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Chapter VI. Nomination and Registration of Candidates for Election to the State Duma
Article 37. Nomination of a Candidate Directly by Voters
Article 38. Nomination of Candidates by an Electoral Association, Electoral Bloc in Single-Mandate Electoral Districts
Article 39. Nomination of a Federal List of Candidates by an Electoral Association, Electoral Bloc
Article 40. Submission of Lists of Candidates and Other Electoral Documents of Electoral Associations, Electoral Blocs to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation
Article 41. Measures to Ensure Equal Status of Candidates
Article 42. Collection of Signatures in Support of a Candidate Directly Nominated by Voters
Article 43. Collection of Signatures in Support of Candidates, a Federal List of Candidates Nominated by an Electoral Association, Electoral Bloc
Article 44. Procedure for the Collection of Signatures in Support of a Candidate, Federal List of Candidates and Execution of Signature Lists
Article 45. Submission of Election-Related Documents for Registration of Candidates, Federal Lists of Candidates
Article 46. Verification by Election Commissions of the Authenticity of Data Contained in Signature Lists and Information Submitted by Candidates, Electoral Associations, Electoral Blocs
Article 47. Registration of Candidates, a Federal List of Candidates
Article 37. Nomination of a Candidate Directly by Voters
1. The right to nominate a candidate in a single-mandate electoral district shall be enjoyed by a citizen (citizens) of the Russian Federation who are eligible to vote in the territory of the given electoral district.
2. The right to nominate himself/herself as a candidate in a single-mandate electoral district shall be enjoyed by all citizens of the Russian Federation who are eligible to vote and are 21 years of age on voting day.
3. Nomination of candidates in single-mandate electoral districts may be carried out after official publication of the scheme of single-mandate electoral districts approved by a federal law, but not earlier than the day of official publication of a decision to call the election.
4. In the event of dissolution of the State Duma nomination of candidates in single-mandate electoral districts may be carried out after official publication of the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation calling the early election of deputies of the State Duma of the new convocation or publication of the decision of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation adopted in pursuance of Clause 5 Article 5 of this Federal Law.
5. If the scheme of electoral districts has not been approved within the period established by Clause 7 Article 12 of this Federal Law, nomination of candidates in single-mandate electoral districts may begin 90 days prior to voting day.
6. Nomination of candidates in single-mandate electoral districts in repeat elections and by-elections may be carried out after official publication of a decision to call these elections.
7. Persons initiating nomination of a candidate in a single-mandate electoral district shall notify in writing the appropriate district election commission of their initiative. The notification shall indicate the first, middle and last name of the candidate, his/her date of birth, main place of work or service and position (occupation if there is no main place of work or service) and address of the place of residence (the name of a Subject of the Russian Federation, raion, town, city or village, street, number of the building and apartment) of the candidate and the first, middle and last name, date of birth, the series and number of the passport or an equivalent identity paper of each of the persons initiating the nomination of the candidate.
8. Simultaneously with the notification about the initiative indicated in Clause 7 of this Article the initiators of nomination of a candidate shall send to the appropriate district election commission the statement of the candidate expressing his/her consent to run for election in the given single-mandate electoral district and readiness, if elected, to discontinue activities incompatible with the status of a deputy. The statement shall indicate the biographical data of the candidate (the first, middle and last name, date of birth, address of the place of residence, education, main place of work or service, position (occupation if there is no main place of work or service). If a candidate has a conviction that has not expired or has not been cancelled, the statement shall also indicate the number (numbers) and the name (names) of the article (articles) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation on the basis of which the candidate was convicted and the article (articles) of the criminal code adopted in accordance with the Fundamental Criminal Legislation of the USSR and the Union republics, the article (articles) of the law of a foreign state and the name of the law, if the candidate was convicted under these legislative acts for actions qualified as crimes by the current Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The statement shall indicate citizenship of the candidate and, if the candidate has Russian Federation and foreign citizenship, also the foreign citizenship (the name of the corresponding foreign state, the date when the citizenship was received and the reasons therefor).
9. A candidate nominated by voters may give a consent to run only in one single-mandate electoral district.
10. In the statement indicated in Clause 8 of this Article a candidate nominated by voters may also mention his/her membership in not more than one public association registered not later than a year prior to voting day in accordance with the procedure established by law as well his/her status in this public association provided that the candidate submits a document confirming this information and that this document is certified by a permanent governing body of the given public association. In this case, the candidate shall agree the abbreviated name of the given public association consisting of not more that seven words with a district election commission.
11. If a district election commission has not been formed when a candidate is nominated, the notification about the initiative indicated in Clause 7 of this Article, the candidate's statement expressing the consent to run for election and the other documents indicated in Clause 8 of this Article shall be submitted to the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation. The election commission of the Subject of the Russian Federation shall forward these documents to a district election commission after its formation and election of its chairman.
12. An election commission shall issue the initiators of the candidate's nomination a document confirming receipt of the documents submitted in accordance with this Article, immediately after these documents have been submitted.
Article 38. Nomination of Candidates by an Electoral Association, Electoral Bloc in Single-Mandate Electoral Districts
1. A decision to nominate of candidates in single-mandate electoral districts shall be taken by an electoral association at its congress (conference) by secret ballot.
2. An electoral association, electoral bloc shall be entitled to nominate not more than one candidate in one single-mandate electoral district.
