Chapter 6. NOMINATION AND REGISTRATION OF FEDERAL LISTS OF CANDIDATES

Article 36. Nomination of a Federal List of Candidates

1. A decision to nominate a federal list of candidates shall be taken by secret voting at the congress of the political party.

2. The procedure for inclusion of candidates in the federal list of candidates and the rules for conducting secret voting mentioned in Part 1 of this article shall be determined by the rules of the political party.

3. The political party shall nominate a federal list of candidates at its congress not earlier than 10 days and not later than 30 days after the day of the official publication of the decision to call the election of deputies of the State Duma.

4. In the event of the dissolution of the State Duma nomination of a federal list of candidates may be carried out at the congress of the political party not earlier than 10 days and not later than 30 days after the day of the official publication of the decree of the President of the Russian Federation announcing the early election of deputies of the State Duma of a new convocation or publication of the decision of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation adopted in pursuance of Part 5, Article 6 of this Federal Law.

5. The decision of the congress of the political party on the nomination of a federal list of candidates shall be recorded in its minutes, which shall indicate:

(1) the number of registered delegates of the congress;

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

(2) the number of delegates of the congress which is required for adoption of the decision under the rules of the political party.

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

(3) the decision on the nomination of a federal list of candidates and the results of the vote taken on this decision (with the federal list of candidates appended thereto);

(4) the decision on the appointment of authorized representatives of the political party, authorized representatives for financial matters and also on the appointment of authorized representatives of the political party’s regional branches for financial matters (if such representatives are appointed);

(5) the date of the decision;

(6) the regional group of candidates which is to receive votes cast for a federal list of candidates by voters residing outside the Russian Federation, if the political party adopts the decision mentioned in Part 9.1 of this article

(Paragraph 6 was introduced by Federal Law No. 188-FZ of July 21, 2007)

6. The political party may include in a federal list of candidates persons who are not members of political parties. Such persons may account for not more than 50 percent of the number of candidates on a federal list of candidates. The political party may not include in a federal list of candidates persons who are members of other political parties.

(as amended by Federal Laws No. 106-FZ of July 12, 2006 and No. 64-FZ of April 26, 2007)

7. The federal list of candidates shall be certified by the signature of a person authorized to do so by the rules of the political party or the decision of the competent body of the political party and by the seal of the political party.

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

8. The composition of a federal list of candidates and the arrangement of candidates on the list shall be determined by the political party in accordance with the requirements set forth in Parts 6, 9 - 11, 15 - 22 of this article.

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

9. The federal list of candidates shall be divided (fully or in part) into regional groups of candidates corresponding to one subject of the Russian Federation, groups of subjects of the Russian Federation, a part of the territory of the subject of the Russian Federation.

9.1. The political party may determine the regional group of candidates which is to receive votes cast for the federal list of candidates by voters residing outside the Russian Federation.

(Part 9.1 was introduced by Federal Law No. 188-FZ of July 21, 2007)

10. The number of voters registered on the territory of a group of subjects of the Russian Federation to which a regional group of candidates corresponds, shall not exceed 3 million. The number of voters registered on a part of the territory of one subject of the Russian Federation, to which a regional group of candidates corresponds, shall not be less than 650 thousand.

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

11. A regional group of candidates may correspond to a part of the territory of the subject of the Russian Federation provided the number of voters registered on the entire territory of the given subject of the Russian Federation exceeds 1.3 million.

12. Invalidated – Federal Law No. 64-FZ of April 26, 2007

13. Not later than 20 days before expiration of the period within which the election of deputies of the Sate Duma is to be called and, in the event of early elections, not later than five days after publication of the decision to call the election of deputies of the State Duma, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall determine the boundaries of the parts of territories of the subjects of the Russian Federation to which regional groups of candidates may correspond and shall publish the list of such parts of the territories with the indication of their names and the names of administrative-territorial units or municipalities or populated centers comprised therein (if the territory of the part of the subject of the Russian Federation includes a part of the territory of an administrative-territorial unit or a municipality or a populated center, the list shall describe the boundaries of the given part of the territory of the administrative-territorial unit or the municipality or the populated center).

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

14. In determining the boundaries of parts of the territories of the subjects of the Russian Federation to which regional groups of candidates may correspond the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall meet the following requirements:

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

(1) the number of voters registered on the territory of the subject of the Russian Federation is divided by 650 thousand. The whole part of the quotient is the number of parts into which this subject of the Russian Federation is divided.

(2) the parts of the territory of the subject of the Russian Federation must be approximately equal in the number of registered voters, with the permissible deviation of the number of voters registered in one part of the territory of the subject of the Russian Federation from the number of voters registered in each of the other parts of the territory of the same subject of the Russian Federation not exceeding 15 percent. In meeting this requirement due account shall be taken of the administrative-territorial structure (division) of the subject of the Russian Federation, the territory of municipalities. If not less than 650 thousand voters are registered on the territory of an urban okrug, such urban okrug may be divided between not more than two parts of the territory of the subject of the Russian Federation. In this case one of the parts shall comprise only the territory of such urban. okrug. If less than 650 thousand but not less than 300 thousand voters are registered on the territory of an urban okrug, such urban okrug may not be divided between parts of the territory of the subject of the Russian Federation.

(3) a part of the territory of the subject of the Russian Federation may not be formed from territories which do not border on each other, with the exception of territories which do not border on the other territories in the given Russian Federation subject;

(4) the name of a part of the territory of the subject of the Russian Federation shall include the name in the given subject of the Russian Federation.

