Chapter 9. FUNDING OF THE ELECTION OF DEPUTIES OF THE STATE DUMA. ELECTORAL FUNDS

Article 63. Funding of the Preparation and Conduct of the Election of Deputies of the State Duma

1. The expenditures incidental to the preparation and conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma, to the activities of election commissions during the period of their powers, to the use and operation of the automation facilities, to the legal education of voters and training of election officials shall be paid from the funds allocated for these purposes from the federal budget. The allocations to meet these expenditures shall be included in the federal budget in accordance with the budget classification of the Russian Federation and shall be remitted to the election commissions, the federal bodies of executive power in charge of diplomatic and consular missions of the Russian Federation, the military units (for the electoral precincts formed in accordance with Parts 5 and 6, Article 13 of this Federal Law) - to the accounts opened by them at the institutions of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation or, in the absence of such institutions, at the branches of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation. The chief manager of such allocations shall be the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.

2. The funds allocated from the federal budget for the preparation and conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma shall be placed at the disposal of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation in accordance with the approved budget schedule for the distribution of the expenditures of the federal budget, but not later than ten days after the official publication of the decision to call the election of deputies of the State Duma.

3. Not later than 50 days before voting day the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall distribute the funds, which it received from the federal budget for the preparation and conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma, between the election commissions of the subjects of the Russian Federation, which shall distribute the received funds between the territorial election commissions not later than 30 days before voting day. The funds for the preparation and conduct of the elections in electoral precincts formed in accordance with Parts 5 and 6, Article 13 of this Federal Law shall be distributed by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation between the state bodies in charge of the registration and recording of voters in these electoral precincts and also between the territorial election commissions formed in accordance with Parts 2 and 3, Article 20 of this Federal Law not later than 30 days before voting day. In the event of early elections and also if funding for the preparation and conduct of the elections is not provided in due time or in full the aforementioned election commissions shall distribute the funds as they become available.

4. In the event of early elections to the State Duma the amount of funds allocated from the federal budget for the preparation and conduct of such elections shall not be less than the sum contained in the report of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation on the expenditure of funds for the preparation and conduct of the previous election of deputies of the State Duma preceding these elections (with due regard for the changes in the minimum monthly wage established by the federal law for regulation of labor remuneration).

5. The chairmen of election commissions shall manage the funds allocated for the preparation and conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma and shall be responsible for proper compliance of financial documents with the decisions taken by the election commissions on financial matters and shall also ensure that the reports on the expenditure of these funds are submitted in accordance with the procedure and at the time established by this Federal Law.

6. Not later than 60 days after a report on the expenditure of the funds allocated from the federal budget for the preparation and conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma and the information about the sums received to and expended from the electoral funds are submitted to the chambers of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, the unexpended remainders of these funds shall be transferred to the federal budget and shall be used for the purposes established by the budget legislation of the Russian Federation.

The provisions of Article 64 as amended by Federal Law No. 274-FZ of December 30, 2006 shall not apply to legal relationships arising in connection with the conduct of elections announced before the day of the entry into force of the said Federal Law (Federal Law No. 274-FZ of December 30, 2006).

Article 64. Electoral Funds

1. The political party which nominated a federal list of candidates shall be obliged to establish its own electoral fund to finance its election campaign. The regional branch of such political party, registered in the subject of the Russian Federation in accordance with the federal law, may form its electoral fund subject to the decision of the leading body of the political party, authorized to take such decisions by the party rules, if the federal list of candidates nominated by this political party contains a regional group of candidates corresponding to the given subject of the Russian Federation (including a subject of the Russian Federation comprised in a group of subjects of the Russian Federation) or a regional group of candidates (regional groups of candidates) which corresponds (correspond) to a part (parts) of the territory of this subject of the Russian Federation. The candidates included in a federal list of candidates shall not form their own electoral funds.

2. Electoral funds of political parties may be formed only from the following sources:

(1) own resources of the political party in an amount not exceeding 50 percent of the maximum limit of all expenditures from the electoral fund of a political party established in accordance with this Federal Law.

(2) voluntary donations of citizens and legal entities. The overall amount of voluntary donations from each citizen, each legal entity shall not exceed, respectively, 0.07 percent and 3.5 percent of the maximum limit of all expenditures from the electoral fund of a political party established in accordance with this Federal Law.

3. The maximum limit of all expenditures from the electoral fund of a political party shall not exceed 400 million rubles. This sum does not include the expenditures from the electoral funds of the regional branches of the political party.

4. Electoral funds of regional branches of political parties may be formed only from the following sources:

(1) own resources of the political party (excluding the resources of its electoral fund) in an amount not exceeding 50 percent of the maximum limit of all expenditures from the electoral fund of a regional branch of a political party established in accordance with this Federal Law.

(2) voluntary donations of citizens and legal entities. The overall amount of voluntary donations from each citizen, each legal entity shall not exceed, respectively, 5 percent and 50 percent of the maximum limit of all expenditures from the electoral fund of a regional branch of a political party established in accordance with this Federal Law.

