Resolution Of The Central Election Commission Of The Russian Federation
On the Uniform Procedure for Tabulation of Vote Returns and Completion of Protocols from Precinct, Territorial Election Commissions and Election Commissions of Subjects of the Russian Federation in Elections of President of the Russian Federation.
In compliance with Paragraph 1 of Article 15 of the Federal Law «On Election of President of the Russian Federation» the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation hereby decrees:
1. To set the Uniform Procedure for Tabulation of Vote Returns and Compilation of Protocols from Precinct, Territorial Election Commission and Elections Commissions of Subjects of the Russian Federation in Election of President of the Russian Federation (attached).
2. To publish this Resolution in the magazine Vestnik Tsentralnoy Isbiratelnoy Komissii Rossiyskoy Federatsii (Newsletter of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation») and in Rossiyskaya Gazeta (Russian Gazette).
Chairman of the Central Election Commission
of the Russian Federation
N.T. Ryabov
Secretary of the Central Election Commission
of the Russian Federation
A.A.Veshnyakov
Moscow
April 12, 1996
No87/720-II
Annex
to the Resolution of the Central Election
Commission of the Russian Federation
dated April 12, 1996, No 87/720-U
UNIFORM PROCEDURE
for Tabulation of Vote Returns and Compilation of Protocols from Precincts, Territorial Election Commissions and Election Commissions of Subjects of the Russian Federation on Election of President of the Russian Federation
1. VOTE COUNTING AT POLLING STATIONS
1.1. Votes shall be counted at polling stations on election day immediately upon expiration of the voting time directly by members of Precinct Election Commission with decisive vote in compliance with the requirements stipulated in Article 52 of the Federal Law «On Election of President of the Russian Federation» (hereinafter referred to as the Federal Law).
The votes shall be counted without intermission until the vote returns are achieved, about which members of Precinct Election Commission with decisive and deliberative vote, observers, including foreign (international) observers, representative of the mass media authorized to attend the vote counting procedure shall be advised.
The Chairman of the Precinct Election Commission and if he/she is not available - the Vice Chairman, and if he/she is not available - the Secretary or any other member of Precinct Election Commission duly authorized, shall organize the vote counting. In this case the tables for vote counting shall be arranged so that all those attending the counting procedure could see any actions of members of the Precinct Election Commission.
For the sake of fulfillment of the requirements of the Federal Law and this Uniform Procedure concerning transparency and openness of the vote counting procedure, the Precinct Election Commission shall be entitled to set independently how to process the filled out ballot including the procedure of announcement of the ballot contents.
In the premises where votes are counted it is recommended to display for public and enlarged copy of the protocol (a large sheet of paper or blackboard may be used) to put in the data on vote returns.
The Protocol of Precinct Election Commission on Vote Returns shall be filled out after the check out of accurate counting of the votes.
When relevant lines of Protocols of Precinct and Territorial Election Commissions, the Protocol of Election Commission of Subject of the Russian Federation are filled, the figures shall be inserted in the special boxes each of which shall not remain empty. Should the number of digits in the lines turn to be less than four, when the Protocol of Precinct Election Commission is filled out, or less than six when the Protocol of the Territorial Election Commission is filled out, or less than seven when the Protocol of Election of Subject of the Russian Federation is filled, zeros shall be put in the first boxes of the row. Example:
1.2. Members of the Precinct Election Commission before opening the voting boxes shall count and cancel unused ballots, for instance, by cutting the low left-hand corner of the ballot. Cancellation of unused ballots by cutting the right-hand upper corner of the ballot where the seal and signatures of the members of Precinct Commission are put shall not be allowed.
The number of canceled ballots is determined as a sum of the number of unused ballots and the ballots that were returned by voters to the Precinct Election Commission as mistakenly filled out (spoiled).
The number of canceled ballots shall be announced and put in the Protocol of Vote Returns (line 5). The canceled ballots shall be packed separately.
