Home > 2.3 Observation > NORTH MACEDONIA - ELECTORAL CODE
 
 
 
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Article 2
 

Glossary


The specific terms used in this Code shall have the following meaning:
1. “Right to vote” - Every citizen of the Republic of Macedonia who is at least 18 years of age and has capacity to contract shall have the right to vote;
2. “Voter Register” is a public document in which all citizens with the right to vote are registered;
3. “Election management bodies” are the bodies in charge of administering the elections regulated by this Code;
4. “Member of an election management body” is the president, the members, and their deputies; they compose the election management bodies and conduct election activities;
5. “List submitters” are registered political parties or coalitions of political parties registered at the State Election Commission, a group of voters and Members of Parliament;
6. “Candidate” is a citizen of the Republic of Macedonia confirmed by the competent election commission in accordance with this Code, for whom votes will be cast in the elections;
7. “Independent candidate” is a candidate running for President of the Republic, Member of Parliament, Mayor or Member of Council, supported by a “group of voters”;
8. “Political party” is a political party registered in accordance with the Law;
9. “Ruling Parties” are political parties in power that won the majority of votes in the last election for Members of Parliament;
10. “Opposition parties” comprise political parties in opposition that won the majority of votes in the last election for Members of Parliament;
11. “Authorised representative” is a person authorised by a registered candidate, political party or coalition to represent their interests before the election management bodies;
12. “Coalition” is an alliance based on the agreement of two or more registered political parties for joint participation in the elections;
13. “Election campaign” is a public presentation of candidates confirmed by the relevant election management bodies and their programmes during the pre-election period before the respective elections;
14. “Election campaign participant” is a person authorised by a political party, coalition or a group of voters that organise the election campaign;
15. “Observers” are representatives of domestic or foreign registered associations of citizens accredited by the State Election Commission to observe the elections;
16. “Diplomatic – consular offices of the Republic of Macedonia” are the representations of the Republic of Macedonia in other states and international organizations, which perform tasks prescribed by Law;
17. “Citizens of the Republic of Macedonia who are temporarily employed or residing abroad”, for the purpose of this Code, are citizens of the Republic of Macedonia who have registered their last residence in the Republic of Macedonia and who, on the Election Day, have been temporarily residing abroad for more than three months or have been temporarily employed or residing abroad for more than one year pursuant to the records of the relevant authority;
18. “Employees in public administration” refers to a category of persons employed in education, healthcare, culture, science and social protection, who perform tasks of public interest in accordance with the Law;
19. “Employees in state administration, municipal administration and administration of the City of Skopje” refers to a category of persons with the status of civil servant in accordance with the Law;
20. “Election administration” is composed of employees in the Professional Service of the State Election Commission, members of the election management bodies, secretaries of municipal election commissions, their deputies and other individuals temporarily hired by the supporting bodies of the State Election Commission for the purposes of the election process;
21. “Election process” refers to the time between the adoption of the act for calling the elections and the announcement of the final results of the elections held at the level of a municipality, the City of Skopje or the electoral district where elections are held;
22. “Forms of election media presentation“ shall refer to: daily information shows, programmes that provide the participants in the election campaign with a direct access to voters, and special information shows;
23. “Daily information shows“ shall refer to all forms of radio and television news broadcasts and news bulletins;
24. “Direct access to voters” shall refer to the free political presentation and paid political advertising used by the election campaign participants for free promotion of their programmes, viewpoints and candidates;
25. “Free political presentation“ refers to the election campaign participants’ direct access to voters used for free presentation of election programmes, viewpoints and candidates without financial compensation.
26. “Paid political advertising” refers to the election campaign participants’ direct access to voters used for presentation of election programmes, viewpoints and candidates at a fee. Paid political advertising can assume the form of advertisements, announcements, political elections videos, music videos used as anthems of election campaign participants, live broadcasts or recordings of rallies, meetings and other appearances of election campaign participants;
27. “Special information programmes” shall refer to programmes intended to inform citizens of the voting method and technique and the realization of voting rights, and informative political programmes in the form of interviews, debates or TV/radio hustings, topical information programmes, topical information programmes with a documentary approach and thematic specialized information programmes.
28. “Electoral media presentation” shall refer to (direct or indirect) promotion of viewpoints, programmes, platforms, achievements, activities etc. of political parties, coalitions, groups of voters and their representatives.