Home > 1.3.2.2 Voting procedures > RUSSIAN FEDERATION - Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens to Participate in a Referendum
 
 
 
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Article 3
 

Principles of Conducting Elections and Referendums in the Russian Federation 1. A citizen of the Russian Federation shall participate atparticipate in elections on the basis of universal, equal and direct suffrage by with secret ballot. 2. A citizen of the Russian Federation shall participate in a referendum on the basis of universal, equal and direct expression of will by secret ballot. 3. Participation of a citizen of the Russian Federation at in elections and referendums shall be free and voluntary. No one shall compel a citizen of the Russian Federation to participate or not to participate in elections and referendums or shall prevent free expression of his will. 4. A citizen of the Russian Federation residing abroad shall have all electoral rights at elections to elections of federal bodies of state power and the full right to participate in a referendum. Diplomatic and consular missions of the Russian Federation shall render assistance to citizens of the Russian Federation in the implementation of his their electoral rights at elections to elections of federal bodies of state power and the right to participate in a referendum of the Russian Federation set forthestablished by this Federal Law or other federal laws. 5. When preparing and holding elections, a referendum, counting votes and tabulating determining vote returns, determining establishing the election results, referendum results, election commissions, referendum commissions shall act openly and publicly. 6. Foreign citizens, except as otherwise provided in Clause 10, Article 4 of this Federal Law, stateless persons, foreign legal entities shall not be engaged in activities which help or impede the nomination of candidates (lists of candidates), election of registered candidates, putting forth an initiative of holding a referendum, conduct of a referendum, and achievement of a certain result at an election or a referendum. 7. Elections and referendums shall be organized and conducted by commissions. Interference in the operation of such commissions by legislative (representative), or executive bodies of state power, bodies of local self-government, any organizations, officials, or any other persons shall not be allowed.