5. The maximum limit of all expenditures from the electoral fund of a regional branch of a political party shall not exceed:

(1) 6 million rubles if not more than 100 thousand voters are registered on the territory of the subject of the Russian Federation to which the regional group of candidates corresponds;

(2) 10 million rubles if more than 100 thousand but not more than 500 thousand voters are registered on the territory of the subject of the Russian Federation to which the regional group of candidates corresponds;

(3) 14 million rubles if more than 500 thousand but not more than 1 million voters are registered on the territory of the subject of the Russian Federation to which the regional group of candidates corresponds;

(4) 20 million rubles if more than 1 million but not more than 3 million voters are registered on the territory of the subject of the Russian Federation to which the regional group of candidates corresponds or on all parts of its territory to which regional groups of candidates correspond;

(5) 30 million rubles if more than 3 million voters are registered on the territory of the subject of the Russian Federation to which the regional group of candidates corresponds or on all parts of its territory to which regional groups of candidates correspond.

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

6. If the regional groups of candidates of a federal list of candidates correspond to parts of the territory of the subject of the Russian Federation which do not comprise all parts of the territory of the subject of the Russian Federation determined in accordance with Parts 13 and 14, Article 36 of this Federal Law, the maximum limit of all expenditures from the electoral fund of such regional branch of the political party shall not exceed:

(1) the product of the number of the parts of the territory of the subject of the Russian Federation, determined in accordance with Parts 13 and 14, Article 36 of this Federal Law and included in the part (parts) of the territory of the subject of the Russian Federation to which the regional group (regional groups) of the federal list of candidates corresponds (correspond) in this subject of the Russian Federation, by the number obtained by dividing 20 million rubles by the number of the parts of the territory of this subject of the Russian Federation determined in accordance with Parts 13 and 14, Article 36 of this Federal Law, if more than 1 million but not more than 3 million voters are registered on the territory of this subject of the Russian Federation;

(2) the product of the number of the parts of the territory of the subject of the Russian Federation, determined in accordance with Parts 13 and 14, Article 36 of this Federal Law and included in the part (parts) of the territory of the subject of the Russian Federation to which the regional group (regional groups) of the federal list of candidates corresponds (correspond) in this subject of the Russian Federation, by the number obtained by dividing 30 million rubles by the number of the parts of the territory of the subject of the Russian Federation determined in accordance with Parts 13 and 14, Article 36 of this Federal Law, if more than 3 million voters are registered on the territory of this subject of the Russian Federation.

6.1. If a regional group of candidates (regional groups of candidates) of a federal list of candidates is (are) removed from the federal list of candidates but at least one regional group of candidates corresponding to a part of the territory of the subject of the Russian Federation remains in the federal list of candidates, the maximum limit of all expenditures from the electoral fund of the given regional branch of the political party, determined in accordance with Parts 5 and 6 of this article, shall not be reduced.

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

7. No donations to the electoral funds shall be allowed from:

(1) foreign states;

(2) foreign organizations;

(3) foreign nationals;

(4) stateless persons;

(5) citizens of the Russian Federation who have not attained to the age of 18 years as of voting day;

(6) Russian legal entities with foreign participation if the foreign stake (contribution) in (to) their charter (pool) capital exceeds 30 percent as of the day of the official publication of the decision to call the election of deputies of the State Duma (for open joint-stock companies - as of the date of the list of shareholders entitled to participate in the annual general meeting for the previous financial year);

(as amended by Federal Law No. 274-FZ of December 30, 2006)

(7) international organizations and international public movements;

(8) bodies of state power, other state bodies, bodies of local self-government;

(9) state and municipal institutions, state and municipal unitary enterprises;

(10) legal entities with a charter (pool) capital in which the stake (contribution) of the Russian Federation, subjects of the Russian Federation and/or municipalities exceeds 30 percent as of the day of the official publication of the decision to call the election of deputies of the State Duma (for open joint-stock companies - as of the date of the list of shareholders entitled to participate in the annual general meeting for the previous financial year);

(as amended by Federal Law No. 274-FZ of December 30, 2006)

(11) organizations established by state bodies and/or bodies of local self-government (with the exception of joint-stock companies established by way of privatization); organizations, established by the legal entities mentioned in Paragraphs 6 and 10 of this part; organizations with a charter capital in which the stake (contribution) of the legal entities mentioned in Paragraphs 6 and 10 of this part exceeds 30 percent as of the day of the official publication of the decision to call the election of deputies of the State Duma (for open joint-stock companies - as of the date of the list of shareholders entitled to participate in the annual general meeting for the previous financial year);

(as amended by Federal Law No. 274-FZ of December 30, 2006)

(12) military units, military institutions and organizations and law enforcement bodies;

(13) charitable and religious organizations and organizations established by them;

(14) anonymous donors. "Anonymous donor" means a citizen who has not indicated or indicated incorrectly any of the following data in the donation payment document: the surname, first name and patronymic, the residence address; a legal entity which has not indicated or indicated incorrectly any of the following data in the donation payment document: the taxpayer's identification number, the corporate name, the bank details;

(15) legal entities registered less than a year before voting day;

(16) non-profit organizations if, during a year preceding the day of the payment of the donation to an electoral fund, they received sums of money or other property from:

