Home > 1.4 Secret suffrage > ESTONIA – Local Government Council Election Act
 
 
 
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Article 1
 

§ 1. Bases of election system

(1) Members of local government councils shall be elected in free elections on the basis of a general, uniform and direct right to vote, by secret ballot.

(2) Voting in local government council elections shall be held in the territory of the corresponding local government unless otherwise provided by law.

(3) A local government council shall be elected for a term of three years, except in the case provided for in subsection 12 (4) of this Act. (10.06.98 entered into force 06.07.98 – RT I 1998, 57, 864)

§ 1 1 . Supplementary elections

(1) If the number of members of a local government council falls to or below the minimum necessary for operation provided for in subsection 45 (5) of the Local Government Organisation Act (RT I 1993, 37, 558; 1994, 12, 200; 19, 340; 72, 1263; 84, 1475; 1995, 16, 228; 17, 237; 23, 334; 26-28, 355; 59, 1006; 97, 1664; 1996, 36, 738; 37, 739; 40, 773; 48, 942; 89, 1591; 1997, 13, 210; 29, 449 and 450; 69, 1113; 1998, 28, 356; 59, 941; 61, 984; 1999, 10, 155; 27, 392; 29, 401), supplementary elections shall be held for the election of unfilled positions in the membership of the council.

(2) The chairman or deputy chairman of the council or, in their absence, the rural municipality mayor or city mayor shall notify the county governor of the circumstances specified in subsection (1) of this section within three days.

(3) A county governor shall declare supplementary elections by his or her order with the approval of the National Election Committee within ten days after receipt of the notice specified in subsection (2) of this section. The elections shall be held not earlier than on the thirtieth day and not later than on the ninetieth day after the elections are declared. An order of a county governor shall be published as public information within three days after the date of signing the order.

(4) The authority of members of local government councils elected at supplementary elections shall terminate at the same time as the authority of members of the councils elected at regular elections.

(25.02.98 entered into force 30.03.98 – RT I 1998, 28, 356)

§ 1 2 . Elections due to merger of local governments

(1) Upon the merger of local governments, the elections of the council of the local government formed by the merger shall be organised.

(2) A county governor shall declare the elections of the council of a local government formed by merger by his or her order with the approval of the National Election Committee within ten days after entry into force of a regulation of the Government of the Republic on alteration of administrative-territorial organisation. An order of a county governor shall be published as public information within three days after the date of signing the order.

(3) The authority of the new membership of the council and its members shall commence and the authority of the merged councils of local governments shall terminate on the date of announcement of election results.

(25.02.98 entered into force 30.03.98 – RT I 1998, 28, 356)

(4) The authority of the new membership of the council and its members shall terminate together with the authority of all other local government councils and their members on the date of announcement of the results of the next regular elections.

(10.06.98 entered into force 06.07.98 – RT I 1998, 57, 864)