Places for Posts and Advertisements (2):
(8th Article of Law 5980, amended on 8 April 2010).
Political parties and candidates are allowed to hang up or post party flags, posters, banners and similar materials in their election bureaus from the start of the election period until the date on which the electioneering period ends. Political parties are allowed to hang up or post the specified materials at their headquarters, provincial, district and county buildings at any time.
Political parties and candidates are free to use promotional materials such as part flags, posters, banners and similar promotional and advertising materials at their indoor or outdoor meetings and their vehicles from the start of the election period until the date on which the electioneering period ends
The use of such materials is allowed on meeting days in the locations surrounding the meeting until the end of the meeting.
Other than the places specified above, promotional and advertising materials used for electioneering purposes can be hung up or posted in places designated by the electoral boards and only in accordance with the principles and procedures set forth in the following paragraphs.
Political parties and independent candidates running in the elections can make use of the fixed billboard and advertisement spaces within that constituency used directly by the municipalities and determined by the district electoral boards for purposes of posting and hanging up promotional materials such as posters, party flags, advertisements or banners to promote themselves as of the thirtieth day prior to election day provided that all political parties and independent candidates benefit from an equal number of such spaces for equal periods of time and in return for equal fees. Nevertheless, no fees shall be charged for advertising and promotional spaces that are allocated free of charge on demand in times other than the election period. Such spaces shall be equally distributed amongst political parties and independent candidates.
In cases where there are fixed advertisement and posting areas set up with the permission of the municipality by private individuals or organization or those that are owned by the municipality and rented out to private individuals or organizations, in order for such areas to be used by these individuals or organizations for purposes of political electioneering, the district electoral boards shall allocate such areas in accordance with the provisions of this article upon the application to be made to the presidency of the district electoral board.
The district electoral board shall designate the fixed commercial advertisement and posting areas within that constituency by the fortieth day prior to election day and notify in writing all political parties and independent candidates running in the elections of all such designated areas. Political parties and independent candidates shall notify the district electoral board, in writing, of the advertisement and posting areas as well as the duration for which they will use them within three days as of the notification made by the district electoral board.
The district electoral board shall allocate such areas amongst political parties and independent candidates who apply in accordance with this article.
In cases where more than one political party of independent candidate apply for the same advertisement or posting areas, the district electoral board shall invite all applicants at the same time and ask them to state their final preferences in writing. If no agreement is reached between the said parties and the independent candidates, the advertisement and posting areas shall be allocated by means of drawing names with equal conditions of duration, number and fees to apply for all applicants. The process of drawing names shall be carried out for each advertisement and posting area that has received more than one application with the total period of electioneering divided into the number of applicants thereby allocating an equal period for each applicant.
The provincial electoral board is authorized to determine and allocate the fixed advertisement and posting areas along the motorways outside the city by means of the same procedure. However, the provincial electoral board may delegate this authority to the authorized district electoral boards.
Following the drawing of names, if there are places that had been allocated to political parties or independent candidates who later notify the provincial or district electoral board in writing that they no longer wish to use the advertisement or posting areas, such places can be allocated to the political parties or independent candidates who make an application.
Other than in areas that are prohibited under this Law, visual electioneering can be carried out via fixed digital commercial boards that are set up in public places and are suitable for use in visual advertisements and posts. However, electioneering based on audio broadcasting shall not be carried out via such media. After the electoral boards determine the days and hours during which such panels can be used for electioneering activities, the order and duration of the electioneering that will take place during this timeframe shall be determined in accordance with the above paragraphs and allocated amongst the political parties or independent candidates.
Starting from the thirtieth day prior to election day until the end of the electioneering period, citizens can hang up or post promotional materials such as party or candidate flags, posters or banners at their homes, work places or vehicles. Such advertisements and postings are exempt from all taxes and charges.
The advertisement and announcement materials specified in this article shall not be hung up, posted or displayed under any conditions whatsoever as of the end of the electioneering period other than in places specified in paragraph one
The principles and procedures pertaining to the implementation of this article shall be determined by the Supreme Board of elections.
(2) The former heading of this article ‘Restrictions Concerning the Posters and Bulletins on the walls’ was amended as seen in the current text by Article 8 of Law 5980 on 8 April 2010.