(a) foreign states and bodies, organizations or natural persons mentioned in Paragraphs 2 – 5, 7 – 9, 12 – 15 of this part;

(b) Russian legal entities with foreign participation, if the stake (contribution) of the foreign participant in their charter capital exceeded 30 percent as of the day on which these sums or other property was received (for open joint-stock companies - as of the date of the list of shareholders entitled to participate in the annual general meeting for the previous financial year);

(c) legal entities with a charter (pool) capital in which the stake (contribution) of the Russian Federation, subjects of the Russian Federation and/or municipalities exceeded 30 percent as of the day on which these sums or other property was received (for open joint-stock companies - as of the date of the list of shareholders entitled to participate in the annual general meeting for the previous financial year);

(d) organizations established by state bodies and/or bodies of local self-government (with the exception of joint-stock companies established by way of privatization);

(e) organizations established by the legal entities mentioned in Sub-Paragraphs “b” and “c” of this paragraph;

(f) organizations with a charter (pool) capital in which the stake (contribution) of the legal entities mentioned in Sub-Paragraphs “b” and “c” of this paragraph exceeded 30 percent as of the day on which these sums or other property was received (for open joint-stock companies - as of the date of the list of shareholders entitled to participate in the annual general meeting for the previous financial year);

(Paragraph 16 was introduced by Federal Law No. 274-FZ of December 30, 2006)

7.1. The non-profit organizations mentioned in Paragraph 16, Part 7 of this article shall not be allowed to make donations to an electoral fund only if the sums of money or other property received by these non-profit organizations were not returned by them to the foreign states, bodies, organizations or natural persons, mentioned in Sub-Paragraphs “a” – “f,” Paragraph 16, Part 7 of this article, which gave them these sums of money or other property or if these sums of money or this property was not transferred to the budget of the Russian Federation before the day of payment of a donation to an electoral fund because it was impossible to return them).

(Part 7.1 was introduced by Federal Law No. 274-FZ of December 30, 2006 and amended by Federal Law No. 64-FZ of April 26, 2007)

8. The right to manage the resources of the electoral fund of a political party shall be exercised by the political party which formed the fund. The right to manage the resources of the electoral fund of a regional branch of a political party shall be exercised by the regional branch of the political party which formed the fund, with the concurrence of the duly authorized leading body of the political party.

9. The resources of the electoral funds of political parties shall be used only for the purposes for which such electoral funds are formed, namely:

(1) funding of organizational-technical arrangements for collection of voter signatures;

(2) election campaigning and payment for informational and consultative services;

(3) payment for other kinds of work (services) performed (rendered) by citizens and legal entities and payment of other expenses directly related to the conduct of the election campaign by the political party;

(4) payment of an electoral deposit.

10. The resources of electoral funds of regional branches of political parties shall be used only for the purposes for which such electoral funds are formed, namely:

(1) election campaigning, with the exception of payment of expenses incidental to the provision of paid air time on the channels of the national TV and radio broadcasting organizations and paid space in the national print media and payment for informational and consultative services;

(2) payment for other kinds of work (services) performed (rendered) by citizens and legal entities and payment of other expenses directly related to the conduct of the election campaign by the political party.

11. The political party which nominated a federal list of candidates and the regional branches of such political party shall make payments in respect of the organizational and technical measures for collection of voter signatures, the conduct of election campaigning, the performance of other activities aimed at the achievement of a definite result in the election of deputies of the State Duma only out of the sums (including the political party’s own financial resources) which were contributed to the electoral funds of the political party and its regional branches in accordance with the procedure established by this Federal Law.

12. The political party which nominated a federal list of candidates may use, without making any payments from its electoral fund, the movable and immovable property (with the exception of securities, printed matter and expendable materials) which it had at its disposal as of the day of the official publication of the decision to call the election of deputies of the State Duma.

13. In the conduct of the election campaign the political party and its regional branch may use only those sums of money which were remitted by the contributors to the electoral accounts of their electoral funds before voting day, in accordance with the procedure established by this Federal Law.

14. In the event of additional nomination of federal lists of candidates under the circumstances mentioned in Part 11, Article 44 and Part 5, Article 49 of this Federal Law the maximum limit of all expenditures from the electoral fund of the political party which previously registered a federal list of candidates and from the electoral fund of the regional branch of this political party shall be increased 1.5 times.

Article 65. Special Electoral Accounts

1. The political party which nominated a federal list of candidates shall open a special electoral account for the formation of its electoral fund after it receives a copy of the federal list of candidates certified by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.

2. Given the permission of the leading body of the political party duly authorized by the rules of the party the regional branch of the political party may open a special electoral account for the formation of its electoral fund in the subject of the Russian Federation in which it is registered in accordance with the federal law. It may do so upon presentation to the election commission of the subject of the Russian Federation of the list of candidates certified by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.

3. At the branch of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation, designated for the political party by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, a special electoral account shall be opened for the regional branch of the political party by the election commission of the subject of the Russian Federation. The political party, its regional branch may each open only one special electoral account.

4. Immediately upon presentation of the documents required by, and executed in accordance with, this Federal Law the branch of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation shall, without delay, open a special electoral account for the political party, its regional branch. The bank shall not charge any fee for opening and servicing a special electoral account and shall not pay any interest for the use of the funds kept therein. All sums deposited in a special electoral account shall be in the Russian Federation currency.