3. If this is not prohibited by the statute of the appropriate political public association, a decision to nominate candidates in single-mandate electoral districts in repeat elections and by-elections may be taken by a permanent governing body of an electoral association after official publication of a decision to call these elections.
4. When candidates in single-mandate electoral districts are nominated by an electoral bloc each electoral association comprised in the electoral bloc shall nominate candidates by secret ballot at its congress (conference). The congress (conference) of an electoral association shall also approve representatives authorized to take a decision to nominate a list of candidates for single-mandate electoral districts at a congress (conference) of representatives of the electoral associations which joined the electoral bloc. The decision to nominate a list of candidates from the electoral bloc shall be adopted at the said congress (conference) of representatives of electoral associations.
5. Nomination of candidates in single-mandate electoral districts may be carried out by an electoral association, electoral bloc after official publication of the scheme of single-mandate electoral districts approved by a federal law, but not earlier than the day of official publication of a decision to call the election.
6. In the event of dissolution of the State Duma nomination of candidates in single-mandate electoral districts may be carried out by an electoral association, electoral bloc after official publication of the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation calling an early election of deputies of the State Duma of the new convocation or after publication the decision of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation adopted in pursuance of Clause 5 Article 5 of this Federal Law.
7. If the scheme of electoral districts has not been approved within the period established by Clause 6 Article 12 of this Federal Law, nomination of candidates in single-mandate electoral districts may be carried out by an electoral association, electoral bloc 90 days prior to voting day.
8. The decision of the congress (conference) of an electoral association, electoral bloc to nominate candidates shall be recorded in a protocol (or some other document) indicating:
(a) the number of registered participants in the congress (conference);
(b) the number of participants which is required for adoption of the decision under the statute of the electoral association, agreement for the formation of the electoral bloc;
(c) the decision to nominate candidates and the results of the vote taken on this decision (the list of candidates nominated in single-mandate electoral districts shall be appended to the protocol);
(d) the date of the decision.
9. The decision to nominate candidates shall contain the name and the number of the electoral districts in which each candidate will run for election. The list of candidates nominated by an electoral association shall be signed by the head of the electoral association and certified by its seal. When a list of candidates is to be nominated by an electoral bloc the decision to nominate candidates from an electoral association comprised in this electoral bloc shall be signed by the head of the given electoral association and certified by its seal. The list of candidates nominated by an electoral bloc shall be signed by the authorized representatives of the electoral bloc and certified by the seals of the electoral associations comprised in the electoral bloc
10. Subject to a decision of duly authorized bodies of an electoral association, electoral bloc, not later than 65 days prior to voting day, the electoral association, electoral bloc shall be entitled, with the consent of the candidate, registered candidate, to change the single-mandate district where this candidate, registered candidate was originally nominated by submitting a written application to this effect to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and to the appropriate district election commission. Subject to a decision of duly authorized bodies of an electoral association, electoral bloc, not later than 65 days prior to voting day, an electoral association, electoral bloc also may, with the consent of a candidate, registered candidate included on a federal list of candidates, nominate him/her to run for election in any single-mandate electoral district by serving a written notice to this effect on the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and the corresponding district election commission, or, if this commission has not been formed, the election commission of the Subject of the Russian Federation. Decisions on these matters shall be taken by a body of the electoral association, electoral bloc authorized to take such decisions.
11. Electoral associations, electoral blocs shall be entitled to nominate candidates from persons who are not members of the given electoral association, political public associations forming the given electoral bloc.
Article 39. Nomination of a Federal List of Candidates by an Electoral Association, Electoral Bloc
1. A decision to nominate a federal list of candidates from an electoral association shall be taken by secret ballot at a congress (conference) of the electoral association.
2. When a federal list of candidates is nominated by an electoral bloc, each electoral association comprised in the electoral bloc shall at its congress (conference) nominate candidates by secret ballot. The congress (conference) of an electoral association shall also approve representatives authorized to take a decision to nominate a federal list of candidates from the electoral bloc at a congress (conference) of representatives of electoral associations which have joined this electoral bloc. A decision to nominate a federal list of candidates shall be taken at the said congress (conference) of representatives of electoral associations.
3. Nomination of a federal list candidates may be carried out by an electoral association, electoral bloc after official publication of a decision to call the election.
4. In the event of dissolution of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation nomination of a federal list of candidates may be carried out by an electoral association, electoral bloc after official publication of the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation calling an early election of deputies of the State Duma of the new convocation or publication of the decision of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation adopted in pursuance of Clause 5 Article 5 of this Federal Law.
5. The decision of a congress (conference) of an electoral association, electoral bloc to nominate candidates shall be recorded in a protocol (or some other document) indicating:
(a) the number of registered participants in the congress (conference);
(b) the number of participants which is required for adoption of the decision under the statute of the electoral association, agreement for the formation of the electoral bloc;
(c) the decision to nominate candidates and the results of the vote taken on this decision together with the federal list of candidates.
(d) the date of the decision.
6. An electoral association, electoral bloc shall be entitled to include in the federal list of candidates persons who are not members of the given electoral association, political public associations comprised in the given electoral bloc.
7. The federal list of candidates from an electoral association shall be certified by the signature of the head of the electoral association and the seal of the electoral association. When a list of candidates is nominated by an electoral bloc, the decision to nominate candidates from the electoral association comprised in the given electoral bloc shall be certified by the signature of the head of this association and the seal of the electoral association. The decision to nominate a federal list of candidates from the electoral bloc shall be certified by signatures of the authorized representatives of the electoral bloc and the seals of the electoral associations comprised in the electoral bloc.
