconsideration to the lower-level election commission whose decision was reversed. If the lower-level commission fails to reconsider the matter, the higher-level election commission may take a decision on the merits of the matter.
Article 19. Formation of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and Election Commissions of the Subjects of the Russian Federation
The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, election commissions of the subjects of the Russian Federation shall be formed in 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 Territorial Election Commissions
1. The powers of territorial election commissions for the election of deputies of the State Duma shall be exercised by the 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 by the election commissions of municipalities acting as territorial election commissions in cases provided by the said Federal Law. If there is no such territorial election commission or there is no election commission of a municipality 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 elections. The period for acceptance of proposals concerning membership of the territorial election commission shall not be less than one month. An announcement about the formation of the territorial election commission and the period for acceptance of proposals suggesting candidates for appointment to the commission shall be published (publicized) before commencement of the acceptance of such proposals.
2. The election commission of the subject 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 on ships at sea and at polar stations. Such territorial election commissions shall be formed subject to the general requirements to 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."
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 in electoral precincts outside the territory of the Russian Federation. Such territorial election commissions shall consist of not less than five and not more than nine voting members, who do not come within the restrictions on the eligibility for the status of a voting member of an election commission, 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 Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation may vest the powers of such territorial commissions in the territorial commissions formed during the preparation and conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation.
4. The period of powers of territorial election commissions mentioned in Parts 2 and 3 of this article shall be determined by the election commission which formed them.
5. The provisions of this Federal Law regulating the activity of territorial election commissions shall apply to the territorial election commissions mentioned in Parts 2 and 3 of this article unless otherwise provided by this Federal Law.
Article 21. Formation of Precinct Election Commissions
1. The precinct election commission shall be formed not earlier than 30 days and not later than 23 days before voting day by the higher-level territorial election commission subject to the general requirements to 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:
(1) for up to 1001 voters: 3 to 9 voting members of the precinct election commission;
(2) for 1001 to 2001 voters: 7 to 12 voting members of the precinct election commission;
(3) over 2000 voters: 7 to 16 voting members of the precinct election commission.
2. If voting day in the election of deputies of the State Duma coincides with voting day in the election of bodies of state power of the subject of the Russian Federation, bodies of local self-government, and/or voting day in a referendum of the subject of the Russian Federation, local referendum, the maximum number of voting members of the precinct election commission mentioned in Part 1 of this article may be increased but by not more than four members. Additional labor remuneration for these members of the precinct election commission and compensation for a period during which they were relieved from their main job shall be paid to them out of the resources of the corresponding budget.
3. The period for acceptance of proposals suggesting candidates for a precinct election commission shall not be less than 15 days. An announcement about the formation of precinct election commissions and the period for acceptance of proposals suggesting candidates for appointment to the commissions shall be published (publicized) before commencement of the acceptance of such proposals.
4. In an electoral precinct formed on the territory of a military unit stationed in an isolated locality far from populated centers, in a hard-to-reach or remote area, on a ship at sea, at a polar station, in places where voters stay temporarily or in places of settlement of voters who do not have registration at the place of residence within the Russian Federation the precinct election commission shall be formed within the period established by Part 1 of this article and, in exceptional cases, not later than three days before voting day.
(as amended by Federal Law No. 64-FZ of April 26, 2007)
5. In an electoral precinct formed outside the territory of the Russian Federation the precinct election commission shall be formed within the period established by Part 1 of this article and, in exceptional cases, not later than three days before voting day, by the head of the diplomatic or consular mission of the Russian Federation or by the commander of a military unit stationed outside the territory of the Russian Federation.
(as amended by Federal Law No. 64-FZ of April 26, 2007)
6. When a precinct election commission is to be formed in an electoral precinct located outside the territory of the Russian Federation:
(1) the requirements concerning the maximum number of members of precinct election commissions set forth in Part 1 of this article shall not apply if more than 3000 voters are registered in the electoral precinct;
(2) the proposal suggesting a candidate for a precinct election commission, which was received from the political party whose federal list of candidates was included in the distribution of deputy seats in the last election of deputies of the State Duma, preceding these elections, shall be subject to mandatory consideration only if the Russian Federation citizen who enjoys an active electoral right and who has been suggested for inclusion in the said election commission permanently resides on the territory of the given foreign state.