5. The political party shall open a special electoral account on the basis of a document, issued by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, within three days of certification of its federal list of candidates and the registration of the authorized representatives of the political party for financial matters. The regional branch of the political party shall open a special electoral account on the basis of a document issued by the election commission of the subject of the of the Russian Federation, within three days of presentation to the election commission of the subject of the Russian Federation of a copy of the certified federal list of candidates, a copy of the certified list of the authorized representatives of the political party’s regional branch for financial matters and the registration of these authorized representatives.

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

6. All financial operations through a special electoral account, other than the return of unexpended sums to the electoral fund and crediting to this account of sums paid before voting day shall be discontinued on voting day. If the political party failed to submit to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation the documents required for the registration of its federal list of candidates in accordance with the procedure established by this Federal Law or if registration of this federal list of candidates was refused or if the political party recalled its federal list of candidates and also if the registration of this federal list of candidates was cancelled or annulled, all financial operations through the special electoral account shall be discontinued by the branch of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation on the instruction of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.

7. Save as otherwise provided by Part 6 of this article all financial operations through the special electoral account of the regional branch of a political party shall be discontinued if the relevant regional group of candidates (or all regional groups of candidates if several such groups correspond to the subject of the Russian Federation) is (are) removed from the federal list of candidates. Financial operations shall be discontinued by the branch of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation on the instruction of the election commission of the subject of the Russian Federation.

8. Withdrawal of funds from the special electoral account of the regional branch of a political party may be suspended (discontinued) on the instruction of the election commission of the subject of the Russian Federation based on a decision of the leading body of the political party authorized to take such decisions by the congress of the political party.

9. Based on an application of the political party or its regional branch the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation or the election commission of the subject of the Russian Federation, respectively, may extend the period for the performance of financial operations involving payments for the work, services and goods (performed, acquired) before the date on which financial operations through the relevant special electoral account are to be discontinued (suspended).

10. The special electoral account shall be closed by the political party, its regional branch before the day on which they submit a final financial report.

11. The procedure for opening, maintaining and closing special electoral accounts shall be established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation with the concurrence of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation.

Article 66. Electoral Deposit

1. Within five days of the day of the official publication of the decision to call the election of deputies of the State Duma the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall request a branch of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation to open a special account to accept electoral deposits from political parties which nominated federal lists of candidates. Within five days of receipt of the request the branch of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation shall open a special account for the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. No fee shall be charged for opening and operating this account and no interest shall accrue and be paid on the funds kept therein. Branches of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation shall remit funds paid as electoral deposits not later than the next banking day after receipt of an appropriate payment order. The time for processing a non-cash payment shall not exceed two banking days.

2. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall make the details of its special account for the payment of an electoral deposit known to the political party when it certifies the party’s federal list of candidates but not earlier than the date when this account is opened or, if the account was not yet opened by that time, immediately after its opening.

3. An electoral deposit shall be equal to 15 percent of the maximum limit of all expenditures from an electoral fund established by Part 3, Article 64 of this Federal Law.

4. The political party shall pay an electoral deposit exclusively from its electoral fund, fully and in a lump sum, into the special account of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation mentioned in Part 1 of this article not earlier than 75 days and not later than 45 days before voting day. When paying an electoral deposit the political party shall indicate the purpose of the payment and also the name of the political party. An electoral deposit may be paid for a second time only if the documents required for the registration of a federal list of candidates are submitted for a second time. The political party may pay an electoral deposit out of the sums of money which were contributed to its electoral fund with and without a proviso that the money is to be used for the payment of an electoral deposit. If an electoral deposit is paid out of the sums contributed with a proviso that they are to be used for paying an electoral deposit, the political party shall, when remitting an electoral deposit to the special account of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, inform the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation in writing about the source (sources) from which these sums were received to the special electoral fund: for a natural person – the surname, first name, patronymic and the date of birth, for a legal entity: the corporate name and the taxpayer’s identification number.

5. Citizens and/or legal entities paying (contributing) money to the electoral fund of the political party may indicate that the whole sum or the specified part thereof is intended for the payment of an electoral deposit. In this case, the political party shall not use this money for purposes other than the payment of an electoral deposit. If this sum or a part thereof was not used for the payment of an electoral deposit, the political party shall return it (less postal charges) to the relevant citizens and legal entities not later than 10 days after the expiry of the period for submission of documents for the registration of a federal list of candidates.

6. If the political party paid an electoral deposit into the special account of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation in a larger amount than established by Part 3 of this article, the excess amount shall be returned by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation to the electoral fund of the political party not later than 10 days from the day on which this sum was received to the special account.

7. The received sums shall be returned by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation to the electoral fund of the political party within 20 days of their receipt to the special account of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation in the following cases:

(1) the sum paid as an electoral deposit is smaller than established by Part 3 of this article;

(2) the electoral deposit was paid after the expiry of the period within which the documents are to be filed for the registration of federal lists of candidates;

(3) the electoral deposit was paid out of sums contributed to an electoral fund in violation of the requirements of this Federal Law;

(4) sums were paid as an electoral deposit into the special account of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation without presentation of a copy of the relevant payment document endorsed by a branch of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation;

(5) sums were paid as an electoral deposit into the special account of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation after submission of signature sheets and other documents required for the registration of a federal list of candidates.