8. The composition of a federal list of candidates and the order in which candidates are arranged thereon shall be determined by an electoral association, electoral bloc. When determining the order of candidates on the list, the electoral association, electoral bloc shall split the whole list or a part of it into regional groups of candidates corresponding to Subjects of Russian Federation or groups of Subjects of the Russian Federation (hereinafter «regional groups of candidates»). In this case, the regional part of the list shall indicate to which Subject of the Russian Federation or group of Subjects of the Russian Federation (listing the Subjects of the Russian Federation) each of the regional groups corresponds as well as the name of each regional group of candidates, consisting of not more than five words. The federal part of the federal list of candidates which contains candidates who are not included into regional groups may contain not more than 18 candidates. A candidate may be mentioned in the federal list only once.
9. The federal list may include candidates for election to the State Duma nominated by the same electoral association, electoral bloc in single-mandate electoral districts.
10. The total number of candidates nominated by an electoral association, electoral bloc in the federal electoral district shall not exceed 270 persons.
Article 40. Submission of Lists of Candidates and Other Electoral Documents of Electoral Associations, Electoral Blocs to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation
1. The federal list of candidates and the list of candidates nominated by an electoral association, electoral bloc in single-mandate electoral districts shall be submitted by an authorized representative of the electoral association, electoral bloc to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. These lists shall indicate the first, middle and last name of each candidate, his/her date of birth, education, main place of work or service, position (occupation if there is no main place of work or service) and the place of residence (name of a Subject of the Russian Federation, raion, town, city or village) of each candidate and, on the candidate's request, his/her membership in a public association (not more than one) registered not later than a year prior to voting day and his/her status therein. The lists of candidates shall be submitted to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation in a printed and a machine-readable form according to a format established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.
2. Along with the lists of candidates the authorized representative of an electoral association shall submit the following documents:
(a) notarized copies of a certificate of registration of the political public association with the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation;
(b) a notarized copy of the current statute of the political public association;
(c) the minutes of proceedings and the decision of the congress (conference) of the electoral association at which the candidates were nominated;
(d) powers of attorney of the authorized representatives of the electoral association executed according to the procedure set forth by this Federal Law.
3. An authorized representative of an electoral bloc shall submit to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation the following documents:
(a) the minutes of proceedings of the congresses (conferences) of electoral associations with decisions to nominate candidates;
(b) the minutes of proceedings of the congress (conference) of representatives of the electoral associations which formed the electoral bloc and the decision to nominate lists of candidates from the electoral bloc;
(c) powers of attorney of authorized representatives of the electoral bloc executed according to the procedure set forth by this Federal Law.
4. Along with the documents mentioned in Clauses 1 -3 of this Article the authorized representative of an electoral association, electoral bloc shall submit to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation the statements of candidates expressing their consent to run for election in the given federal electoral district and readiness, if elected, to discontinue activities incompatible with the status of a deputy of the State Duma. The statement shall indicate the biographical data (first middle and last name, date of birth, home address, education, main place of work or service (occupation if there is no main place of work or service), position and, on the candidate's request, his/her membership in a public association (not more than one) registered not later than a year prior to voting day and his/her status therein. If the candidate has a conviction that has not expired or has not been cancelled, the statement shall also indicate the number (numbers) and the name (names) of the article (articles) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation on the basis of which the candidate was convicted and the article (articles) of the criminal code adopted in accordance with the Fundamental Criminal Legislation of the USSR and the Union republics, the article (articles) of the law of a foreign state and the name of the law, if the candidate was convicted under these legislative acts for actions qualified as crimes by the current Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The statement shall indicate citizenship of the candidate and, if the candidate has Russian Federation and foreign citizenship, also the foreign citizenship (the name of the corresponding foreign state, the date when the citizenship was received and reasons therefor). Information about convictions that have not expired or have not been cancelled and about foreign citizenship shall also be indicated in the list of candidates to be submitted for certification to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.
5. A candidate nominated by an electoral association, electoral bloc may be included only on one federal list of candidates and may be nominated in only one single-mandate electoral district.
6. Within three days the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall consider the submitted documents and issue a certified copy of the federal list of candidates and/or a certified copy of the list of candidates nominated in single-mandate electoral districts to the authorized representative of an electoral association, electoral bloc or a motivated decision to refuse to issue such copies. If an electoral bloc simultaneously submitted to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation the documents for its registration as provided by Article 33 of this Federal Law and the lists of candidates, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall consider all submitted documents within five days.
7. The reasons for the refusal to issue certified lists of candidates to an electoral association, electoral bloc may be the absence, incompleteness or improper execution of documents indicated in Clauses 1 - 4 of this Article or other breaches of the procedure established by this Federal Law for nomination of candidates.
8. An electoral association, electoral bloc may appeal the refusal to accept documents and issue copies of the lists of candidates in the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, which shall consider the appeal within 3 days.
9. After a federal list of candidates, a list of candidates nominated in single-mandate electoral districts have been submitted to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation no changes shall be made in the composition of the lists and in the order of arrangement of the candidates thereon save the changes due to withdrawal of candidates either on the basis of their personal applications or in consequence of the candidates being recalled by the electoral association, electoral bloc, the death of a candidate or the circumstances indicated in Clause 10 Article 38 of this Federal Law.