15. A part of the territory of the subject of the Russian Federation to which a regional group of candidates corresponds may correspond either to a part of the territory of the subject of the Russian Federation as determined in accordance with Parts 13 and 14 of this article or to a group of parts of the territory of the subject of the Russian Federation as determined in accordance with Parts 13 and 14 of this articles.

16. In a federal list of candidates not more than one group of candidates shall correspond to one subject of the Russian Federation, including a subject of the Russian Federation comprised in a group of subjects of the Russian Federation, or to one part of the territory of the subject of the Russian Federation.

17. It shall not be allowed to divide a federal list of candidates into regional groups of candidates corresponding to territories which do not border on each other, save the case where the subject of the Russian Federation does not border on any other subjects of the Russian Federation or a case where a territory comprised in the subject of the Russian Federation does not border on any other territories comprised in this subject of the Russian Federation.

18. Regional groups of candidates corresponding to one subject of the Russian Federation, groups of subjects of the Russian Federation, a part of the territory of the subject of the Russian Federation shall form the regional part of a federal list of candidates. In a federal list of candidates each regional group shall be assigned a consecutive number and it shall be indicated to what subject of the Russian Federation, what group of subjects of the Russian Federation (with the indication of the list of the subjects of the Russian Federation), the part of the territory of the subject of the Russian Federation or the group of parts of the territory of the subject of the Russian Federation (with the indication of the list of parts of the territory of the subject of the Russian Federation) each regional group of candidates corresponds. If the political party adopts a decision mentioned in Part 9.1 of this article, a federal list of candidates shall also indicate the regional group of candidates which is to receive the votes cast for a federal list of candidates by voters residing outside the Russian Federation.

(as amended by Federal Laws No. 64-FZ of April 26, 2007 and No. 188-FZ of July 21, 2007)

19. The number of regional groups of candidates shall not be less than eighty. The regional part of a federal list of candidates shall cover all subjects of the Russian Federation.

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

20. The all-federal part of a federal list of candidates may include not more than three candidates.

21. A candidate may be mentioned in a federal list of candidates only once.

22. The total number of candidates included in a federal list of candidates shall not exceed six hundred.

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

Article 37. Guarantees for the Exercise of a Passive Electoral Right by Persons Who Are Not Members of Political Parties

(as amended by Federal Law No. 106-FZ of July 12, 2006)

1. Not later than three days after the day of the official publication of the decision to call the election of deputies of the State Duma or, in the event of early elections, not later than three days after the day of the official publication of the decree of the President of the Russian Federation calling the early election of deputies of the State Duma of the new convocation or publication of the decision of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation adopted in pursuance of Part 5, Article 6 of this Federal Law, each citizen of the Russian Federation who is entitled to a passive electoral right and is not a member of any political party may apply to any regional branch of any political party for his inclusion in the federal list of candidates to be nominated by this political party. If supported by not less than ten members of the political party who are registered with the given regional branch this candidature shall be considered by the conference (assembly) of the regional branch of the political party when it deals with the questions relating to the participation of the political party in the elections.

(as amended by Federal Law No. 106-FZ of July 12, 2006 and No. 64-FZ of April 26, 2007)

2. A candidature supported by the conference (assembly) of the regional branch of the political party shall be considered by the congress of the political party when it deals with the question of nominating a federal list of candidates, on a par with other candidatures proposed for inclusion in a federal list of candidates.

3. The absence of any applications mentioned in Part 1 of this article shall not prevent the political party form including a citizen of the Russian Federation, who is not a member of this political party or any other party, in its federal list of candidates on its own initiative and in accordance with its rules, if this citizens consents in writing to run for election on a federal list of candidates and provided that the requirements set forth in Part 6, Article 36 of this Federal Law are complied with.

(as amended by Federal Law No. 106-FZ of July 12, 2006)

4. The regional branch of the political party violating the requirements set forth in Part 1 of this articles and the political party violating the requirements set forth in Part 2 of this article shall bear liability under the Federal Law “On Political Parties.”

Article 38. Filing of Federal Lists of Candidates and Other Electoral Documents with the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation

1. The federal list of candidates shall be filed by an authorized representative of the political party with the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation not later than 30 days after the day of the official publication of the decision to call the election of deputies of the State Duma. The federal list of candidates shall indicate the surname, first name and patronymic; the date and place of birth; the residence address; the series, number and date of issuance of the passport or an equivalent identity document; the name or code of the body which issued the passport or an equivalent identity document; the education; the main place of work or service and the position (in the absence of the main place of work or service - occupation) of each candidate. If a candidate is a deputy and exercises his powers on a non-permanent basis, the federal list of candidates shall indicate this fact and the name of the relevant representative body. If a candidate has a record of conviction that has not been expunged or has not expired, the federal list of candidates shall contain information about the candidate's record of conviction. Upon a candidate's request the federal list of candidates shall indicate the candidate’s membership in the political party which nominated him or in not more than one other public association, duly registered in accordance with the law not later than a year before voting day, and his status in the given political party, given public association, provided that the candidate submits a document confirming this information, which is officially certified by the permanent leading body of the political party, public association.

(as amended by Federal Laws No. 106-FZ of July 12, 2006, No. 128-FZ of July 25, 2006, No. 64-FZ of April 26, 2007)

2. The federal list of candidates shall be submitted to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation in the form of hard and soft copy, according to the format established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and made known to political parties not later than the day on which nomination of federal lists of candidates is to commence under this Federal law.