8. If the political party decides to recall a federal list of candidates (save as otherwise provided by Part 6, Article 49 of this Federal Law) the electoral deposit shall be returned by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation to the electoral fund of the political party within 10 days of the day on which the political party notifies the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation of its decision.

9. If, according to the vote returns, the federal list of candidates received not less than 4 percent of the total vote or was included in the distribution of deputy seats, the electoral deposit paid by the political party which nominated such federal list of candidates shall be returned to the electoral fund of this political party by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation within five days of the day of the official publication of the results of the election of deputies of the State Duma.

10. An electoral deposit that is not to be returned in accordance with Parts 7 - 9 of this article shall be transferred by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation to the federal budget within 60 days of voting day.

11. Within 10 days of the day on which an electoral deposit was returned to the special electoral account of the political party by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, this political party shall return the sums (less postal charges), which were contributed to the electoral fund for the payment of the electoral deposit, to the citizens and/or legal entities who/which contributed these sums. The remainder of this electoral deposit (if any) shall be included in the unexpended resources of the electoral fund of this political party.

12. The branches of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation shall transfer electoral deposits to the federal budget or shall return them (return the sums remitted as an electoral deposit) to the electoral funds by the decision of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation which shall not use these sums in any manner other than that established by this article.

Article 67. Voluntary Donations to the Electoral Fund

1. Voluntary donations of a citizen of the Russian Federation to an electoral fund shall be paid through a post office or credit institution by the citizen himself, out of his own funds, upon production of the passport or an equivalent identity document. In the payment order the citizen making a donation shall indicate the following information about himself: the surname, first name and patronymic, date of birth, residence address, series and number of the passport or an equivalent identity document, citizenship.

2. Voluntary donations of legal entities to an electoral fund shall be made by means of non-cash transfers to a special electoral account. In the payment order the legal entity making a donation shall indicate the following information about itself: the taxpayers identification number, corporate name, date of the registration, bank details, note about the absence of the restrictions imposed by Part 7, Article 64 of this Federal Law.

3. Voluntary donations to an electoral fund shall be transferred (credited) to a special electoral account by post offices and credit institutions not later than the next banking day after receipt of the payment order. The time for processing a non-cash payment shall not exceed two banking days within a subject of the Russian Federation and five banking days within the Russian Federation.

4. The political party which nominated a federal list of candidates, its regional branch may return any donation, with the exception of anonymous ones, to donors. If a voluntary donation was made to an electoral fund from citizens or legal entities who/which have no right to make such donations or if it was made in violation of the provisions of Parts 1 and 2 of this article or in an amount exceeding the maximum limit established by Article 64 of this Federal Law, the political party, its regional branch shall, within 10 days of receipt of the donation to the special electoral account, return it to the donor fully or in an amount exceeding the maximum limit of donations (less postal charges), indicating the reasons for the return. The political party, its regional branch shall not be held responsible for acceptance of donations from donors who/which indicated wrong information required under Part 1 or 2 of this article, if the political party, its regional branch were not informed of the impropriety of these donations in due time.

5. Anonymous donations made to an electoral fund shall be transferred to the federal budget within 10 days of their receipt to a special electoral account.

6. Citizens and legal entities may render financial assistance to the political party only through electoral funds. No paid work shall be performed, goods sold, paid services rendered if they are directly or indirectly related to, and used for, achieving a definite result in the election of deputies of the State Duma, without a written consent of the authorized representatives of the political party for financial matters, the authorized representative of the political party’s regional branch for financial matters and without proper payment being made therefor from the relevant electoral fund. Settlements between the political party, its regional branch and the legal entity for such work (services), such goods shall be made only by means of non-cash transfers.

7. Legal entities, their branches, representative offices and other divisions shall not, free of charge or at unreasonably low (high) rates, perform any work, sell goods, render any services directly or indirectly related to, and used for, achieving a definite result in the election of deputies of the State Duma. Material support intended for achieving a definite election result may be provided for the political party only if such support is paid for from the relevant electoral fund.

8. A citizen may, free of charge, voluntarily perform work (render services) for the political party, its regional branch in the course of an election campaign without involvement of third persons.

Article 68. Electoral Fund Reporting. Publication of Information About Consolidated Financial Reports of Political Parties

1. The political party which nominated a federal list of candidates and its regional branch, which formed electoral funds, shall keep accounting records for the sums received to and expended from their electoral funds. The rules and forms of the accounting to be maintained and reports to be filed by the political party, its regional branch in respect of the sums received to and expended from the electoral funds shall be approved by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.

2. The political party shall file the following financial reports with the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation:

(1) the first financial report - when the documents required for the registration of a federal list of candidates are submitted as prescribed by this Federal Law. The report shall be drawn up as of the date not more than five days before the date when the report is submitted;

(2) the final financial report - not later than 30 days after the day of the official publication of the results of the election of deputies of the State Duma. The final financial report shall be filed together with the primary financial documents confirming sums received to and expended from the special electoral account of the political party, the information about the account balance and/or the closure of the account, the materials mentioned in Part 5, Article 61 of this Federal Law or the copies thereof.