7. The higher-level territorial election commission shall issue voting members of the precinct election commission with an ID card of the form established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.
Article 22. Appointment and Period of Powers of Non-Voting Members of Election Commissions
1. The political party which nominated a federal list of candidates may, from the day on which it files the documents for the registration of a federal list of candidates with the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, appoint one non-voting member to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, and, if the federal list of candidates has been registered, one such member to the election commission of each subject of the Russian Federation, each territorial and precinct election commission.
2. Ineligible for appointment as non-voting members of election commissions shall be citizens of the Russian Federation who have not attained to the age of 18 years; citizens of the Russian Federation who have been pronounced incapable by a legally effective court decision; persons who do not have a Russian Federation citizenship and citizens of the Russian Federation who have citizenship of a foreign state or a residence permit or another document confirming the right of a Russian Federation citizen to permanent residence on the territory of a foreign state; persons occupying elective offices; members of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation; deputies of the legislative (representative) bodies of state power; deputies of the representative bodies of local self-government; top executives of subjects of the Russian Federation (heads of the highest executive bodies of state power of subjects of the Russian Federation); heads of local administrations of municipal districts, urban and rural settlements, including urban okrugs, inner territories of cities of federal significance; persons holding command posts in military units, military organizations and institutions; judges; prosecutors; members of the staff of election commissions; agents of political parties.
(as amended by Federal Law No. 64-FZ of April 26, 2007)
3. Election commissions shall issue their non-voting members with an ID card of the form established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.
4. The period of powers of a non-voting member of an election commission shall commence from the date on which the given election commission receives a written notification from the political party mentioned in Part 1 of this article about the appointment of a non-voting member of the election commission and a written consent of the citizen to such appointment. The aforementioned notification shall indicate the surname, first name and patronymic, the date and place of birth, the citizenship, the series, number and date of issuance of the passport or an equivalent document, the name or code of the body which issued the passport or the equivalent document, the address of the place of residence of the citizen appointed non-voting member of the election commission. For the period indicated in Part 1, Article 47 of this Federal Law the employer shall grant a non-voting member of an election commission an unpaid leave of absence upon his request.
5. The powers of a non-voting member of an election commission may be terminated at any time by the political party which appointed him, subject to a decision of the competent body of the political party, and such powers may be transferred to another person.
6. In election commissions functioning on a permanent basis the period of powers of non-voting members appointed by the political parties whose federal lists of candidates were included in the distribution of deputy seats on the basis of the results of the given election of deputies of the State Duma shall last until completion of the registration of federal lists of candidates in the next election of deputies of the State Duma. The powers of the other non-voting members of an election commission functioning on a permanent basis shall terminate 30 days after the day of the official publication of the election results. The powers of members of other election commissions shall terminate with the termination of powers of these commissions. If the political party was refused registration of its federal list of candidates or if the registration of the federal list of candidates nominated by the political party was annulled or cancelled, the powers of non-voting members of an election commission appointed by such political party shall terminate from, respectively, the day of the refusal, the day of the annulment or cancellation of the registration of this federal list of candidates, and, if the refusal of registration has been appealed to a court, from the date on which the court decision on the lawfulness of the refusal of registration became legally effective.
7. During the period of powers of the State Duma of the given convocation, the political parties, whose federal list of candidates was included in the distribution of deputy seats on the basis of the results of the given election of deputies of the State Duma, shall retain the right to appoint non-voting members of election commissions functioning on a permanent basis, including by way of replacement of quitting members.