10. An electoral association, electoral bloc which nominated candidates in single-mandate electoral districts shall furnish to the appropriate district election commission a copy of the minutes of proceedings of the congress (conference) with the decision to nominate candidates, a copy of the list of candidates nominated in single-mandate electoral districts certified by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, and the statement of the candidate expressing his/her consent to run in a single-mandate electoral district and his/her readiness if elected to discontinue activities incompatible with the status of a deputy as well as the data about the candidate indicated in Clause 4 of this Article. If a district election commission has not yet been formed, the said documents shall be submitted to the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation.
11. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall make the certified federal lists of candidates and changes therein readily accessible (in the «read only» mode) to users of public information-communication networks. District election commissions or the election commissions of Subjects of the Russian Federation shall ensure access to the information concerning the candidates nominated in single-mandate electoral districts and to changes in this information.
Article 41. Measures to Ensure Equal Status of Candidates
1. All candidates shall have equal rights and bear equal obligations with the exception of the cases provided in this Federal Law. Candidates holding government and municipal offices shall not take advantage of their official position or status.
2. In this Federal Law taking advantage of an official position or status shall mean:
(a) involvement of persons who are subordinate to or dependent on the candidate in the line of duty, other government and municipal employees in the activity conducive to nomination and/or election during the working hours;
(b) use of premises occupied by state bodies or bodies of local self-government for carrying on the activity conducive to nomination and/or election if other candidates or registered candidates cannot use the same premises on the same terms and conditions;
(c) use of telephone, fax and other types of communication, information services, office equipment of state organizations or bodies of local self-government for conducting signature collection and election campaigning;
(d) use of state- or municipality-owned transport facilities free of charge or at reduced rates for carrying on the activity conducive to nomination and/or election. This provision shall not apply to persons using the said transport facilities in accordance with the federal law on state-provided security;
(e) collection of signatures or conduct of election campaigning by government or municipal employees in the course of business trips paid for from the state or municipal funds;
(f) privileged access (compared to other candidates, registered candidates) to the mass media indicated in Clause 1 Article 55 of this Federal Law for collecting signatures or election campaigning.
3. Compliance with the aforementioned restrictions must not interfere with the exercise by deputies, elected officials of their powers and performance of their obligations to voters.
4. In the course of an election campaign no charity activities shall be carried on by candidates, electoral associations, electoral blocs which have nominated lists of candidates or separate candidates, electoral associations comprised in electoral blocs which have carried out such nomination, authorized representatives of electoral associations, electoral blocs and the organizations whose founders, owners, possessors are and/or whose governing bodies include the said persons and/or organizations (representatives of the said organizations) as well as by other natural persons and legal entities acting on the request or on the instructions of the said persons and organizations. The said persons and organizations shall not ask other natural persons and legal entities to render material and financial aid or services to voters and organizations. Natural persons and legal entities shall not carry on charity activities on behalf or in support of candidates, electoral associations, electoral blocs, their authorized representatives.
Article 42. Collection of Signatures in Support of a Candidate Directly Nominated by Voters
1. Collection of signatures in support of a candidate directly nominated by voters shall start on the day on which the voters give notice to the appropriate district election commission (election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation) in a procedure set forth by Article 37 of this Federal Law.
2. Save the case when an electoral deposit has been paid the number of signatures to be collected in support of nomination of a candidate shall be equal to not less than one per cent of the total number of voters registered in the territory of the given electoral district. In the event of an early election, the number of signatures to be collected in support of nomination of a candidate shall account for not less than 0.5 percent of the total number of voters registered in the territory of the given electoral district.
3. Signature lists shall be made up according to the form shown in Annex 1 to this Federal Law. Each signature list shall indicate the first, middle and last name of the candidate, his/her date of birth, main place of work or service, and position (occupation if there is no main place of work or service), place of residence (the raion, town, city or village) and the name of the electoral district in which he/she is nominated. If a candidate has a conviction that has not expired or has not been cancelled, the signature list shall indicate the number (numbers) and the name (names) of the article (articles) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation on the basis of which the candidate was convicted and the article (articles) of the criminal code adopted in accordance with the Fundamental Criminal Legislation of the USSR and the Union republics, the article (articles) of the law of a foreign state and the name of the law, if the candidate was convicted under these legislative acts for actions qualified as crimes by the current Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. If the candidate has Russian Federation and foreign citizenship, the signature list shall indicate this fact along with the name of the corresponding foreign state.
4. The signature list shall also indicate the membership of the candidate in the public association, which the candidate indicated in his/her statement of consent to run for election in accordance with Clause 10 Article 37 or Clause 4 Article 40 of this Federal Law, and his/her status in this public association.
5. Signatures may be collected only among voters of the electoral district where the candidate consented to run for election.
Article 43. Collection of Signatures in Support of Candidates, a Federal List of Candidates Nominated by an Electoral Association, Electoral Bloc
1. Save the case when an electoral deposit has been paid an electoral association, electoral bloc which has nominated candidates in single-mandate electoral districts shall collect voter signatures in support of nomination of a candidate among voters of the electoral district in which the candidate consented to run for election, the number of such signatures to be collected in support of each candidature being not less than one percent of the total number of voters registered in the territory of the given electoral district. In the event of an early election the number of signatures to be collected in support of each candidature shall be not less than 0.5 percent of the total number of voters registered in the territory of the given electoral district.