3. The political party’s regional branch which has formed an electoral fund shall file the final financial report with the election commission of the subject of the Russian Federation not later than 30 days after the day of the official publication of the results of the election of deputies of the State Duma. The final report shall be filed together with the primary financial documents confirming sums received to and expended from the special electoral account of the regional branch of the political party, the information about the account balance and/or the closure of the account, the materials mentioned in Part 5, Article 61 of this Federal Law or the copies thereof.

4. The list of primary financial documents to be appended to the final financial report of the political party, its regional branch shall be determined by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.

5. The obligation to file the financial report of the political party, its regional branch shall be borne, respectively, by the authorized representative of the political party for financial matters, the authorized representative of the political party’s regional branch for financial matters.

6. The respective election commissions shall furnish the copies of the financial reports mentioned in Parts 2 and 3 of this article to the mass media and shall publish them in the Internet within five days of their receipt. The national state print media, the regional state print media shall publish the financial reports, received from, respectively, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, the election commissions of the subjects of the Russian Federation, within three days of their receipt.

7. At least once a week or, less than ten days before voting day, at least once every three banking days, the branches of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation shall furnish to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, the election commission of the subject of the Russian Federation the information concerning the sums received to and expended from the special electoral accounts according to the forms established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. For this purpose use may be made of GAS “Vybory.”

8. Periodically, but at least once every two weeks before voting day, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, the election commission of the subject of the Russian Federation shall furnish the information about sums received to and expended from the special electoral accounts to the mass media for the publication of this information. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, the election commission of the subject of the Russian Federation shall disclose the information supplied by the branches of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation about the sums received to and expended from the special electoral accounts to, respectively, the authorized representatives of the political party for financial matters, the authorized representatives of the political party’s regional branch for financial matters and to the mass media upon their official requests. Upon the request of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and the election commission of the subject of the Russian Federation (and, with regard to the respective electoral fund, also upon the request of the authorized representative of the political party for financial matters, the authorized representative of the political party’s regional branch for financial matters) the branches of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation shall, within three days or, three days before voting day - immediately, furnish certified copies of primary financial documents confirming sums received to and expended from the special electoral accounts.

9. Within 10 days of receipt of a relevant request from the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, the federal body of executive power exercising supervision and control in the field of taxes and levies shall submit the following documents which this body has at its disposal:

(1) copies of the consolidated financial reports of the political parties which registered federal lists of candidates for four accounting years preceding the year of the election of deputies of the State Duma. If the political party was registered less than four years before the election year, such reports shall be submitted for the period which commences from the year of the registration of the political party and ends in the year preceding the election year;

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

(2) information about audits of the consolidated financial reports of the political parties mentioned in Part 1 of this article, including information about financial infractions committed by these political parties.

10. The national state print media and the regional state print media shall publish the information furnished to them by, respectively, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, the election commissions of the subjects of the Russian Federation about the sums received to and expended from the special electoral accounts as well the information from the consolidated financial reports of the political parties, which registered federal lists of candidates, for four accounting years preceding the election of deputies of the State Duma or, if the political party was registered less than four years before the year of the election, for the period which commences from the year of the registration of the political party and ends in the year preceding the election year. The following information shall be subject to mandatory publication:

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

(1) information about financial operations which involve expenditure of money from the electoral fund (the resources of a political party) in an amount exceeding 800 thousand rubles for a political party and 100 thousand rubles for its regional branch;

(2) information about the legal entities which contributed voluntary donations to the electoral fund (to the account of a political party) in the amount exceeding 400 thousand rubles for a political party and 50 thousand rubles for its regional branch;

(3) information about the number of citizens who contributed voluntary donations to the electoral fund (to the account of a political party) in the amount exceeding 40 thousand rubles for a political party and 20 thousand rubles for its regional branch;

(4) information about the sums returned to donors from the electoral fund (from the account of a political party) and the reasons for the return;

(5) information about the total amount of money received to the electoral fund (to the account of a political party) and the total amount of money expended therefrom.

The provisions of Part 11, Article 68 as amended by Federal Law No. 274-FZ of December 30, 2006 shall not apply to legal relationships arising in connection with the conduct of elections announced before the day of the entry into force of the said Federal Law (Federal Law No. 274-FZ of December 30, 2006).

11. Within five days of receipt of a request from the relevant election commission the bodies in charge or the registration of citizens of the Russian Federation at the place of their stay and residence within the Russian Federation, bodies of executive power in charge of the state registration of legal entities or authorized to register non-profit organizations shall, free of charge, verify the information indicated by citizens and legal entities when they were making voluntary donations to electoral funds and shall inform the given election commission of the results of such verification. This information shall be submitted according to the forms established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. In this case, use may be made of GAS “Vybory.” If the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, the election commissions of the subjects of the Russian Federation receive information about voluntary donations made in violation of the requirements of Part 7, Article 64 of this Federal Law, this information shall be promptly made known by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, the election commissions of the subjects of the Russian Federation to the political parties concerned and to their regional branches.