Then the following shall be announced and inserted in the Protocol:
the number of voters enrolled in the voter lists, including the voters enrolled in the list additionally (line 1), that is determined by counting the number of voters enrolled in the list by the end of the voting procedure and it shall match the number of voters specified in the certifying note on the last loose leaf of the voter list;
the number of ballots issued to the Election Commission (line 2) that shall match the number of ballots given to the Precinct Election Commission under the relevant Act of transfer of ballots.
1.3. The vote counting shall start from announcing and inserting, in the Protocol, the following data:
the number of ballots issued to voters at the polling station on election day (line 3) that is determined by computing the number of signatures in the voter list certifying the receipt of the ballot;
the number of ballots issued to voters who voted outside the polling station (line 4) that is determined by computing the number voters' written applications requiring to vote outside the polling station with the signature of the voter certifying the receipt of the ballot. The said number should match the number of marks in the box «Special Marks» on the voter list indicating that the voter voted outside the polling station.
The accuracy of the count of ballots shall be checked using the following formulas;
the number in line 2 shall be equal to the sum of figures in lines 3, 4, 5;
1.4. When the calculations are made, the Chairman of Precinct Election Commission shall check integrity of the seals and stamps on the voting boxes and allow members of election commission, observers and proxies to make sure that nothing is damaged. The voting ballots shall be opened in turn: first - portable boxes, then - stationary boxes.
When a portable voting box is opened, the ballots of unauthorized form, i.e. those printed illegally or without an authorization mark of the Precinct Election Commission shall be separated. The number of ballots of unauthorized form shall be announced, then the ballots shall be packed separately and shall not be taken into account while the votes are counted.
If the number of valid ballots in a portable voting box is larger than the number of applications, then the written applications of voters requiring to vote outside a polling station with signatures of the voters certifying the receipt of the ballot, all ballots contained in the portable voting box shall be considered invalid by a decision of the Precinct Election Commission and shall be packed separately.
Such a fact specifying the number of ballots invalidated for this reason, as well as family names of the members of the Precinct Election Commission in charge of voting outside the polling station shall be recorded in the Act of Precinct Election Commission that shall be announced and attached to the Protocol on Vote Returns.
1.5. Then the number of ballots contained in portable voting boxes shall be determined. The ballots of unauthorized form contained in the portable voting boxes shall not be accounted.
The number of ballots contained in portable voting boxes (with the exception of the ballots of unauthorized form) shall be announced and inserted in line 6 of the Protocol.
1.6. When the stationary voting boxes are opened the ballots of unauthorized form shall be separated from other ballots.
The number of ballots of unauthorized form shall be announced, then they shall be packed separately and shall not be taken into account when the votes are counted.
Then the Precinct Election Commission shall start counting the number of ballots contained in the stationary voting boxes. The ballots of unauthorized form contained in the stationary boxes shall not be accounted.
The number of ballots contained in the stationary voting boxes (with the exception of the ballots of unauthorized form) shall be announced and inserted in line 7 of the Protocol.
The accuracy of the count of ballots shall be checked out with the use of the following formula:
Then the ballots taken from portable and stationary voting boxes shall be sorted out as valid and invalid ballots.
The number of valid ballots (line 8) shall be determined by counting the ballots filled in precise compliance with the Federal Law «On Election of President of the Russian Federation» clearly showing the voter's choice. The number of such ballots shall be announced and inserted in the Protocol.
The number of invalid ballots including the number of ballots containing no marks in any positions (lines 9 and 10) shall be determined by counting the ballots that do not show the voters' choice in particular those where any sign (signs) is placed in several boxes or no boxes are filled out. Ballots where the information on a candidate who has withdrawn himself is not crossed out as ordered by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and a mark is made in the box to the right of the family name of the withdrawn candidate shall be considered invalid.
The number of ballots considered by the decision of the Precinct Election Commission invalid for the reason of a larger number of the ballots contained in a portable voting box than the number written applications of voters requiring to vote outside the polling station with signatures of voters certifying the ballots receipt shall he inserted in line 9.
In case of doubts concerning the validity of a ballot, the Precinct Election Commission shall put the issue on vote. When a decision is made to consider the ballot invalid, the reason for its invalidation shall be specified on the backside of the ballot. The note shall be certified by signatures of at least three members of the Precinct Election Commission.