2. Save the case when an electoral deposit has been paid an electoral association, electoral bloc which has nominated a federal list of candidates shall collect not less than 200 thousand voter signatures in its support, with each Subject of the Russian Federation accounting for not more than fourteen thousand of the required total number of signatures. In the event of an early election the aforesaid number of signatures shall be reduced by half.
3. An electoral association, electoral bloc shall be entitled to start collection of signatures in support of a federal list of candidates from the day on which a copy of the given list of candidates has been certified by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. Signature collection shall not be allowed before a copy of the federal list of candidates is certified. Collection of signatures in support of a candidate nominated by an electoral association, electoral bloc in a single-mandate electoral district shall begin from the day on which documents and information indicated in Clause 10 Article 40 of this Federal Law are submitted to a district election commission.
4. Signature lists shall be made up according to the form shown in Annexes 2 and 3 to this Federal Law.
5. When signatures are collected in support of a federal list of candidates, each signature list shall indicate the first, middle and last name, date of birth, main place of work or service, position (occupation if there is no main place of work or service) and the place of residence (raion, town or city, village) of the first three candidates who are at the top of the federal part of the federal list of candidates, as well as three candidates who lead the regional group of candidates for a Subject of the Russian Federation (a group of the Subjects of the Russian Federation) in which signatures are collected. If any one of these candidate has a conviction that has not expired or has not been cancelled, the signature list shall indicate the number (numbers) and the name (names) of the article (articles) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation on the basis of which the candidate was convicted and the article (articles) of the criminal code adopted in accordance with the Fundamental Criminal Legislation of the USSR and the Union republics, the article (articles) of the law of a foreign state and the name of the law, if the candidate was convicted under these legislative acts for actions qualified as crimes by the current Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. If apart from Russian Federation citizenship any one of the candidates has foreign citizenship the signature list shall indicate this fact along with the name of the corresponding foreign state. Each signature list shall indicate the name of the Subject of the Russian Federation where signatures are collected. On a voter's request the person collecting signatures in support of a federal list shall produce a copy of the federal list of candidates certified by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation or an official publication containing the list of candidates.
6. If signatures are collected in support of a candidate nominated by an electoral association, electoral bloc in a single-mandate electoral district, then, in addition to the data listed in Clause 5 of this Article ,the signature list shall indicate which electoral association, electoral bloc nominated the candidate and, at the candidate's request, his/her membership in the corresponding public association indicated in his/her statement of consent to run for election in accordance with Clause 4 Article 40 of this Federal Law, and the candidate's status in this public association.
Article 44. Procedure for the Collection of Signatures in Support of a Candidate, Federal List of Candidates and Execution of Signature Lists
1. Participation of the governing bodies of enterprises of all forms of ownership, institutions and organizations in the collection of signatures shall not be allowed. In the course of signature collection it shall be prohibited to resort to any form of coercion in order to force voters to put their signatures or to remunerate them for doing so and collect signatures when and where wages and salaries are paid. Gross or repeated violation of these bans may serve as a ground to invalidate the collected signatures and/or deny registration of a candidate, cancel registration of a registered candidate, deny registration or cancel registration of a federal list of candidates.
2. Voter signatures may be collected by adult citizens of the Russian Federation. A candidate, an electoral association, electoral bloc may sign a contract with a signature collector for collection of signatures. Remuneration for this work shall be paid only through the electoral fund of a candidate, an electoral association, electoral bloc.
3. Voter signatures in support of candidates, federal lists of candidates may be collected at the place of work, service, study, residence and in other places where election campaigning and signature collection are not prohibited by federal laws.
4. Voters may put their signature in support of different candidates (federal lists of candidates), but only once in support of the same candidate (federal list of candidates). A voter shall put his/her signature and write the date on the signature list, indicating his/her first, middle and last name, year of birth (if the voter is 18 years old, also the day and month of birth), place of residence, series and number of the passport or an equivalent identity paper and the date of its issuance. Data of voters who put their signatures in support of a candidate, federal list of candidates may be written on the signature list by a person who collects signatures in support of a candidate, federal list of candidates. These data shall not be written otherwise than by hand.
5. During collection of signatures in support of a candidate, federal list of candidates the signature list may be completed both on the face and on the back. The back shall be continuation of the face which together with the back shall have a single consecutive numeration of signatures. The certifying signatures shall be put on the back of the signature list.
6. When voter signatures are collected in support of nomination of a candidate in a single-mandate electoral district the signature list shall be certified by the signature collector who shall, with his/her own hand, write his/her data - the first, middle and last name, full home address, series and number of the passport or an equivalent identity paper and the date of its issuance, sign the signature list and write the date, and by the candidate who shall put his/her signature and write the date with his/her own hand against his/her first, middle and last name.
7. When voter signatures are collected in support of a federal list of candidates the signature list shall be certified by the signature collector who shall, with his/her own hand, write his/her data - the first, middle and last name, full home address, series and number of the passport or an equivalent identity paper and the date of its issuance, sign the signature list and write the date, and by an authorized representative of the electoral association, electoral bloc who shall put his/her signature and write the date with his/her own hand against his/her first, middle and last name.
8. Each electoral association, electoral bloc, a voter, voters that have nominated the same candidate and notified the appropriate election commission of the nomination in writing shall collect the required number of signatures in support of the nomination of the candidate. Signatures collected by different initiators of the nomination of a candidate in support of the same candidate shall not be summed up.