(as amended by Federal Law No. 274-FZ of December 30, 2006)

Article 69. Return of Money by Political Parties, Their Regional Branches

1. After voting day, prior to filing the final financial report, the political party which registered a federal list of candidates, its regional branch (the political party which paid an electoral deposit - not before the electoral deposit is returned by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation) shall return unexpended sums remaining in their special electoral account to citizens and/or legal entities who/which made voluntary donations or transfers to their electoral funds, in proportion to the contributed amounts (less postal charges). Electoral deposits shall be returned in accordance with the procedure set forth in Article 66 of this Federal Law.

2. After the expiry of 60 days from voting day, the branches of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation shall, on the written instruction of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation or the relevant election commission of the subject of the Russian Federation, transfer the sums remaining in special electoral accounts to the federal budget.

3. The political party whose federal list of candidates received less than 3 percent of the vote according to the vote returns and was not included in the distribution of deputy seats, the political party which nominated a federal list of candidates whose registration was cancelled or annulled, save the annulment of the registration of a federal list of candidates recalled by the political party because of compelling circumstances, shall fully compensate the state TV and radio broadcasting organizations and the state print media for the cost of free air time and free print space provided to them (including their regional branches).

4. The obligations of the political parties set forth in Parts 1 and 3 of this article shall arise from the day of the official publication of the results of the election of deputies of the State Duma.

5. Within three days of the day of the official publication of the results of the election of deputies of the State Duma, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall deliver to the state TV and radio broadcasting organizations and the state print media the list of the political parties falling within Part 3 of this article, along with their legal addresses.

6. Within ten days of the day of the official publication of the results of the election of deputies of State Duma, the state TV and radio broadcasting organizations and the state print media shall inform each political party falling within Part 3 of this article about the amount and cost of the free air time and free print space which were provided to them, and about the legal addresses and bank details of these organizations and print media.

7. The cost of the free air time and free print space in print media shall be determined by multiplying the amount of air time and print space, provided to political parties in accordance with Parts 1 – 10 of Article 58, Parts 1 – 3 of Article 59 of this Federal Law, by the rates charged for air time and print space, as fixed and published by the state TV and radio broadcasting organizations and the state print media in accordance with Part 11, Article 57 of this Federal Law. If free air time was used for participation in joint campaigning events mentioned in Part 4, Article 58 of this Federal Law, the sums to be paid by each political party falling within Part 3 of this article shall be determined by the state TV and radio broadcasting organizations in equal parts in proportion to the total number of the participants (political parties or regional groups of candidates) in each of these joint campaigning events for which free air time was provided to the political party or the regional group of candidates. No compensation shall be paid for the provided free air time and print space if the political party or the regional group of candidates refused to use such air time and print space in accordance with the procedure and at the time specified by Parts 7 and 17, Article 58 and Part 9, Article 59 of this Federal Law.

8. The cost of free air time and free print space shall be paid in accordance with Part 3 of this article out of the political party’s own financial resources.

9. The political party which falls within Part 3 of this article may compensate the state TV and radio broadcasting organizations and the state print media for the cost of the provided free air time and free print space within 12 months of the day of the official publication of the results of the election of deputies of the State Duma, unless a longer period is specified in the contract for provision of free air time, free print space concluded by such political party, its regional branch with the state TV and radio broadcasting organization, state print media outlet.

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

10. If the obligations under the contract mentioned in Part 9 of this article are not performed, the state TV and radio broadcasting organization, the state print media outlet may collect the cost of free air time, free print space through a court.

11. Not later than 13 months from the day of the official publication of the results of the election of deputies of the State Duma, the national state TV and radio broadcasting organizations and the national state print media, the regional state TV and radio broadcasting organizations and the regional state print media shall inform, respectively, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, the election commissions of the subjects of the Russian Federation about the political parties falling within Part 3 of this article and the regional branches of these political parties, which failed to make full payment for the cost of the provided free air time and free print space and about the collection of outstanding amounts through a court.

12. Within 10 days of the day of the official publication of the decision to call the election of deputies of the State Duma the national state TV and radio broadcasting organizations and the national state pint media, the regional state TV and radio broadcasting organizations and the regional state pint media shall furnish to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, the election commissions of the subjects of the Russian Federation the information about the sums owed to them by the political parties mentioned in Part 2, Article 57 of this Federal Law and the information about collection of such outstanding sums through a court.

13. Based on the information furnished in accordance with Part 12 of this article the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall make up the list of political parties falling within Part 2, Article 57 of this Federal Law. This list shall be presented to the editorial offices of the mass media.

Article 70. Funding of Election Commissions

1. The funds allocated from the federal budget for the preparation and conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma, financial support of the activity of the election commissions, use and operation of automation facilities, legal education of voters and training of election officials shall be used by the election commissions at their discretion for the purposes defined by this Federal Law.