Invalid ballots shall be counted and the number shall be announced in the Protocol.
Invalid ballots shall be packed separately from other ballots.
The accuracy of the number of valid and invalid ballots shall be verified with the use of the following formula:
1.7. Family names, first and second names of candidates for President of the Russian Federation shall be inserted in column 11 in the same order as they are in the ballot.
The number of votes cast for each candidate (column 12) shall be determined one by one for each candidate by counting the valid ballots where any sign is put by a voter in the box to the right of the family name of the relevant candidate.
The number of votes cast against all candidates (line 13) shall be determined by counting the valid ballots where any sign is put in the box to the right of the line «Against All Candidates».
The number of votes cast for each candidates and the number of votes cast against all candidates shall be announced and inserted in the Protocol.
The accuracy of the counting of votes cast for candidates for President of the Russian Federation and against all candidates shall be verified with the use of the following formula:
Then the number of voters who voted at the polling station with the use of absentee voting certificates and the number of voters who received absentee voting certificates at the polling station shall be announced and inserted in the Protocol.
The number of voters who voted at the polling station with the use of absentee voting certificates and the number of voters who received absentee voting certificates at the polling station shall be determined by counting the number of relevant marks in the voter lists. The number of voters who received absentee voting certificates at the polling station shall match the number of absentee voting certificates issued to voters at the polling station as filed in the Register of Absentee Voting Certificates.
1.8. The Protocol on Vote Returns shall be compiled by the Precinct Election Commission in compliance with the following requirements:
the Protocol should be compiled in three copies in presence of all members of Precinct Election Commission, observers including foreign (international) observers, candidates' proxies, representatives of the mass media. Each copy of the Protocol shall be signed in the alphabetical order by all members of Precinct Election Commission with decisive vote.
If a Commission member with decisive vote is absent when the Protocol is signed, the reason for his/her absence shall be specified in the column «Signature».
A Commission member who disagrees with the Protocol in full or partially is entitled to attach to the Protocol his/her special opinion made in writing. In this event, the Commission member shall make an entry «special opinion» in the relevant line of the Protocol and put his/her signature.
The Protocol on Vote Returns shall not be filled out in pencil, and no corrections shall be allowed in it.
1.9. When the Protocol is signed, valid and invalid ballots as well as ballots of unauthorized form shall be sealed separately in presence of all persons specified in paragraph 1 of item 1.8 of this Uniform Procedure.
Complaints (applications) concerning violation of the Federal Law submitted to the Precinct Election Commission on voting day, as well as decisions of the Election Commission made thereon shall be attached to the first copy of the Protocol. The certified copies of complaints (applications) and decisions of the Precinct Election Commission shall be attached to the second copy of the Protocol.
The second copy of the Protocol together with the sealed ballots, lists of members of Precinct Election Commission with decisive vote, observers, including foreign (international) observers, representatives of the mass media attending the vote counting procedure shall be kept with the Secretary of the Precinct Election Commission until the end of its work.
The third copy of the Protocol shall be provided for examination to candidates' proxies, observers, members of Precinct Election Commission with deliberative vote, representatives of the mass media, as well as any citizen of the Russian Federation upon his/her request.
Failure to comply with these requirements entails a fine to be imposed upon the Chairman of Precinct Election Commission in the amount of five to ten minimum monthly wages in compliance with Article 4013 of the Code of the RSFSR On Administrative Offenses.
In compliance with Article 31 of the Federal Law «On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights of Citizens of the Russian Federation» upon request (oral or written) of any member of Precinct Election Commission or an observer, the Precinct Election Commission shall be obliged to issue him/her a certified copy of the Protocol on Vote Returns or allow the applicant to make a copy of the Protocol and then the Chairman or the Vice-Chairman or the Secretary of the Commission shall certify it by the signature and the seal of the Precinct Election Commission.
1.10. The first copy of the Protocol of the Precinct Election Commission once signed together with documents attached to it, shall be immediately forwarded to the relevant Territorial Election Commission.