3. Simultaneously with filing the federal list of candidates the authorized representative of the political party shall submit the following documents:

(1) a notarized copy of a document confirming that the political party has been entered in the unified state register of legal entities;

(2) a notarized copy of the rules of the political party;

(3) a decision of the congress of the political party on the nomination of the federal list of candidates;

(4) a list of authorized representatives of the political party, authorized representatives of the political party for financial matters and also authorized representatives of the political party’s regional branches for financial matters (if such representatives are appointed) which meet the requirements set forth in Parts 3 and 4, Article 35 of this Federal Law.

(5) invalidated by Federal Law No. 64-FZ of April 26, 2007;

(6) a list of citizens included by the political party in a federal list of candidates, who are members of this political party. This list shall be officially certified by the permanent leading body of the political party and shall be submitted in the form of hard and soft copy in accordance with the format established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.

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

4. Simultaneously with the documents mentioned in Parts 1 to 3 of this article the authorized representative of the political party shall submit:

(1) the statement of each candidate on the federal list of candidates expressing his consent to run for election on the federal list of candidates nominated by the given political party and his obligation, if elected, to discontinue activities incompatible with the status of a deputy of the State Duma. The statement shall indicate the surname, first name and patronymic; the date and place of birth; the residence address; the series, number and date of issuance of the passport or an equivalent identity document; the name or code of the body which issued the passport or an equivalent identity document; the citizenship; the education; the main place of work or service and the position (in the absence of the main place of work or service, the statement - occupation); if a candidate is a deputy and exercises his powers on a non-permanent basis, the statement shall indicate this fact and the name of the relevant representative body. If a candidate has a record of conviction that has not been expunged or has not expired, the statement shall contain information about the candidate's record of conviction. In the statement a candidate may indicate his membership in the political party which nominated him or in not more than one other public association duly registered in accordance with the law not later than a year before voting day, and his status in the given political party, given public association, provided that the candidate submits a document confirming this information, which is officially certified by the permanent leading body of the political party, public association. When indicating his membership in another public association a candidate shall agree with the aforementioned body of the public association and with the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation the name of the given public association, consisting of not more than seven words, which is used in electoral documents in the election of deputies of the State Duma;

(as amended by Federal Laws No. 106-FZ of July 12, 2006, No. 128-FZ of July 25, 2006, No. 64-FZ of April 26, 2007)

(2) the information about the size and sources of the income of each candidate and about the property owned and co-owned by the candidate, including information about bank deposits, securities. This information shall be presented in the form shown in Annex 2 to this Federal Law. The same information shall be presented in the form of soft copy in accordance with the format established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.

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

5. A candidate may be included only in one federal list of candidates.

6. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall accept the federal list of candidates and the appended documents together with a copy of the document certifying the identity of the candidate and copies of the documents confirming the information contained in the candidate's statement of consent to run for election, which relate to his education, main place or work or service, position (occupation), and the fact that the candidate is a deputy. Such copies shall be certified by an authorized representative of the political party and shall be submitted for each candidate included in the federal list of candidates. When filing the federal list of candidates and the appended documents with the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation the authorized representative of the political party shall also produce powers of attorney for authorized representatives of the political party for financial matters and for authorized representatives of the political party’s branches for financial matters (if such representatives are appointed) executed in accordance with the requirements set forth in Part 5, Article 35 of this Federal Law. Copies of these powers of attorney shall be produced at the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation in the presence of the authorized representative of the political party and, upon certification by the signature of the person who accepted the documents, shall be appended to these documents.

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

7. Within seven days, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall consider the submitted documents and, based on the results of the consideration, shall certify the federal list of candidates and issue the authorized representative of the political party with a copy of the certified federal list of candidates, or it shall refuse to certify the said list and shall present a reasoned negative decision to the authorized representative of the political party.

(Part 7 as amended by Federal Law No. 64-FZ of April 26, 2007)

8. The refusal to certify a federal list of candidates may be due to the absence of the documents, mentioned in Parts 1 - 4 and 6 of this article, or the failure to observe of the procedure established by Article 36 of this Federal Law and Part 5 of this article for the nomination of a federal list of candidates.

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

9. The political party may appeal the refusal to certify its federal list of candidates to the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, which shall consider the appeal within five days.

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

10. After a federal list of candidates has been filed with the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation no changes shall be made in the composition of the list and in the order of arrangement of candidates therein, save the changes due to withdrawal of any candidate on the basis of his personal application or in consequence of a candidate being removed from the federal list of candidates by the political party or because of the death of a candidate or in connection with the removal of a candidate from the federal list of candidates by a decision of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.

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

11. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall post the information about the certified federal lists of candidates and changes therein (in the "read only" mode) in the Internet.

Article 39. Forms of Support (Security) for Nomination of a Federal List of Candidates

1. Nomination of a federal list of candidates shall be supported by voters entering their signatures in signature sheets or it shall be secured by an electoral deposit to be paid by the political party save as otherwise provided by Part 2 of this article.

2. The political party whose federal list of candidates was included in the distribution of deputy seats in the last preceding election of deputies of the State Duma shall have the right not to collect voter signatures and not to pay an electoral deposit for the registration of its federal list of candidates.

3. If the political party collects voter signatures in support of a federal list of candidates which it nominated, the number of such signatures shall be not less than 200 thousand, with each subject of the Russian Federation accounting for not more than 10 thousand signatures of voters residing on the territory of this subject of the Russian Federation. If signatures are collected among voters residing outside the territory of the Russian Federation, the total number of such signatures shall not exceed 10 thousand.