Article 23. Organization of the Work of Election Commissions. Assistance Rendered to Election Commission in the Exercise of Their Powers
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. State bodies and organizations, bodies of local self-government, organizations with a charter (pool) capital in which the stake (contribution) of the Russian Federation, the subject of the Russian Federation or a municipality exceeds 30 percent as of the day on which the decision to call the election of deputies to the State Duma was published (publicized), as well as officials of these bodies and organizations shall assist election commissions in the exercise of their powers in accordance with the Russian Federation legislation on elections and referendums.
3. State and municipal organizations which carry out television and/or radio broadcasting (hereafter “TV and radio broadcasting organizations”), state and municipal print media shall, within five days of receipt of such request, allocate free air time to election commissions for information of voters and free space in print media for the publication of decisions of election commissions and placement of other information. The expenses incurred by the TV and radio broadcasting organizations and print media in provision of free air time and free print space shall be borne by these organizations and print media.
4. State bodies, bodies of local self-government, political parties and other public associations, organizations regardless of the form of ownership, including TV and radio broadcasting organizations, print media as well as officials of these bodies and organizations, shall furnish election commissions with the necessary information and materials and respond to requests of election commissions within five days, to requests received five and less than five days before voting day - not later than the day preceding voting day and to requests received on voting day and the day following voting day - immediately.
(as amended by Federal Law No. 64-FZ of April 26, 2007)
5. Election commissions may apply to the law enforcement bodies and request them to carry out the inquiry and stop violations of this Federal Law, other federal laws during the preparation and conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma, and the law enforcement bodies shall take measures prescribed by the law to stop such violations within five days or not later than the day preceding voting day if the request was received five and less days before voting day or immediately, if the request was received on the day preceding voting day, on voting day or on the day following voting day. If the facts cited in the request require additional inquiry such measures shall be taken within ten days. The law enforcement bodies shall, without delay, inform the election commission, which made the request, about the results of the inquiry and the measures taken.
Article 24. 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.”
Article 25. 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) organize the preparation and conduct of the elections and direct the activities of election commissions;
(2) exercise control over the observance of electoral rights of citizens of the Russian Federation and ensure uniform application of this Federal Law;
(3) issue instructions and other regulations on the questions connected with the application of this Federal Law;
(4) render legal, methodological, organizational, technical and other assistance to the lower-level election commissions;
(5) direct the activity of election commissions to ensure the uniform use of GAS “Vybory” and separate technical facilities of this system, including technical facilities for vote counting;
(6) based on the information about the number of voters registered 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” on the territories of the subjects of the Russian Federation, furnished by the executive bodies of state power of the subjects of the Russian Federation, inform political parties, election commissions of the subjects of the Russian Federation about the number of voters registered on the territories of each subject of the Russian Federation;
(7) hear reports of representatives of the federal bodies of executive power, bodies of executive power of the subjects of the Russian Federation and bodies of local self-government on matters connected with the preparation and conduct of the elections;
(8) distribute funds allocated from the federal budget for financing the preparation and conduct of the elections, the activity of election commissions and the exercise of their powers, the operation and development of automation facilities, the training of election officials and education of voters; exercise control over the proper use of these funds and over receipts to and expenditures from electoral funds of political parties;
(9) certify and register federal lists of candidates; publish certified federal lists of candidates with the following information about each candidate being not subject to be made public: the residence address – the street, house and apartment number; the series, number and date of issue of the passport or an equivalent identity document; the name or code of the body which issued the passport or an equivalent identity document;
(as amended by Federal Law No. 64-FZ of April 26, 2007)
(10) register agents and authorized persons of political parties, including authorized representatives of political parties for financial matters;
(11) certify the lists of authorized representatives of regional branches of political parties for financial matters;
(12) issue registered candidates, agents of political parties with ID cards of the established form;
(13) exercise control over observance of the rules for information of voters and the rules of campaigning on the territory of the Russian Federation;
(14) establish unified numeration of electoral precincts formed outside the territory of the Russian Federation;