The Precinct Election Commission formed beyond the territory of the Russian Federation shall forward the first copy of the Protocol on Vote Returns together with documents attached to it to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation in compliance with the established procedure.
2. TABULATION OF VOTE RETURNS BY THE TERRITORIAL ELECTION COMMISSION
2.1. On the basis of the Protocols of Precinct Election Commissions on Vote Returns the accurate compilation of which shall be preliminary checked out, the Territorial Election Commission shall by adding the figures contained in the Protocols determine the vote returns in the relevant territory not later than in three days after election day.
When errors, discrepancies are found in the Protocol or in case of any doubts concerning the accurate compilation of the Protocol of Precinct Election Commission, the Territorial Election Commission shall be entitled to make a decision on repeat counting of votes by the relevant Precinct Election Commission. The repeat counting of votes shall be accomplished by the Precinct Election Commission in presence of a member (members) of the Territorial Election Commission. The Precinct Election Commission shall make a relevant decision on the basis of the results of the repeat counting of votes that shall be immediately forwarded to the Territorial Election Commission.
The figures contained in the Protocols Of Precinct Election Commissions shall be counted directly by the members of Territorial Election Commission with decisive vote in presence of members of Territorial Election Commission with deliberative vote, observers, including foreign (international) observers, representatives of the mass media who are entitled to attend the tabulation procedure.
In the premises where voting tabulation is conducted, it is recommended to display for public an enlarged copy of the Protocol (a large sheet of paper or a blackboard may be used) to insert the data on vote returns.
The Territorial Election Commission on the basis of the vote returns shall compile a protocol where the-information on the number of Precinct Election Commissions in the relevant territory and the number of Protocols of Precinct Election Commission on the basis of which the Protocol of the Territorial Election Commission is compiled, as well as summed figures of the protocols of precinct election commissions determined in accordance with paragraph 9 of Article 52 of the Federal Law, and summarized information on the number of voters who voted at polling stations with the use of absentee voting certificates and the number of votes who received absentee voting certificates at the polling stations located in the territory under the jurisdiction of this Territorial Election Commission shall be inserted.
After the figures contained in the Protocols of Precinct Election Commissions are summed up, the accurate counting of votes in the Protocol of the Territorial Election Commission shall be checked out with the use of the previously mentioned formulas.
2.2. The Protocol of Territorial Election Commission shall be completed in three copies and signed by all members of Election Commission with decisive vote present in compliance with the requirements of paragraph 2 and paragraph 3 of item 1.8 of this Uniform Procedure.
2.3. The Summary Table on Vote Returns in the relevant territory containing all figures of the Protocols of Precinct Election Commissions must be attached to the Protocol. The final data of the Summary Table shall match the figures contained in the Protocol of the Territorial Election Commission.
All information contained in the Protocols of Precinct Election Commission shall be inserted in the relevant lines of the Summary Table. Each page of the Summary Table must specify the copy number, the number of pages and the ordinal of the page of the Summary Table. The column «Total» shall be filled out only on the last page of the Summary Table. Each page of the Summary Table shall be signed by the Chairman and the Secretary of the Territorial Election Commission and certified by its seal.
2.4. Complaints (applications) concerning violations of the Federal Law submitted to the Territorial Election Commission on voting day, as well as decisions made by the Election Commission thereon shall be attached to the first copy of the Protocol. The certified copies of complaints (applications) and decisions of the Territorial Election Commission shall be attached to the second copy of the Protocol.
The first copy of the Protocol of the Territorial Election Commission once signed shall, together with the first copy of the Summary Table and the documents attached to them, be immediately forwarded to the Election Commission of the relevant subject of the Russian Federation.
The second copy of the Protocol together with the second copy of the Summary Table and the list of members of Territorial Election Commission, observers including foreign (international) observers, representatives of the mass media attending the procedure of vote tabulation and compilation of the Protocol shall be kept with the Secretary of the Territorial Election Commission.
The third copy of the Protocol and the third copy of the Summary Table shall be provided for examination to candidates' proxies, observers, members of Territorial Election Commission with deliberative vote, representatives of the mass media, as well as any citizen of the Russian Federation upon his/her request.