4. In the event of the early election of deputies of the State Duma the number of voter signatures required for the registration of a federal list of candidates, the number of signatures to be collected on the territory of each subject of the Russian Federation and the number of signatures to be collected outside the territory of the Russian Federation shall be reduced by half.

5. The political party may support a federal list of candidates which it nominated by the payment of an electoral deposit into a special account of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. This account shall be opened with a branch of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation. The amount of the electoral deposit and the rules for its payment are established by Article 66 of this Federal Law.

6. An electoral deposit shall be deemed paid if the political party presents to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation a copy of the payment document for the remittance of an electoral deposit, endorsed by a branch of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation.

Article 40. Signature Sheet

1. The signature sheet shall indicate:

(1) voting day;

(2) the date of certification of the federal list of candidates by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation;

(3) the name of the subject of the Russian Federation on whose territory signatures are collected (if signatures are collected among voters residing outside the territory of the Russian Federation, the signature sheet shall indicate the name of the foreign state);

(4) the name of the political party which nominated the federal list of candidates;

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

(5) the surname, first name and patronymic of the candidates included in the all-federal part of the federal list of candidates (if the list has such part) and the three top candidates of the regional group of candidates (each of the regional groups of candidates) corresponding to the subject of the Russian Federation on whose territory voter signatures are collected (if signatures are collected among voters residing outside the territory of the Russian Federation, the signature sheet shall indicate the surname, first name and patronymic of the candidates included in the all-federal part of the federal list of candidates (if the list has such part), and, if the political party adopts a decision mentioned in Part 9.1, Article 36 of this Federal Law, also the surname, first name and patronymic of the three top candidates of the corresponding regional group of candidates);

(as amended by Federal Law No. 188-FZ of July 21, 2007)

(6) the number of the special electoral account for the electoral fund of the political party, its regional branch from which payment is made for the printing of signature sheets as well as the quantity of printed signature sheets.

(Paragraph 6 was introduced by Federal Law No. 64-FZ of April 26, 2007)

2. Repealed by Federal Law No. 128-FZ of July 25, 2006

3. If a candidate mentioned in the signature sheet has an unexpunged or unexpired record of conviction, this fact shall be indicated in the signature sheet;

4. If a candidate mentioned in the signature sheet indicated his membership in the political party or any other public association and his status therein in his statement of consent to run for election in accordance with Paragraph 1, Part 4, Article 38 of this Federal Law, the political party may indicate the corresponding information in the signature sheet.

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

5. Signature sheets shall be printed for the account of the electoral fund of the political party according to the form shown in Annex 1 to this Federal Law. Payment for the printing of signature sheets shall be made before commencement of signature collection.

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

Article 41. Rules for Collection of Signatures in Support of Nomination of a Federal List of Candidates and Execution of Signature Sheets

1. The political party may commence collection of voter signatures in support of the nomination of its federal list of candidates from the day on which payment was made for the printing of signature sheets.

(Part 1 as amended by Federal Law No. 64-FZ of April 26, 2007)

2. Voter signatures may be collected by any legally capable citizen of the Russian Federation who has attained to the age of 18 years by the day of signature collection. The political party may sign a contract for signature collection with a person collecting voter signatures.

3. The political party shall make up a list of signature collectors according to the form established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. The list shall contain information about each signature collector: the surname, first name and patronymic; the date of birth; the residence address; the number and date of issuance of the passport or an equivalent identity document; the name or code of the body which issued the passport or an equivalent identity document; and shall be signed by the signature collectors. The information about the signature collectors and their signatures in the aforementioned list shall be notarized.

4. All expenses incidental to collection of voter signatures shall be paid only out of the electoral fund of the political party.

5. Voter signatures shall be collected in residential quarters and in other places where election campaigning and signature collection are not prohibited by the federal law.

6. Participation of bodies of state power, bodies of local self-government, governing bodies of organizations of all forms of ownership, voting members of election commissions in the collection of signatures shall not be allowed. In the course of signature collection it shall be prohibited to force voters to put their signatures or to remunerate them in any form for doing so. It shall be prohibited to collect signatures at work places, at places of study, when and where wages, pensions, allowances, stipends, other social benefits are paid and when charitable aid is being provided.

7. Collection of voter signatures shall be carried out by entering voter signatures in signature sheets. A voter may put his signature in support of the nomination of different federal lists of candidates, but only once in support of the same federal list of candidates. A voter shall put his signature on the signature sheet and write the date, his surname, first name and patronymic, the year of birth (if he is 18 years old as of voting day - also the day and month of birth), the residence address, the series and number of the passport or an equivalent identity document. A voter shall put his signature and write the date with his own hand. Upon a voter's request the data of the voter who put his signatures on the signature sheet may be entered in the signature sheet by the signature collector All such data shall be written by hand. The use of pencils for the purpose shall not be allowed.

8. Each signature sheet shall be certified by the signatures of the signature collector and an authorized representative of the political party. The signature collector shall, with his own hand, write his surname, first name and patronymic; the date of birth; the residence address; the series and number of the passport or an equivalent identity document and the date of its issuance; the name or code of the body which issued the passport or an equivalent identity document; sign and date the signature sheet. The authorized representative of the political party certifying the signature sheet shall sign the signature sheet and, with his own hand, write the date against his surname, first name and patronymic.

