Home > 1.3.2.1 Ballots and election material > RUSSIAN FEDERATION - Federal Law on Presidential Elections in the Russian Federation
 
 
 
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Article 68
 

(as amended by Federal Law No. 263-FZ of October 4, 2010)
1. An absentee ballot shall be a document of strict accountability. Absentee ballots shall have a detachable coupon and be made in the form provided by annex 3 to Federal Law on Basic Guarantees of Voting Rights and the Right to Take Part in a Referendum Belonging to the Russian Federation Citizens. The text of an absentee ballot, the quantity of absentee ballot shall be approved by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation not later than 60 days before voting day. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall also determine methods of protection of absentee ballots from production falsification.


2. For the purpose of protection of absentee ballots from production falsification paper with watermarks and/or an inscription made in microfont by printing shop and/or a protective grid and/or other special protection components shall be used.


3. Orders for printing absentee ballots shall be placed by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation based on its resolution.


4. Absentee ballots shall be transferred by a superior election commission to subordinated election commissions on the basis of a resolution of the superior election commission on distribution of absentee ballots among subordinated election commissions in the manner set forth for the transfer of ballots. Responsibility for the delivery and security of absentee ballots shall be borne by chairmen of election commissions which deliver, receive and keep absentee ballots.


5. A voter unable to come to the polling station of the electoral precinct where he is included in the voters list may obtain an absentee ballot (in the event of the repeat voting — an absentee ballot without a detachable coupon) from a territorial election commission (45-20 days before voting day), or from a precinct election commission (19 or less days before voting day and in the period from the day on which the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation declares the repeat voting to the day preceding the day of the repeat voting) and take part in the voting in the electoral precinct at the place where he will be staying on voting day.


6. On the basis of a written application of a voter indicating the reasons why he needs an absentee ballot the relevant election commission shall issue an absentee ballot either to the voter personally or to his representative on the basis of a notarized power of attorney. A power of attorney may also be certified by the administration of a hospital (if a voter is undergoing medical treatment at this hospital), by the administration of an institution where persons suspected of or charged with commission of a crime are kept in custody (if a voter is held in this institution as a person suspected of or charged with commission of a crime).


7. The chairman, deputy chairman, secretary or any other member of an election commission having the right of casting vote who issues an absentee ballot shall specify in the absentee ballot surname, first name and patronymic name of the voter, series and number of his passport or a substituting document, number of the voting precinct where the voter is included in the voters list, address of the precinct election commission, name of the municipality and subject of the Russian Federation in the territory of which the voting precinct is located, name of the election commission issued the absentee ballot as well as his surname and initials, date of issue of the absentee ballot and shall sign the absentee ballot and affix the stamp of the relevant election commission.


8. A territorial election commission shall issue an absentee ballot to a voter or his representative on the basis of the voter’s data provided to the territorial election commission in accordance with clause 7 of Article 26 of this Federal Law. A territorial election commission shall keep a register of issued absentee ballots, indicating the surname, first name and patronymic name of the voter, year of birth (for voters of 18 years old — also the date and month of birth), address of the place of residence. The chairman, deputy chairman, secretary or any other member of an election commission having the right of casting vote who issues an absentee ballot shall specify the number of the absentee ballot issued in the relevant boxes of the register and sign the same.


9. A territorial election commission shall refer certified extracts from the register of issued absentee ballots containing data of the voters registered in the relevant voting precincts and received absentee ballots, together with the initial voters list, to precinct election commissions 20 days before voting day. On the basis of the relevant extract a member of the precinct election commission shall make the note “absentee ballot No.__ received in the territorial election commission” in the box “Special notes” of the voters list, specify the number of the absentee ballot and sign the same.


10. When issuing an absentee ballot to the voter in a precinct election commission the chairman, deputy chairman, secretary or any other member of an election commission having the right of casting vote who issues the absentee ballot shall make the note “absentee ballot No.__ received” in the box “Special notes” of the voters list, specify the number of the absentee ballot and sign the same.


11. When receiving an absentee ballot (and in case a second round of voting is held — an absentee ballot without a detachable coupon) a voter shall specify in relevant boxes of the register of issued absentee ballots (in a territorial election commission) or the voters list (in a precinct election commission) the series and number of his passport or a substitute document and affix his signature. When receiving an absentee ballot (and in case a second round of voting is held — an absentee ballot without a detachable coupon) on the basis of a power of attorney by a representative of the voter, the series and number of the voter’s passport or a substitute document shall be specified and the voter’s representative shall specify his surname, first name and patronymic name, series and number of a passport or a substitute document and affix his signature. Thereafter, the power of attorney shall be withdrawn from the voter’s representative and attached to the register of issued absentee ballots or the voters list, respectively.


12. A voter received an absentee ballot (including though a representative on the basis of a power of attorney) shall be excluded by the election commission from the voters list of the relevant voting precinct for this election of the President of the Russian Federation and shall not be taken into account as a registered voter by the election commission when making a protocol on voting results.


13. An absentee ballot may be issued only once. In case of loss of an absentee ballot, no copy shall be issued.


14. Upon presentation of an absentee ballot, a voter shall be additionally put on the voters list of the voting precinct where he stays on voting day. The precinct election commission shall make the note: “Voted on the basis of an absentee ballot No.___” in box “Special notes” of the voters list and specify the number of the absentee ballot produced by the voter. Thereafter, the detachable coupon (and in case a second round of voting is held, absentee ballot) shall be withdrawn from the voter. Absentee ballots (detachable coupons) on the basis of which voter are included in the voters list shall be stored together with the relevant voters list.


15. In the event of loss of an absentee ballot form the election commission determined the fact of such loss shall immediately make the relevant report and pass a resolution specifying the number of the lost absentee ballot, the fact of loss and the reason for such loss. An immediately superior election commission and the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall be informed of such resolution. On the basis of this resolution the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall hold the relevant absentee ballot invalid and all subordinated election commissions shall be immediately notified thereof. An invalid absentee ballot shall not be the basis for inclusion of the voter into the voters list. In case the voter produces such absentee ballot, it shall be withdrawn.


16. In the event of a repeat voting, unused detachable coupons of absentee ballots issued to voters during the period from the date on which the repeat voting was announced by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation to the day preceding the repeat voting day shall be cancelled. On the repeat voting day, before the voting time begins, unused absentee ballots together with detachable coupons shall be cancelled. The relevant election commission shall execute a report to certify cancellation of unused detachable coupons and absentee ballots indicting the number of such coupons and ballots. If the President of the Russian Federation was elected as a result of the general election or the general election was declared to have not taken place or to be null and void, unused absentee ballots together with detachable coupons shall be cancelled by the election commission on the third day after official publication of the results of the general election of the President of the Russian Federation. Information on cancellation of unused absentee ballots (specifying their quantity and numbers of absentee ballots) shall be included by the relevant election commission into a report made in the form approved by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.


17. Transferring absentee ballots to election commissions and keeping records on absentee ballots, including with the use of State Automated System “Elections” (GAS “Vybory”), shall be carried out in the manner set forth by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation in accordance with clause 16 of Article 62 of Federal Law on Basic Guarantees of Voting Rights and the Right to Take Part in a Referendum Belonging to the Russian Federation Citizens.