(15) approve the forms (if necessary, machine readable forms) of documents connected with the preparation and conduct of the elections; determine the methods of protection of the ballot and absentee certificate and, if necessary, the methods of protection of the voter list and other documents connected with the preparation and conduct of the elections; deal with the matters relating to the production of these documents;
(16) approve the text of the ballot in the Russian language;
(17) approve samples of seals of election commissions;
(18) approve the rules for the delivery of documents, connected with the preparation and conduct of the elections, to election commissions; approve the procedure for safekeeping of these documents, their transfer to archives and their disposal upon the expiry of their safekeeping periods and agree this procedure with the federal body of executive power in charge of normative-legal regulation in the archive-keeping sphere;
(19) develop standard quotas of the technical equipment (booths for voting, ballot boxes) required for the work of precinct election commissions; approve these standard quotas and exercise control over compliance therewith;
(20) deal with matters connected with the logistical support of the elections;
(21) inform voters about the time and procedure for the performance of electoral actions, the progress of the election campaign, the political parties which nominated lists of candidates;
(22) establish who of the registered candidates included in the federal lists of candidates have been elected deputies of the State Duma and issue such candidates with certificates of election;
(23) establish the results of the elections and arrange for their official publication;
(24) make up the lists of registered candidates elected deputies of the State Duma and present these lists along with other necessary documents to the State Duma;
(25) call and organize repeat elections;
(26) adjudicate complaints (grievances) concerning decisions and actions (omissions) of the election commissions of the subjects of the Russian Federation and their officials and take reasoned decisions on such complaints (grievances);
(27) 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 26. Powers of the Election Commission of the Subject of the Russian Federation
1. During the preparation and conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma the election commission of the subject of the Russian Federation shall:
(1) coordinate the activities of the lower-level election commissions on the territory of the subject of the Russian Federation and render methodological, organizational, technical and other assistance to these commissions;
(2) ensure interaction between the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and the bodies of state power of the subject of the Russian Federation;
(3) exercise control over observance of electoral rights of citizens of the Russian Federation on the territory of the subject of the Russian Federation;
(4) distribute funds allocated for financing the preparation and conduct of the elections on the territory of the subject of the Russian Federation, including between territorial election commissions; exercise control over the proper use of these funds;
(5) exercise control over receipts to and expenditures from electoral funds of regional branches of political parties;
(6) register authorized representatives of regional branches of political parties for financial matters;
(7) hear reports of representatives of bodies of executive power of the subject of the Russian Federation, bodies of local self-government on matters connected with the preparation and conduct of the elections;
(8) ensure the uniform use of GAS “Vybory” on the territory of the subject of the Russian Federation in accordance with the procedure established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation;
(9) ensure compliance with the standard quotas of the technical equipment (booths for voting, ballot boxes), approved by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation for precinct election commissions, and with the procedure for safekeeping of documents connected with the preparation and conduct of the elections, their transfer to archives and their disposal upon the expiry of their safekeeping periods;
(10) exercise control over the provision of premises, transport facilities and means of communication to territorial and precinct election commissions and over the implementation of decisions adopted by these commissions on matters connected with the logistical support of the elections;
(11) exercise control over and ensure compliance with the uniform procedure for vote-counting, determination of vote returns and with the procedure of their publication on the territory of the Russian Federation subject;
(12) establish unified numeration of electoral precincts on the territory of the subject of the Russian Federation;
(13) exercise control over timely and correct preparation of voter lists;
(14) exercise control over the compliance with the rules for information of voters and election campaigning rules on the territory of the subject of the Russian Federation;
(15) take measures to distribute free air time between regional groups of candidates;
(16) inform voters about the time and procedure for the performance of electoral actions, the progress of the election campaign, the candidates, the political parties which registered federal lists of candidates;
(17) in the cases and in accordance with the procedure provided by this Federal Law approve the text of the ballot in the official language of the republic of the Russian Federation, in the languages of the peoples of the Russian Federation on the territory of their compact settlement;
(18) in accordance with the decisions of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation arrange for the production of ballots and for their delivery to territorial election commissions;
(19) make arrangements for the delivery of absentee certificates, other documents connected with the preparation and conduct of the elections to the lower-level election commissions;