9. When signatures are being collected the signature sheet may be filled out both on the face and on the back of the sheet. The back shall be the continuation of the face and all signatures on the signature sheet shall be numbered consecutively. The signature collector and the authorized representative of the political party shall put their signatures and write their data on the back of the signature sheet directly below the last voter signature.

10. Upon a voter’s request the signature collector shall produce a copy of the federal list of candidates certified by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.

11. After collection of voter signatures the authorized representatives of the political party shall count the number of collected signatures separately for each subject of the Russian Federation where voter signatures were collected, the number of voter signatures collected outside the territory of the Russian Federation and the total number of voter signatures. The counting results shall be entered in the signature collection protocol to be drawn up in accordance with the form established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. The protocol shall be signed by the authorized representatives of the political party.

Article 42. Submission of Electoral Documents for Registration of a Federal List of Candidates

1. For the registration of a federal list of candidates the authorized representative of the political party shall submit the following documents to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation:

(1) the first financial report of the political party;

(2) information about the changes made in the federal list of candidates after its certification and changes in the data of each candidate on the federal list of candidates submitted earlier in pursuance of Parts 1 and 4, Article 38 of this Federal Law (if any);

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

2. If signature collection was carried out in support of the nomination of a federal list of candidates, the following documents shall be submitted together with the documents mentioned in Part 1 of this article:

(1) signature sheets numbered and stitched in the form of files by the subjects of the Russian Federation where signature collection was carried out as well as signature sheets with signatures of voters residing outside the territory of the Russian Federation, numbered and stitched in the form of files by each foreign state where signature collection was carried out. An official of the consular mission of the Russian Federation shall certify the total number of signature sheets in each file submitted by the signature collector. The number of voter signatures in the signature sheets submitted to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation may exceed the number required for the registration of a federal list of candidates established by this Federal Law but by not more than 5 percent.

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

(2) the signature collection protocol on paper in duplicate and in a machine-readable form;

(3) the list of signature collectors made up in accordance with the requirements set forth in Part 3, Article 41 of this Federal Law;

(4) a document confirming payment for the printing of signature sheets.

(Paragraph 4 was introduced by Federal Law No. 64-FZ of April 26, 2007)

3. If nomination of a federal list of candidates is secured by an electoral deposit, the documents listed in Part 1 of this article shall be submitted together with a copy of the payment document for the remittance of an electoral deposit, endorsed by a branch of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation.

4. All documents required for the registration of a federal list of candidates shall be submitted to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation simultaneously, not earlier than 75 days and not later than 45 days before voting day, before 18:00 Moscow time.

5. After accepting the documents for the registration of a federal list of candidates the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall issue the authorized representative of the political party with a document confirming the acceptance of the submitted documents, with the indication of the date and time of the acceptance. In the event of submission of signature sheets this document shall also indicate the number of accepted signature sheets and the stated number of voter signatures. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall preliminarily certify each file of signature sheets with its seal (special stamp) and shall check the number of submitted signature sheets to make sure it corresponds to the number of signature sheets indicated in the signature collection protocol. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall not restrict admission to its premises of the authorized representatives of the political party nor shall it refuse to accept documents submitted for the registration of a federal list of candidates if the documents were delivered before the deadline set by Part 4 of this article.

6. If, after submission of signature sheets and other documents required for the registration of a federal list of candidates to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, the political party pays an electoral deposit into the special account of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and/or presents to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation a copy of a payment document endorsed by a branch of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation evidencing that an electoral deposit has been remitted to this special account, then the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall return the electoral deposit, received to its special account, to the political party. If, after an electoral deposit has been received to the aforementioned account and/or a copy of the aforementioned payment document has been presented to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, the political party submits signature sheets, then the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall refuse to accept the signature sheets. If the political party simultaneously presents signature sheets and a copy of the aforementioned payment document to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, then the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall refuse to accept the signature sheets.

(Part 6 as amended by Federal Law No. 64-FZ of April 26, 2007)

Article 43. Verification of Compliance with the Requirements of This Federal Law to Nomination of a Federal List of Candidates

1. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall verify compliance with the requirements of this Federal Law when each federal list of candidates is nominated.

2. In the event of submission of signature sheets the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall verify compliance with the rules for collection of voter signatures and execution of signature sheets, the accuracy of the data of voters and authenticity of their signatures contained in signature sheets.

3. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall verify the accuracy of the data of candidates and other information submitted by the political party in accordance with this Federal Law.

4. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall apply to competent authorities for verification of the accuracy of the data of candidates presented in accordance with this Federal Law, and these authorities shall report the results of the verification within 10 days or, in respect of the information submitted in accordance with Paragraph 2, Part 4, Article 38 of this Federal Law, within 20 days. If such application is made 10 days or less before voting day, the competent authorities shall report the verification results within the time established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.

5. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall inform voters about the data of candidates, presented by them when a federal list of candidates was nominated, within the scope established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation/

6. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall provide the mass media with the information about the discovered facts of inaccuracy of the data presented by candidates about themselves.

7. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation may, by its decision, form working groups from members of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, members of its staff and invited specialists to verify compliance with the rules for nomination of federal lists of candidates and execution of signature sheets, accuracy of the data of voters and authenticity of their signatures contained in signature sheets. Such verification may be carried out with the involvement of members of the lower-level election commissions, experts from internal affairs bodies, juridical bodies, military commissariats, specialized institutions in charge of the registration of the population in the Russian Federation and other governmental bodies. On the basis of the conclusions of experts set forth in verification reports the data of voters, contained in signature sheets, may be pronounced inaccurate and their signatures unauthentic.

