Home > 2 Organising the elections > RUSSIAN FEDERATION - Federal Law on Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum
 
 
 
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Article 21
 

1. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall be a federal state body organizing the preparation and conduct of elections, referendums in the Russian Federation in accordance with its powers established by this Federal Law, other federal laws.


2. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall operate on a permanent basis and shall be a legal entity.


3. The term of powers of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall be five years. If the term of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation expires in the period of an election campaign, in the period between the announcement of a referendum of the Russian Federation and the end of the referendum campaign organized by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, the term of powers of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall be extended until the end of the election campaign, referendum campaign.


(in the version of Federal Law of June 4, 2010, # 117-FZ).


4. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall consist of fifteen members. Five members of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall be appointed by the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation from among the candidates proposed by the factions, other associations of deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, or by individual deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation. Each association of deputies in the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation may appoint not more than one representative. Five members of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall be appointed by the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation from among the candidates nominated by the legislative (representative) bodies of state power of subjects of Russian Federation and top executives of subjects of the Russian Federation (the heads of the highest executive bodies of state power of subjects of the Russian Federation). Five members of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall be appointed by the President of the Russian Federation.


5. Members of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation must have a professional education.


(Section 5 in the version of Federal Law of January 30, 2007, # 6-FZ).


6. Members of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall organize work in specific areas of activity of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation defined by the Rules of Procedure of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, and shall bear responsibility for the results of work in the said areas.


7. Members of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall elect from among their members and by secret ballot the Chairman of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, the Deputy Chairman of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and the Secretary of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.


8. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall act as an election commission organizing elections of federal bodies of state power, and as a referendum commission organizing referendums of the Russian Federation.


9. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall:


ɚ) exercise control over the observance of the electoral rights of citizens of the Russian Federation and the right of citizens to participate in a referendum;


b) develop standard quotas for technological equipment (voting booths, voting boxes) for precinct commissions, approve these standard quotas, and exercise control over observance thereof, and arrange for the placement of orders for manufacturing of such technological equipment during elections to the federal bodies of state power / referendum of the Russian Federation


(in the version of Federal Law of July 21, 2005, # 93-FZ).


c) ensure the implementation of measures related to the preparation and conduct of elections, referendums, improvement of the electoral system in the Russian Federation; introduction, operation, and improvement of means of automation, legal education of voters, professional training of commission members, and other individuals involved in organization of elections, referendums, publication of required printed materials;


5. Members of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation must have a professional education. (Section 5 in the version of Federal Law of January 30, 2007, # 6-FZ).


6. Members of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall organize work in specific areas of activity of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation defined by the Rules of Procedure of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, and shall bear responsibility for the results of work in the said areas.


7. Members of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall elect from among their members and by secret ballot the Chairman of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, the Deputy Chairman of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and the Secretary of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.


8. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall act as an election commission organizing elections of federal bodies of state power, and as a referendum commission organizing referendums of the Russian Federation.


9. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall:


ɚ) exercise control over the observance of the electoral rights of citizens of the Russian Federation and the right of citizens to participate in a referendum;


b) develop standard quotas for technological equipment (voting booths, voting boxes) for precinct commissions, approve these standard quotas, and exercise control over observance thereof, and arrange for the placement of orders for manufacturing of such technological equipment during elections to the federal bodies of state power / referendum of the Russian Federation


(in the version of Federal Law of July 21, 2005, # 93-FZ).


c) ensure the implementation of measures related to the preparation and conduct of elections, referendums, improvement of the electoral system in the Russian Federation; introduction, operation, and improvement of means of automation, legal education of voters, professional training of commission members, and other individuals involved in organization of elections, referendums, publication of required printed materials;


d) implement measures aimed at ensuring a uniform procedure for allocation of air time and space in print media to registered candidates, electoral associations, for the purposes of election campaigning, to the referendum initiative group and other groups of referendum participants for the purposes of campaigning on questions of the referendum, determination of the vote returns, establishment of the results of elections, referendums, as well as ensuring the procedure for publication (release) of the vote returns, the results of elections, referendums, including the Internet information and telecommunications network;


(in the version of Federal Laws of July 21, 2005, # 93-FZ, of July 11, 2011, # 200-FZ).


e) implement measures aimed at arranging for the funding of the preparation and conduct of elections, referendums; distribute the funds allocated from the federal budget as financial support to the preparation and conduct of elections, referendums; control the proper use of the above funds;


f) render legal, methodological, organizational, and technical support to commissions;


g) implement international cooperation in the field of electoral systems;


h) hear the information of federal bodies of executive power, executive bodies of subjects of the Russian Federation and bodies of local self-government on issues related to the preparation and conduct of elections of federal bodies of state power and referendums of the Russian Federation;


i) set standards by which lists of voters, referendum participants and other electoral documents and documents related to the preparation and conduct of referendums are to be produced;


j) consider appeals (grievances) against decisions and actions (omissions) of lower commissions, and take reasoned decisions on such appeals (grievances); k) exercise other powers in accordance with this Federal Law, other federal laws.


10. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall consider appeals against decisions and actions (omissions) of the election commissions of subjects of the Russian Federation and officials thereof violating the electoral rights of citizens and the right of citizens to participate in referendums at elections of bodies of state power of subjects of the Russian Federation, referendums of subjects of the Russian Federation, elections of bodies of local self-government, local referendums in accordance with Section 7, Article 75 of this Federal Law.


11. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall, within the limits of the funds allocated to it under the federal law on the federal budget for the relevant fiscal year in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation, determine the amount of and set the procedure for compensation of workers of institutions and organizations established to support its operation.


12. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, together with election commissions of subjects of the Russian Federation, together with the federal bodies of executive power and bodies of executive power of subjects of the Russian Federation, bodies of local self-government and officials of bodies of local selfgovernment shall organize a state system of registration of voters, referendum participants and take part in the implementation of registration of voters/ referendum participants, in particular, establishes and maintains the register of voters/ referendum participants.


(Section 12 in the version of Federal Law of July 21, 2005, # 93-FZ).


121. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall, together with election commissions of subjects of the Russian Federation, verify consolidated financial reports and information on receipt and spending of funds of political parties, supervise the sources of and amount of the property received by political parties in the form of entrance fees and memberships, donations of individuals and legal entities, and notify citizens of results of these audits.


(Section 121 was introduced by Federal Law of July 21, 2005, # 93-FZ).


13. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, within the scope of its competence, shall be entitled to issue binding instructions related to the uniform application of this Federal Law.


14. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall be entitled to issue conclusions on compliance of laws and other regulations of subjects of the Russian Federation with this Federal Law and other federal laws that govern the electoral rights of citizens of the Russian Federation and their right to participate in a referendum.


15. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall have its official printed bulletin.