(20) determine the vote returns in the subject of the Russian Federation, communicate them to the mass media and present the protocol of vote returns (protocols of vote returns on each territory of the subject of the Russian Federation) to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation;
(21) publish (publicize) the vote returns in the subject of the Russian Federation in the regional state mass media;
(22) adjudicate complaints (grievances) concerning decisions and actions (omissions) of the territorial election commissions and their officials and take reasoned decisions on such complaints (grievances);
(23) 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 Territorial Election Commission
1. During the preparation and conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma the territorial election commission shall:
(1) exercise control over the preparation and conduct of the elections, observance of electoral rights of citizens on the given territory; inform the population about the location and telephone numbers of the territorial election commission and precinct election commissions;
(2) form precinct election commissions and appoint their chairmen;
(3) coordinate the work of precinct election commissions on the given territory, adjudicate complaints (grievances) concerning decisions and actions (omissions) of these election commissions and adopt reasoned decisions thereon;
(4) prepare voter lists for the given territory, separately for each precinct, in accordance with the form established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, save as otherwise provided by Parts 4 - 7, Article 15 of this Federal Law; correct voter data;
(5) hear the information of the representatives of bodies of local self-government on matters connected with the preparation and conduct of the elections;
(6) distribute funds allocated to it for financing the preparation and conduct of the elections, including between precinct election commissions; exercise control over the proper use of these funds;
(7) make arrangements for the delivery of ballots and other documents connected with the preparation and conduct of the elections to precinct election commissions;
(8) issue absentee certificates to voters;
(9) render methodological, organizational and technical assistance to precinct election commissions in the organization of voting at polling stations;
(10) exercise control on the given territory over compliance with the rules for information of voters and the election campaigning rules;
(11) ensure that GAS “Vybory” is used on the given territory in accordance with the procedure established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation;
(12) exercise control over and ensure compliance with the uniform procedure for vote-counting and determination of vote returns on the given territory;
(13) ensure compliance with the standard quotas of the technical equipment (booths for voting, ballot boxes), approved by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation for precinct election commissions;
(14) determine the vote returns on the given territory, present them to the mass media and transfer the protocol of vote returns to the election commission of the subject of the Russian Federation;
(15) make arrangements for the transfer of documents connected with the preparation and conduct of elections to the higher-level election commission or to an archive institution of the subject of the Russian Federation in accordance with the procedure approved by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation or dispose of such documents after expiry of their safekeeping periods;
(16) inform voters about the time and procedure for the performance of electoral actions, the progress of the election campaign;
(17) 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.”
2. Territorial election commissions formed in accordance with Part 2, Article 20 of this Federal Law shall have the powers set forth in Part 1 of this article, save the powers set forth in Paragraphs 4, 5 8, 16, Part 1 of this article. Territorial election commissions formed in accordance with Part 3, Article 20 of this Federal Law shall have the powers set forth in Part 1 of this article, save the powers set forth in Paragraphs 2, 4, 5, 8 and 16, Part 1 of this article.
Article 28. Powers of the Precinct Election Commission
1. During the preparation and conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma the precinct election commission shall:
(1) inform the population about the location and telephone number of the precinct election commission, its working hours, about the day, time and place of voting;
(2) correct the voter list for the given electoral precinct and, in cases provided by Parts 4 - 7, Article 15 of this Federal Law, prepare and correct the voter list,
(3) acquaint voters with the voter list; consider statements about errors and inaccuracies in the voter list and make required corrections therein;
(4) issue absentee certificates to voters;
(5) exercise control over compliance with the rules for posting election propaganda materials on the territory of the electoral precinct;
(6) prepare the polling station and fit it out as required for voting;
(7) inform voters about registered federal lists of candidates, registered candidates on the basis of the information received from the higher-level election commission;
(8) determine the required quantity of mobile ballot boxes for early voting and for voting outside the polling station;
(9) organize voting at the precinct polling station on voting day and organize early voting;
(10) count votes; determine vote returns for the given electoral precinct; prepare the protocol of vote returns and deliver this protocol to the higher-level election commission;
(11) adjudicate complaints (grievances) about violations of this Federal Law and take reasoned decisions thereon;
(12) ensure safekeeping of the documents connected with the preparation and conduct of the elections and transfer of these documents to the appropriate higher-level election commission;
(13) make arrangements for the use of technical vote-counting facilities on the territory of the electoral precinct in accordance with 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.”