8. To verify the data contained in signature sheets the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation may use GAS “Vybory,” including the voters, referendum participants register. The information about the results of verification, signed by an official of the election commission of the subject of the Russian Federation, including the information obtained via the communication channels of GAS “Vybory” and certified by an electronic digital signature, may be used to pronounce voter signatures invalid.

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

9. Verification shall cover not less than 20 percent of the number of voter signatures required for the registration of a federal list of candidates and the corresponding data of the voters who put these signatures on signature sheets. An equal number of signatures collected in support of the nomination of each federal list of candidates shall be sampled for initial verification. Signature sheets to be used for selective verification shall be chosen by random sampling (by lot). The sampling procedure shall be determined by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. Sampling and verification of signature sheets may be witnessed by authorized representatives or agents of political parties which submitted the number of voter signatures required for the registration of their federal lists of candidates. Sampling shall be carried out at the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation immediately after a document confirming acceptance of signature sheets is issued to an authorized representative of the political party. Sampling and verification of signature sheets may be witnessed by other persons designated by the aforementioned political parties.

10. Verification shall cover all voter signatures and all corresponding data of voters on the signature sheets sampled for verification. On the basis of verification a voter signature may be pronounced authentic, unauthentic and/or invalid.

11. A signature shall be deemed unauthentic if put by one person on behalf of another person. Such signatures shall be pronounced unauthentic on the basis of a written conclusion of an expert involved in the verification in accordance with Part 7 of this article.

12. The following signatures shall be deemed invalid:

(1) signatures of persons who are not entitled to an active electoral right and signatures of voters whose place of residence is outside the territory of the relevant subject of the Russian Federation;

(2) signatures of voters who indicated false data in the signature sheet. In this case, the signature shall be pronounced invalid on the basis of the official information presented by the body in charge of registration of Russian Federation citizens at the place of stay and place of residence within the Russian Federation, the informational signed by an official of the election commission of the subject of the Russian Federation, including the information obtained via the communication channels of GAS “Vybory” and certified by an electronic digital signature, or a written conclusion of an expert involved in the verification in accordance with Part 7 of this article;

(Paragraph 2 as amended by Federal Law No. 64-FZ of April 26, 2007)

(3) voter signatures put without indication of some of the data required under this Federal Law or without indication of the date when the voter put his signature on the signature sheet;

(4) voter signatures accompanied by voter data which is not hand-written or which is written with a pencil;

(5) voter signatures with a corrected date indicating when they were put on the signature sheet, if the corrections are not specially endorsed by the voters, and voter signatures with dates that were not written by the voter with his own hand – on the basis of a written conclusion of an expert involved in the verification in accordance with Part 7 of this article;

(6) voter signatures with corrected data of the voters who put these signatures, if the corrections are not specially endorsed by the voter or the persons certifying the signature sheets;

(7) all signatures on the signature sheet if the signature sheet has not been certified by an autograph signature of the signature collector and/or an authorized representative of the political party or if at least one of these signatures is unauthentic or if at least one the dates of certification of the signature sheet is not indicated or is not hand-written or if the data of the signature collector and/or the date when the signature sheet was signed by the signature collector and/or by an authorized representative of the political party has been corrected and the corrections are not specially endorsed by the signature collector and/or the authorized representative of the political party or if the data of the signature collector and/or an authorized representative of the political party is incomplete or false or if the data of the signature collector is not written with his own hand;

(8) voter signatures put on the signature sheet before the day on which payment was made for the printing of signature sheets;

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

(9) voter signatures collected in violation of the requirements set forth in Parts 5 and 6, Article 41 of this Federal Law;

(10) voter signatures, if voter data has been written on the signature sheet not by the voters who put their signatures and not by the signature collector - on the basis of a written conclusion of an expert involved in the verification of signatures in accordance with Part 7 of this article;

(11) all signatures on a signature sheet which has been printed with the violation of the requirements set forth in Article 40 of this Federal Law and/or which has not been executed in accordance with Annex 1 to this Federal Law;

(12) all voter signatures on a signature sheet which has been certified by a signature collector who has not been put on the list made up in accordance with Part 3, Article 41 of this Federal Law.

13. The presence of abbreviated words and dates in the voter data contained in a signature sheet shall not serve as a ground for pronouncing a voter signature invalid if these abbreviations do not prevent unambiguous interpretation of this data.

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

14. Voter signatures and the corresponding voter data contained in a signature sheet but deleted (crossed out) by the persons certifying the signature sheets shall not be subject to verification and reckoned in if these persons expressly specify so in the signature sheet before the signature sheets are accepted by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.

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

15. If verification of signature sheets reveals several signatures of the same voter in support of the nomination of the same federal list of candidates only one such signature shall be deemed valid and the other signatures shall be invalidated.

16. If a filled-out line (lines) is (are) discovered on the signature sheet, which does (do) not meet the requirements of this Federal Law, only the signature in the given line (given lines) shall be disregarded, save as otherwise provided by Paragraphs 7, 11 and 12, Part 12 of this article.

17. Corrections and blots specially endorsed on the signature sheet shall not serve as a ground for invalidating a voter signature unless the signature has been pronounced invalid in accordance with Paragraphs 7, 11 and 12, Part 12 of this article.