9. After collection of voter signatures in support of a federal list of candidates has been completed authorized representatives of an electoral association, electoral bloc shall count the number of collected signatures separately for each Subject of the Russian Federation where signatures were collected and the total number of signatures. The counting results shall be entered in a protocol of the results of signature collection which shall be signed by authorized representatives of the electoral association, electoral bloc.
10. Initiators of the nomination of a candidate, a candidate or authorized representatives of an electoral association, electoral bloc shall count the number of signatures collected in support of the candidate nominated in a single-mandate electoral district and shall draw up and sign a protocol of the results of signature collection.
11. The number of voter signatures submitted to election commissions in support of candidates, federal lists of candidates may exceed the number of signatures required for registration established by this Federal Law however by not more than 15 percent.
12. Signature lists to be submitted to the appropriate election commissions shall be bound and numbered. The signature lists in support of a federal list of candidates shall be bound in files for each Subject of the Russian Federation where voter signatures were collected.
Article 45. Submission of Election-Related Documents for Registration of Candidates, Federal Lists of Candidates
1. For registration of a candidate nominated in a single-mandate electoral district the candidate or an authorized representative of the electoral association, electoral bloc shall, not earlier than 85 days and not later than 55 days prior to voting day, submit the following election-related documents to the appropriate election commission to an appropriate election commission before 18.00 hours local time:
(a) signature lists with voter signatures collected in support of nomination of the candidate;
(b) a protocol of signature collection results on a paper medium, in duplicate, according to the form established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation;
(c) information about changes in the candidate's data submitted earlier in pursuance of Clauses 7 and 8 Article 37 and Clauses 1 and 4 Article 40 of this Federal Law;
(d) information concerning the amount and sources of the candidate's income;
(e) information concerning the property owned by the candidate;
(f) the first financial report of the candidate.
2. To have a federal list of candidates registered an authorized representative of an electoral association, electoral bloc shall submit the following election-related documents to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation not earlier than 85 days and not later than 55 days prior to voting day, before 18.00 hours Moscow time:
(a) signature lists with voter signatures collected in support of the federal list of candidates;
(b) a protocol of the results of signature collection on a paper medium in duplicate and on a machine-readable medium according to the format established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation;
(c) information about changes which were made in the federal list of candidates after certification of its copy and changes in the data of each candidate on the federal list of candidates submitted in pursuance of Clauses 1 and 4 Article 37 of this Federal Law;
(d) information concerning the amount and sources of income of each candidate;
(e) information concerning the property owned by each candidate;
(f) the first financial report of the electoral association, electoral bloc.
3. Information concerning the amount and sources of income shall be submitted in the form of a copy of the tax return of a citizen who is a candidate for the year preceding the election year (with a note of the tax authorities). If, under Russian Federation laws on taxes and levies, a citizen who is a candidate does not have to file a tax return, information about the aggregate income of the candidate for the year preceding the election year shall be issued by the organization where the candidate received this income. Information concerning the property owned by the candidate shall be submitted in a form established by Annex 4 to this Federal Law. The list of the information concerning the income and property subject to publication shall be established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.
4. When accepting election-related documents election commissions shall certify each file containing signature lists by their seal, make sure that the number of submitted signature lists corresponds to the number indicated in the protocol of the results of voter signature collection and then issue to the candidate or an authorized representative of the electoral association, electoral bloc a written receipt certifying the acceptance of the signature lists and indicating the number of accepted signature lists, the stated number of signatures, the date and time of their acceptance. An election commission shall not restrict admission to the premises of the commission for a candidate, an authorized representative of an electoral association, electoral bloc nor shall it refuse to accept election-related documents required for registration from these persons if the documents were delivered before expiration of the time indicated in Clauses 1 and 2 of this Article.
5. At the option of a candidate, an electoral association, electoral bloc the appropriate election commission shall register the candidate, a federal list of candidates either on the basis of the submitted voter signatures or on the basis of an electoral deposit - a sum of money paid by the candidate into a special account of the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation or by an electoral association, electoral bloc into a special account of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, the said special accounts to be opened at branches of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation. Upon payment of an electoral deposit the candidate, the electoral association, electoral bloc shall submit to the appropriate election commission a copy of the payment order for remittance of money from the electoral fund bearing the note of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation saying that the order has been accepted for execution, as well as other documents unrelated to signature collection, which are required for registration of a candidate, federal list of candidates under this Federal Law in accordance with Clause 1 or 2 of this Article, respectively. The amount of an electoral deposit and the procedure for its payment are established by Article 64 of this Federal Law.
Article 46. Verification by Election Commissions of the Authenticity of Data Contained in Signature Lists and Information Submitted by Candidates, Electoral Associations, Electoral Blocs
1. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall check to make sure that nomination of a federal list of candidates complies with the requirements of this Federal Law and shall verify the authenticity of data contained in signature lists in support of a federal list of candidates for each electoral association, electoral bloc which submitted the documents required by this Federal Law. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation may verify authenticity of the biographic and other information submitted by candidates, electoral associations electoral blocs in accordance with this Federal Law.
2. The appropriate district election commission shall check to make sure that nomination of a candidate complies with the requirements of this Federal Law and shall verify the authenticity of the data contained in signature lists in support of each candidate who submitted the documents required by this Federal Law. The district election commission may verify authenticity of the biographic and other data submitted by the candidate, the electoral association, electoral bloc in accordance with this Federal Law.
