Setting-up of polling stations and assistance in holding elections

1. State and municipal institutions, agencies and enterprises must assist electoral committees in exercising their powers and provide the information necessary for the performance of their functions. The municipal administration must provide electoral committees with suitable polling places, polling stations, equipment, computer equipment and Internet connection for the preparation and conduct of an election.

2. In view of the need for polling stations adapted for voters with disabilities in a specific polling district, the municipal administration, no later than within 20 days from the announcement of the date of poll,must evaluate whether the polling stations are suitable and adapted to the needs of voters with disabilities or elderly voters. If it determines that the polling stations are not suitable, the municipal administration must adapt them to the said needs or rent the premises already adapted to such needs. Within not less than two months before polling day, the electoral committee shall additionally evaluate the suitability of the polling stations in cooperation with the municipal administration. Non-governmental organisations may also be involved in the evaluation of the suitability of the polling stations. The Central Electoral Commission shall lay down a procedure for evaluating the suitability of polling stations and for involving non-governmental organisations in the process.

3. The polling station of a polling district must contain the following facilities:

1) sufficient space to accommodate electoral committee members and election observers;

2) a ballot box; 3) a secret polling booth. The polling booth must contain campaigning information or instructions for voters’ notices on filling in ballot papers, issued by the Central Electoral Commission as well as the lists of candidates furnished with election numbers; 4) lists of candidates furnished with election numbers. Campaigning or voter information material, issued by the Central Electoral Commission, may also be displayed; 5) this Code must be made available to any voter who so requests; 6) other requirements for setting up polling stations are laid down by the Central Electoral Commission. 4. Any campaigning or voter information material other than the material issued by the Central Electoral Commission must be removed from the polling station, the passageways leading to or out of it (corridors) and within the radius of 50 metres around the building which houses the polling station. 5. The polling station of a polling district must be set up for an election no later than 12 hours before the opening of the poll. 6. The set-up polling station shall be sealed and the chair of the electoral committee of the polling district in question shall notify the constituency electoral committee or the municipal electoral committee and the police about this.