18. If the number of signatures found to be unauthentic and/or invalid in the course of selective verification equals or exceeds 5 percent of the total number of signatures sampled for verification, an additional 15 per cent of the number of voter signatures required for the registration of a federal list of candidates shall be subjected to verification in accordance with the procedure set forth in this article.

19. If the total number of unauthentic and/or invalid signatures discovered in the course of selective verification equals or exceeds 5 percent of the total number of signatures subject to verification under Parts 9 and 18 of this article, further verification of the signature sheets shall be discontinued and the federal list of candidates shall not be registered.

20. A federal list of candidates shall not be registered if the number of submitted voter signatures minus the number of signatures found unauthentic and/or invalid is insufficient for the registration.

21. After the end of verification of signature sheets a final protocol shall be prepared for each federal list of candidates. This protocol shall be signed by a voting member of the Central Election Commission of the Russian and shall be submitted to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation for adoption of a decision to register or refuse to register a federal list of candidates. The protocol shall indicate the number of stated, submitted and verified voter signatures, the number of signatures pronounced unauthentic and/or invalid and the reasons why they have been pronounced unauthentic or invalid. The protocol shall be appended to the decision of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation to register or refuse to register a federal list of candidates. No changes shall be made in the protocol after the decision has been taken. A copy of the protocol shall be furnished to an authorized representative of the political party not later than two days before the meeting of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation at which the registration of the federal list of candidates is to be considered. If the number of authentic voter signatures is insufficient for the registration of a federal list of candidates or if the number of unauthentic and/or invalid signatures equals or exceeds 5 percent of the total number of signatures sampled for verification, an authorized representative of the political party may receive from the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation a copy of the final protocol and a verification report setting forth the reasons why voter signatures were pronounced unauthentic and/or invalid, with the indication of the numbers of the file, the numbers of the signature sheet and the numbers of the lines of the signature sheet which contain each such signatures, as well as copies of the official documents on the basis of which the signatures were pronounced unauthentic and/or invalid.

22. After the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation takes a decision to register or refuse to register a federal list of candidates repeated verification of the signature sheets may be carried out only by the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation in accordance with Part 7, Article 91 of this Federal Law and shall only cover the signatures which were subjected to verification.

(Part 22 was introduced by Federal Law No. 64-FZ of April 26, 2007)

23. In the event of incompleteness of the data of candidates or the failure to meet the requirements of this Federal Law to the execution of the documents to be submitted to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation in accordance with Article 38; Part 1, Paragraphs 2 - 4, Part 2; Parts 3 and 4, Article 42 of this Federal Law the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall, not later than three days before the date of its meeting at which it is to consider the registration of the federal list of candidates, notify to this effect the political party which nominated the federal list of candidates. Not later than one day before the date of such meeting, the political party which nominated the federal list of candidates may correct and supplement the documents containing the data of candidates, whom this political party nominated on its federal list of candidates, and other documents submitted to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation in accordance with Article 38; Part 1, Paragraphs 2 - 4, Part 2; Parts 3 and 4, Article 42 of this Federal Law, so that these documents should meet the requirements of this Federal Law, including the requirements to the execution of these documents. The political party may replace the submitted document only if it has been executed with violation of the requirements of this Federal Law.

(Part 23 was introduced by Federal Law No. 64-FZ of April 26, 2007)

Article 44. Registration of a Federal List of Candidates

1. Not later than 10 days after acceptance of the documents required for the registration of a federal list of candidates (and, in the event of payment of an electoral deposit – after the deposit has been received to the special account of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation), the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall take a decision to register the federal list of candidates or a reasoned decision not to register this list.

2. The decision to register a federal list of candidates shall indicate the date and time of the registration.

3. Having adopted a decision to refuse to register a federal list of candidates, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall, within 24 hours of the adoption of such decision, issue its copy to an authorized representative of the political party, stating the reasons for the refusal. The reasons for the refusal may be the following:

(1) the failure to comply with the requirements to the nomination of a federal list of candidates established by the Federal Laws "On Political Parities" and "On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Rights of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum" and this Federal Law;

(2) the documents submitted to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation in accordance with Articles 38 and 42 of this Federal Law do not include the documents mentioned in Parts 1 - 4 and 6, Article 38; Part 1, Part 2 or 3, Article 42 of this Federal Law (save the cases of the absence of these documents in respect of separate candidates included in a federal list of candidates);

(Paragraph 2 as amended by Federal Law No. 64-FZ of April 26, 2007)

(2.1) as of the day preceding the day of the meeting of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation which is to consider the question of the registration of the federal list of candidates, some of the documents submitted in accordance with Articles 38 and 42 of this Federal Law are executed with violation of the requirements set forth in Parts 3-5, Article 35; Parts 5 and 7, Article 36; Parts 1 - 4 and 6, Article 38; Paragraphs 2 and 3, Part 2, Part 3, Article 42; Part 4, Article 66; Part 1 and Paragraph 1, Part 2, Article 68 of this Federal Law (save the cases of improper execution of documents in respect of separate candidates included in a federal list of candidates);

(Paragraph 2.1 was introduced by Federal Law No. 64-FZ of April 26, 2007)

(2.2) as of the day preceding the day of the meeting of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation which is to consider the question of the registration of the federal list of candidates, the documents submitted in accordance with Article 38 of this Federal Law do not contain any information required under Parts 1 and 4, Article 38 of this Federal Law (save the cases of the absence of such information in respect of separate candidates included in a federal list of candidates);

(Paragraph 2.2 was introduced by Federal Law No. 64-FZ of April 26, 2007)