2. The allocations from the federal budget shall be used to finance the expenditures of the election commissions incidental to:

(1) additional labor remuneration for voting members and the staff of election commissions, payment of the compensation to voting members of election commissions relieved from their main job for the period of the preparation and conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma and payments to citizens who work in election commissions under civil-law contracts and to specialists assigned to the supervisory-auditing services of election commissions;

(2) production of printed materials and publishing activity;

(3) acquisition, delivery and installation of the equipment (including technological equipment), other tangible assets required for the preparation and conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma and the activity of election commissions;

(4) payment of travel expenses, including expenses on the organization of voting in hard-to-reach and remote areas;

(5) delivery and safekeeping of electoral documents, their preparation for the transfer to archives and their disposal;

(6) business trips and other purposes connected with the preparation and conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma and the activity of election commissions.

(7) use and operation of automation facilities, legal education of voters and training of election officials.

3. Additional remuneration may be paid to voting members of an election commission for the service on the election commission during the period of the preparation and conduct of the election of deputies of State Duma. A voting member of an election commission relieved from his main job for this period upon the request of the election commission shall retain his main job (position) and shall be paid compensation for the period during which he was relieved from the main job. The compensation and additional labor remuneration shall be paid from and within the limits of the funds allocated from the federal budget for the preparation and conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma, in the amount and according to the procedure established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.

4. Labor remuneration of voting members of an election commission working on a permanent (staff) basis and of members of the staff of an election commission shall be paid within the limits of funds allocated from the federal budget for the preparation and conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma, in the amount and according to the procedure established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.

5. Not later than 10 days after voting day, the precinct election commission shall submit to the territorial election commission a report on the receipt and expenditure of federal budget funds allocated to the given precinct election commission for the preparation and conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma. Not later than 20 days after voting day, the territorial election commission shall submit to the election commission of the subject of the Russian Federation a report on the receipt and expenditure of federal budget funds allocated to the given territorial election commission for the preparation and conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma.

6. Not later than 50 days after the day of the official publication of the results of the election of deputies of the State Duma, the election commission of the subject of the Russian Federation shall submit to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation a report on the receipt and expenditure of federal budget funds allocated to the election commission of the subject of the Russian Federation for the preparation and conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma and, if the regional branches of political parties formed electoral funds, also the information about the sums received to and expended from these funds.

7. Not later than three months after the day of the official publication of the results of the election of deputies of the State Duma, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall submit to the chambers of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation a report on the expenditure of federal budget funds allocated for the preparation and conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma and the information about the sums received to and expended from the electoral funds. This report and this information shall be published by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation in its official bulletin and shall be made available to the other mass media for publication within one month of their submission to the chambers of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation.

Article 71. Supervisory-Auditing Services of Election Commissions

1. Supervisory-auditing services shall be organized in the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and the election commissions of the subjects of the Russian Federation to exercise control over the proper use of the funds allocated from the federal budget for the preparation and conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma; monitor the sources of contributions to the electoral funds; make arrangements for keeping records of the resources of these funds and their use; audit the financial reports of the political parties, which nominated federal lists of candidates, and their regional branches which formed electoral funds; make arrangements for verifying the information presented by candidates about their income and property and the sources of this income.

2. The supervisory-auditing service shall be formed with the involvement of specialists (including executives) of state bodies, other bodies and organizations, including the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation, the regional branches (national banks) of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation in the subjects of the Russian Federation. Upon the request of the relevant election commission these bodies shall, not later than a month after the day of the official publication of the decision to call the election of deputies of the State Duma, assign specialists to the election commissions for a period of not less than five months.

3. For the period of their work in the supervisory-auditing service the specialists mentioned in Part 2 of this article shall be relieved from their main job but shall keep this job (position) and continue to receive the salary and other allowances at the place of their main employment. These specialists may also be paid remuneration from the funds allocated from the state budget for the preparation and conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma.

4. The statute of the supervisory-auditing service shall be approved by the relevant election commission. The organizational, legal and logistical support of the supervisory-auditing service shall be provided by the election commission.

5. During the conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma the supervisory-auditing service, acting upon the request of the election commission, shall:

(1) audit financial reports of the political parties, their regional branches which formed electoral funds, lower-level election commissions;

(2) organize verification of the information submitted by candidates about their property, income and its sources, monetary deposits, securities, including shares of stock, and other forms of participation of candidates in the capital of commercial organizations, the property located outside the territory of the Russian Federation, including such property under trust management;

(3) monitor compliance of the political parties, their regional branches with the rules established for funding election campaigning and other activities directly related to the elections;

(4) request and receive information from political parties, their regional branches and also from election commissions concerning all matters within the scope of its competence;

(5) make applications to the federal bodies of executive power, other state bodies, organizations of all forms of ownership and to citizens on the matters within the scope of its competence; request the necessary information and documents relating to the financial support of the elections. Responses to the applications of the supervisory-auditing service and the requested documents shall be provided within ten days or, during five and less days before voting day and on voting day - immediately;

(6) prepare documents recording infractions committed in election funding;

(7) request the relevant election commission to call to account the political parties, their regional branches as well as citizens and legal entities for the infractions committed by them in funding the election campaign;

(8) involve experts in audits and in the preparation of auditors’ reports and expert assessments.

6. When exercising its powers the supervisory-auditing service may use GAS “Vybory.”