3. An election commission may request appropriate bodies to verify the authenticity of the information submitted in accordance with this Federal Law, and these bodies shall inform the election commission about the results of the verification within ten days or, ten days or less prior to voting day, within the time established by the election commission.
4. An appropriate election commission by its decision may form working groups from members of the election commission, members of the commission's staff, invited specialists to verify the authenticity of signatures and corresponding data contained in the signature lists. The verification may be carried out with the involvement of members of lower election commissions, experts from among specialists of the interior-affairs agencies, juridical bodies, military commissariats, and other specialized institutions and organizations in charge of registration of the population in the Russian Federation. On the basis of their conclusions the data in signature lists may be pronounced to be unauthentic. In order to check authenticity of the information contained in signature lists with voter signatures, election commissions shall be entitled to use the state system of registration (recording) of voters, referendum participants.
5. Verification shall cover not less than 20 percent of the number of voter signatures required for the registration of each candidate (federal list of candidates) and the corresponding data of voters who put their signatures. An equal number of signatures collected in support of the nomination of each candidate, federal list of candidates shall be sampled for initial verification. If the number of signatures required for registration does not exceed 600 signatures, the verification shall cover all signatures. Signature lists to be subjected to selective verification shall be chosen by random sampling (by lot). The random sampling procedure shall be determined by the appropriate election commission. In a district election commission lot-drawing and verification of signature lists may be witnessed by candidates nominated in the given electoral district or their authorized representatives, authorized representatives of electoral associations, electoral blocs which nominated candidates for the single-mandate electoral district, in the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation - by authorized representatives of electoral associations, electoral blocs which nominated federal lists of candidates. Whenever law-drawing is to be conducted and authenticity of the collected signatures is to be verified the time appointed for verification shall be made known by the election commission to the aforementioned persons. The election commission shall not refuse to allow other persons sent by candidates, electoral associations, electoral blocs to participate in the verification. The verification shall cover all signatures on the signature lists chosen for verification.
6. On the basis of verification of the data of signature lists a voter signature may be found authentic or unauthentic.
7. Signatures and data corresponding thereto contained in signature lists but deleted (stricken out) by nominators of a candidate (federal list of candidates) before the signature lists were submitted to the appropriate election commission shall not be verified or counted, if the nominators have made a special note to confirm the deletion.
8. If verification of signature lists reveals several signatures put by one person in support of the nomination of the same candidate (federal list of candidates), only one signature shall be deemed authentic and the remaining signatures shall be deemed unauthentic.
9. The following signatures shall be also deemed unauthentic:
(a) signatures of persons who are not eligible to vote in the given single-mandate electoral district, Subject of the Russian Federation, and signatures of voters who indicated wrong data in signature lists. In this case, a signature shall be deemed unauthentic if official information to this effect has been supplied by an internal affairs body or a corresponding conclusion has been made by a specialist involved in the work of the election commission in accordance with Clause 4 of this Article;
(b) voter signatures put on the signature list before the date on which a district election commission, the election commission of the Russian Federation was notified about nomination of the candidate or before the date on which a copy of the federal list of candidates was certified by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation;
(c) voter signatures without indication of some of the data required under this Federal Law;
(d) signatures deemed invalid on the basis of Clause 1 Article 44 of this Federal Law;
(e) signatures put in the name of different persons by the same person or in the name of one person by another person;
(f) voter signatures accompanied by voter data which are not written by hand or written with a pencil;
(g) voter signatures with the signing date corrected by voters and by persons certifying signature lists, if the correction has not been expressly endorsed by the voter or the person certifying signature lists, respectively;
(h) all signatures on the signature list if the signature list has not been certified by an autograph signature of the signature collector and/or a candidate, authorized representative of an electoral association, electoral bloc, or if this signature is unauthentic;
10. Signatures written in the name of different persons by one person or in the name of one person by another person shall be deemed unauthentic on the basis of a written conclusion of an expert invited by the election commission in accordance with Clause 4 of this Article.
11. If a filled-in line (lines) is (are) discovered on the signature list, which does (do) not meet the requirements of this Federal Law, only the signature in the given line (given lines) shall be disregarded, with the exceptions of cases provided by Clause 8 and Clause 9h of this Article.
12. Corrections and blots endorsed when a signature list was made up shall not be a reason for deeming a signature unauthentic when signatures are counted or verified unless the signature was found to be unauthentic in accordance with Clauses 8 and 9 of this Article.
13. If the number of signatures found to be unauthentic in the course of selective verification exceeds 15 percent of the number of signatures selected for verification, an additional 15 per cent of the number of voter signatures required for registration shall be subjected to verification.
14. If the total number of unauthentic signatures discovered in the course of selective verification exceeds 15 percent of the total number of signatures subject to verification under Clauses 5 and 13 of this Article, further verification of the signature lists shall be discontinued and the candidate, federal list of candidates shall not be registered.
15. A candidate, federal list of candidates shall not be registered if the number of submitted voter signatures minus the number of signatures found unauthentic is insufficient for registration.