(14) exercise other powers under this Federal Law.
2. The period of powers of the precinct election commission shall expire 10 days after the day of the official publication of the results of the election of deputies of the State Duma if no complaints (grievances) have been received by the higher-lever election commission about decisions and actions (omissions) of the given election commission, which resulted in the violation of the voting and/or the vote-counting procedure and also if there are no on-going judicial proceedings in connection with such facts. If the vote returns for the given electoral precinct, given territory or the election results have been challenged, the period of powers of the precinct election commission shall expire from the date on which the higher-level election commission adopts its decision on the complaint (application) or the relevant court order becomes legally effective.
Article 29. Openness in the Activity of Election Commissions
1. Members and staff personnel of the higher-level election commissions, the authorized representative of the political party which registered a federal list of candidates or any candidate from this list may attend all meetings of any election commission and be present when the precinct, territorial election commission is working with voter lists, ballots, absentee certificates, protocols and summary table of vote returns. The aforementioned persons shall not need any additional permission from an election commission to attend its meetings and be present when the election commission is working with the aforementioned documents. Members of the press may be present at all meetings of any election commission, when it is working with the aforementioned electoral documents and counting votes.
2. Election commissions shall inform the election commission of the next higher level, the authorized representative of each political party which registered a federal list of candidates about the time and place when and where the election commission is to hold its meetings and shall ensure free access of the persons mentioned in Part 1 of this article to these meetings and to the premises where it counts votes or works with the documents mentioned in Part 1 of this article.
3. When election commissions are to adjudicate complaints (grievances) its meeting may be attended by the complainants, representatives of interested parties, who may give explanations and submit evidence on the merits of the matter under consideration.
4. Election commissions shall inform voters about the results of the registration of federal lists of candidates; about biographical and other data of registered candidates; about other information about such candidates which was received by election commissions in accordance with this Federal Law; about vote returns for each registered federal list of candidates.
5. On voting day and on the days of early voting, from the time the precinct election commission begins its work and until it is notified by the higher-level election commission about acceptance of the protocol of vote returns and also in the event of vote recount, the persons mentioned in Part 1 of this article as well as observers, foreign (international) observers may be present at the precinct polling station. Observers, foreign (international) observers may be present in other election commissions when these commissions are determining vote returns, establishing election results, preparing protocols of vote returns and election results and at the vote recount.
6. All members of the election commission, other persons mentioned in Part 1 of this article, observers shall be allowed to enter the premises of the 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 persons suspected or accused of commission of a crime are held in custody and other places of a temporary stay of voters, as well as the polling station and the premises where votes are being counted.
7. Non-voting members of election commissions, observers, members of the press present at voting and vote count in precinct election commissions may wear name tags free from any signs of election propaganda, which show their status; their surname, first name and patronymic; the name of the political party which appointed the non-voting member or sent the observer to the election commission; and, in the case of members of the press, the name of the mass media which they represent.
8. In cases where this Federal Law provides for issuing the persons mentioned in Part 5 of this article with certified copies of protocols of vote returns and election results, other documents connected with the preparation and conduct of elections, these copies shall be certified by the chairman, deputy chairman or secretary of the given election commission. The person certifying a copy of the document shall write the words “True copy” or “This is a true copy” on the copy being certified, put his signature, write his surname and initials, the date and time when the copy was certified and affix the seal of the given election commission.
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