Form and Content of a Complaint

1. A complaint shall be filed with an election commission in writing. The complaint shall contain:

1) the name of the election commission with which it is filed;

2) the last name, first name, patronymic name (name) of the complainant, his or her place of residence or an official contact address (legal or postal address), and, if available, the number of the means of communication and email address;

3) the last name, first name, patronymic name (name) of the respondent, his or her place of residence or an official contact address (legal or postal address), and, if available, the number of the means of communication and email address;

4) the nature of the issue being raised;

5) an account of the facts and an indication of the evidence that substantiates the complainant’s claims;

6) clearly formulated claims, with indication of the nature of the decision sought from the subject of complaint consideration;

7) a list of attached documents and materials;

8) the signature of the complainant or of the person representing him or her, with indication of the date of the signing thereof.

2. A complaint may contain indication of any stakeholders whose participation in the consideration of the complaint is sought by the complainant.

3. A complaint shall contain the information on a status of a complainant in the election process.

4. If a complaint is to be filed on behalf of a candidate by a candidate’s representative to the Central Election Commission, territorial election commission, or a candidate’s proxy, a complaint shall also contain the information on the last name, first name and patronymic name, place of residence or an official contact address (legal or postal address) and, if available, the number of the means of communication and email address of a candidate, in whose interests a complaint is to be submitted. Moreover, in case of filing a complaint by a candidate’s representative to the Central Election Commission, territorial election commission, or a candidate’s proxy in person, the respective person shall present an identity document issued by an election commission pursuant to the procedure established by this Code. In other cases, a complaint shall be appended with a copy of the respective person’s identity document certified pursuant to the procedure established by the Law.

5. A complaint filed on behalf of a party (party organization) that is an electoral subject shall be certified by the signature of the party’s head and affixed with the party’s seal (party organization or a respective higher-level party organization), or by the signature of another person authorized to sign the respective document. Moreover, in this case, if the complaint is filed by an authorized representative, or an authorized person of a party (party organization), or other person authorized by a decision of a party’s central administrative body (party organization’s central administrative body) in person, the respective person shall present a certificate issued by the election commission pursuant to the procedure established by this Code, or another document which confirms powers of such a person. In other cases, a complaint shall be appended with a copy of the respective person’s identity document or a document certified pursuant to the procedure established by the Law.

The head of the party (local party organization) acts as a representative of the respective party (local party organization) without additional authorization.

6. If a complaint is filed by an official observer in person, he or she shall present an identity document issued by an election commission pursuant to the procedure established by this Code. In other cases a complaint shall be appended with a copy of the respective person’s identity document certified pursuant to the procedure established by the Law.

7. A complaint shall be appended with its copies, evidentiary materials specified therein, and copies of all the documents attached thereto, the number of copies being equal to the number of the respondents and stakeholders specified in the complaint. Written evidence shall be submitted in original or as a copy certified pursuant to the procedure established by the Law.

8. A complainant may make claims to:

1) recognize a decision of a respondent as such that does not meet the requirements of the Laws (is illegal), or violates the citizens’ electoral rights, and rights and legitimate interests of an electoral subject, and to cancel it;

2) recognize an action of a respondent as such that does not meet the requirements of the Laws (is illegal), or violates the citizens’ electoral rights, and rights and legitimate interests of an electoral subject, and oblige a respondent to refrain from committing such an action;

3) recognize a respondent’s failure to act as such that does not meet the requirements of the Laws (is illegal), or violates the citizens’ electoral rights, and rights and legitimate interests of an electoral subject, and oblige a respondent to committing a certain action;

4) restore violated electoral rights of the citizens, or rights and legitimate interests of an electoral subject in another manner, which does not contradict this Code.

9. In case of receipt of a complaint (scanned copy of the complaint) by e-mail (in electronic form), except for the complaint certified by a qualified electronic signature, it shall be processed by the election commission in the manner prescribed by this Code after receipt of this complaint in writing and on paper. The day of receipt of the respective complaint by the election commission in writing and on paper shall be deemed the day of its submission.

10. The Central Election Commission may implement electronic services for submitting complaints to election commissions.