16. After the end of verification of signature lists a protocol of verification results shall be drawn up for each candidate, federal list of candidates. The protocol shall be signed by the head of the appropriate working group - a voting member of the given election commission and shall be submitted to the election commission for adoption of an appropriate decision. The protocol shall indicate the stated number of voter signatures, the number of submitted voter signatures, the number of signatures subjected to verification, the number of signatures found to be unauthentic and the reasons therefor. The protocol shall be appended to the appropriate decision of the election commission. No changes shall be made in the protocol after the decision has been taken. A copy of the protocol shall be furnished to a candidate, authorized representatives of an electoral association, electoral bloc not less than 12 hours prior to the meeting of the election commission at which registration of the candidate, federal list of candidates is to be considered. If more than 15 percent of voter signatures subject to verification were found to be unauthentic, the candidate, the electoral association, electoral bloc shall be entitled to request a verification report from the election commission certified thereby along with a copy of the protocol. The report shall set forth the reasons why the voter signatures were found to be unauthentic and indicate the number of the folder, the number of the signature list and the number of the line of the list which contain each such signature.
Article 47. Registration of Candidates, a Federal List of Candidates
1. Not later than ten days after acceptance of signature lists (after an electoral deposit has been paid into the special account of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation) and after acceptance of other documents required for registration of a federal list of candidates the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall either register the federal list of candidates or take a motivated decision to refuse its registration. Not later than ten days after acceptance of signature lists or after an electoral deposit has been paid into the special account of the election commission of a Subject of the Russian Federation and after acceptance of other documents required for registration of a candidate in a single-mandate electoral district the district election commission shall either register the candidate or take a motivated decision to refuse his/her registration. If the candidate to be registered has been nominated by an electoral association, electoral bloc, the decision of a district election commission shall mention that the candidate has been nominated by an electoral association, electoral bloc. The decision to grant registration shall indicate the date and time of the registration.
2. If a candidate, registered candidate uses a pseudonym in his/her creative activity or if there are persons bearing the same surnames among the candidates, the said candidate, registered candidate may, within five days after the deadline for the submission of documents for registration of candidates (federal lists of candidates), register his/her creative pseudonym with the appropriate election commission and, if there is another person bearing the same surname, any pseudonym which he/she may use in the course of the election campaigning along with his/her true first, middle and last name and which shall be indicated, along with the true first, middle and last name, in all official documents (including information documents) and in other materials issued by election commissions. Such a pseudonym shall not be the name or the already registered pseudonym of some other candidate nominated or registered in the same electoral district or in an electoral district which has common boundaries with the given electoral district.
3. One and the same person shall not be registered on more than one federal list of candidates and in more than one single-mandate electoral district. A candidate registered in a single-mandate electoral district as a candidate nominated directly by voters or by way of self-nomination shall not be simultaneously registered in the same electoral district as a candidate from an electoral association, electoral bloc. A candidate registered in a single-mandate electoral district as a candidate nominated by an electoral association, electoral bloc shall not be concurrently included on a registered list of candidates of another electoral association, electoral bloc.
4. One and the same person may be registered as a candidate for the federal electoral district and, simultaneously, as a candidate in one of single-mandate electoral districts, if the candidate and the federal list of candidates were nominated by the same electoral association, electoral bloc.
5. If the rules for registration of a candidate laid down by Clauses 3 and 4 of this Article have been violated, the valid registration shall be that carried out earlier and the later registration shall be annulled by the appropriate election commission if, within 24 hours, the registered candidate has not filed an application to cancel the earlier registration.
6. Having taken a decision to refuse registration of a candidate, federal list of candidates, the election commission shall, within 24 hours after its adoption, issue a copy of this decision stating the reasons for the refusal to the candidate, to the voter, voters who have nominated the candidate or to the authorized representatives of the electoral association, electoral bloc which has nominated the list of candidate. The reasons for the refusal may be the following:
(a) serious violation of the signature collecting procedure established by this Federal Law;
(b) absence or improper execution of the documents indicated in Articles 37, 40 and 45 of this Federal Law;
(c) insufficient number of submitted authentic voter signatures in support of a candidate, federal list of candidates or the proportion of unauthentic signatures found among the signatures subjected to verification exceeding 10 percent, unless an electoral deposit has been paid for registration;
(d) inaccuracy of the information submitted by candidates, electoral associations, electoral blocs in accordance with this Federal Law, if the inaccuracy is essential (inaccuracy of the information concerning separate candidates on the federal list of candidates of an electoral association, electoral bloc may only serve as a basis for eliminating the corresponding candidates from the certified federal list);
(e) serious violation of the rules for the formation of an electoral fund of a candidate, an electoral association, electoral bloc and its expenditure;
(f) violation of Clause 4 Article 41 of this Federal Law by a candidate, an electoral association, electoral bloc, authorized representative of an electoral association, electoral bloc;
(g) other reasons provided by this Federal Law.
7. Collection of voter signatures and their submission to an election commission for registration of a candidate, list of candidates by a candidate, an electoral association, electoral bloc shall not be a reason for the refusal of registration if the candidate, the electoral association, electoral bloc has paid an electoral deposit.
8. If any signs of a criminal or administrative offence have been discovered, an election commission shall hand over appropriate electoral documents and materials to law enforcement bodies to bring to responsibility the persons who violated the provisions of this Federal Law.
9. If the inaccuracy of the information submitted by a candidate, an electoral association, electoral bloc in accordance with Articles 37, 40 and 45 of this Federal Law has been established after registration of the candidate (federal list of candidates) and this inaccuracy is essential, an election commission may, not later than 16 days prior to voting day, annul the decision to register the candidate (eliminate the candidate from the federal list of candidates) and, 15 - 1 days prior to voting day, apply to a court for annulling registration of the candidate (elimination of the candidate from the federal list of candidates).
10. The decision of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation to register a federal list of candidates or to refuse its registration may be appealed
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