(3) more than 10 percent of voter signatures submitted for the registration of the federal list of candidates have been collected at the places where signature collection is prohibited by this Federal Law;

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

(4) insufficient number of authentic voter signatures submitted in support of the nomination of the federal list of candidates or the number of unauthentic and/or invalid voter signatures equals or exceeds 5 percent of the total number of signatures sampled for verification;

(4.1) the failure of the political party to comply with the restrictions imposed by Clause 1 or 1.1, Article 56 of the Federal Law "On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Rights of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum," as established by a court decision;

(Paragraph 4.1 was introduced by Federal Law No. 64-FZ of April 26, 2007)

(4.2) bribery of voters by the political party, its agent, authorized representative or by other persons and organizations acting on their instructions, as established by a court decision;

(Paragraph 4.2 was introduced by Federal Law No. 64-FZ of April 26, 2007)

(5) payment of an electoral deposit in an amount smaller than that established by Part 3, Article 66 of this Federal Law or payment of an electoral deposit out of the contributions to the electoral fund made in violation of the requirements established by this Federal Law;

(6) the failure of the political party to form its electoral fund. The absence of resources in an electoral fund shall not serve as a ground for the refusal of registration;

(7) expenditures made by the political party from sources other than its electoral fund and electoral funds of its regional branches (if any) to finance its election campaign exceed 5 percent of the maximum limit of all expenditures from an electoral fund of a political party established by this Federal Law;

(8) expenditures made by the political party to finance its election campaign exceed by more than 5 percent the maximum limit of all expenditures from an electoral fund of a political party established by this Federal Law;

(9) the number of candidates removed from the federal list of candidates on the basis of their applications by a decision of the political party (with the exception of candidates who were deleted due to compelling circumstances) and by a decision of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation adopted in accordance with Part 4 of this article exceeds 25 percent of the total number of candidates on a certified federal list of candidates;

(10) the fact that an authorized representative or an agent of the political party has repeatedly taken advantage of his office or official position;

(11) withdrawal of candidates as a result of which less than 80 regional groups of candidates remained on the federal list of candidates.

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

4. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall remove a candidate from a federal list of candidates if:

(1) the candidate is not entitled to a passive electoral right;

(2) the candidate has failed to mention his record of conviction that has not been expunged or has not expired;

(as amended by Federal Law No. 128-FZ of July 25, 2006)

(3) during the campaigning period the candidate has failed to comply with the restrictions imposed by Clause 1 or 1.1, Article 56 of the Federal Law "On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Rights of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum," as established by a court decision;

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

(4) the candidate has repeatedly taken advantage of his office or official position;

(5) the candidate has been registered on another federal list of candidates;

(6) the federal list of candidates nominated by the political party contains a candidate who is a member of another political party;

(Paragraph 6 was introduced by Federal Law No. 64-FZ of April 26, 2007)

(7) the documents submitted to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation in accordance with Article 38 of this Federal Law do not contain the documents which are required under Parts 1, 4 and 6, Article 38 of this Federal Law for the registration of the candidate included in the federal list of candidates;

(Paragraph 7 was introduced by Federal Law No. 64-FZ of April 26, 2007)

(8) as of the day preceding the day of the meeting of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation which is to consider the question of the registration of the federal list of candidates, the documents submitted in accordance with Articles 38 of this Federal Law contain documents executed in respect of the candidate with violation of the requirements set forth in Parts 1 - 4 and 6, Article 38 of this Federal Law;

(Paragraph 8 was introduced by Federal Law No. 64-FZ of April 26, 2007)

(9) as of the day preceding the day of the meeting of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation which is to consider the question of the registration of the federal list of candidates, the documents submitted in accordance with Article 38 of this Federal Law do not contain any information about the candidate required under Parts 1 and 4, Article 38 of this Federal Law.

(Paragraph 9 was introduced by Federal Law No. 64-FZ of April 26, 2007)

5. If the registration of a federal list of candidates was refused, it may be nominated again provided the procedure and periods established by this Federal Law are complied with.

6. If any violations of the election legislation of the Russian Federation entailing criminal or administrative responsibility are discovered, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall present the relevant documents and materials to the law enforcement authorities and a court for establishing the fact of the violation and bringing the offenders to responsibility.

7. The decision of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation to register or not to register a federal list of candidates may be appealed to the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, which shall consider the appeal within five days of its receipt.

8. After a federal list of candidates is registered, the candidates included in this list shall acquire the status of a registered candidate and a candidate’s card shall be issued to each registered candidate.

9. Within 48 hours of their registration, the information about the registered federal lists of candidates and the data of the registered candidates included in these lists shall be made available by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation to the mass media. The list of the information about the income and property of registered candidates shall be established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.

10. Not later than 15 days before voting day, the information about registered candidates and registered federal lists of candidates, containing the data listed in Parts 3 - 5, Article 72 of this Federal Law, shall be displayed by territorial election commissions on bulletin boards inside their premises. The information about the annulment of the registration of registered federal lists of candidates, withdrawal of candidates from registered federal lists of candidates shall be displayed in the same manner. The information about registered candidates and political parties which registered federal lists of candidates shall be arranged in the same sequence as in the ballot.

11. If, 35 days before voting day, less than two federal lists of candidates were registered, then by the decision of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation the voting in the election of deputies of the State Duma shall be postponed for a period not exceeding two months for additional nomination of federal lists of candidates and performance of subsequent electoral actions.