Failure to comply with this requirement entails a fine imposed upon the Chairman of the Territorial Election Commission in the amount of ten to fifteen minimum monthly wages in compliance with Article 4013 of the Code of the RSFSR on Administrative Offenses.
The Territorial Election Commission, upon request (oral or written) of any member of the Territorial Election Commission or an observer, shall be obliged to provide them a certified copy of the Protocol on Vote Returns or allow the applicant to make a copy of the Protocol and then the Chairman or the Vice-Chairman or the Secretary shall certify it by signing it and putting the seal of the Territorial Election Commission.
3. DETERMINATION OF VOTE RESULTS BY THE ELECTION COMMISSION OF SUBJECTS OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
3.1. On the basis of the protocols of territorial election commissions on vote returns the accurate compilation of which shall be preliminary checked out, the Election Commission of Subject of the Russian Federation shall tabulate the vote returns in the territory of the subject of the Russian Federation by adding up figures contained in the Protocols not later than ten days after election day.
If errors, discrepancies are found in the Protocol or the Summary Table or in case of any doubts concerning the accurate compilation of the Protocol of Territorial Election Commission or the Summary Table, the Election Commission of Subject of the Russian Federation shall be entitled to make a decision on repeat counting of votes by the relevant Territorial Election Commission. The repeat counting of votes shall be accomplished by the Territorial Election Commission in presence of a member (members) of the Election Commission of Subject of the Russian Federation. The Territorial Election Commission shall make a relevant decision on the basis of the results of the repeat counting of votes that shall be immediately forwarded to the Election Commission of Subject of the Russian Federation.
The figures contained in the Protocols shall be summed up by the members of the Election Commission of Subject of the Russian Federation with decisive vote in the presence of members of Election Commission of Subject of the Russian Federation with deliberative vote, observers, including foreign (international) observers, representatives of the mass media who are entitled to attend the vote tabulation procedure.
In the premises where the vote tabulation is held it is recommended to display for public an enlarged copy of the Protocol of Election Commission of Subject of the Russian Federation to be filled out with the voting results on the election of President of the Russian Federation.
The Election Commission of Subject of the Russian Federation on the basis of the protocols of territorial election commissions shall complete a Protocol on Vote Returns. The Protocol shall contain the number of Territorial Election Commissions and the number of Protocols of Territorial Election Commissions on the basis of which the Protocol is completed, as well as the summed information of the protocols of the territorial election commissions determined in compliance with paragraph 9 of Article 52 of the Federal Law and the summarized information on the number of voters who voted at polling stations with the use of absentee voting certificates, including voters who received absentee voting certificates at polling stations.
The accurate calculation of votes in the Protocol of the Election Commission of Subject of the Russian Federation shall be verified with the use of the earlier mentioned formulas.
3.2. The Protocol of the Election Commission of Subject of the Russian Federation shall be compiled in three copies and signed by all present members of Election Commission of Subject of the Russian Federation with decisive votes in compliance with the requirements of paragraph 2 and paragraph 3 of item 1.8 of this Uniform Procedure.
3.3. The Summary Table on Vote Returns containing data of the Protocols of all Territorial Election Commissions must be attached to the Protocol. The final figures in the Summary Table shall match the figures contained in the Protocol of Election Commission of Subject of the Russian Federation.
Each page of the Summary Table must have the copy number, the number of pages and the ordinal number of the page of the Summary Table. The column «Total» shall be filled out only on the last page of the Summary Table. Each page of the Summary Table shall be signed by the Chairman and the Secretary of Election Commission of Subject of the Russian Federation and certified by its seal.
3.4. Complaints (applications) concerning violations of the Federal Law submitted to the Election Commission of Subject of the Russian Federation on voting day, as well as the decisions of the Election Commission made thereon shall be attached to the first copy of the Protocol. The certified copies of complaints (applications) and decisions of the Election Commission shall be attached to the second copy of the Protocol.
The first copy of the Protocol of Election Commission of Subject of the Russian Federation and first copy of the Summary Table together with documents attached to them shall be immediately forwarded to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.
The second copy of the Protocol together with the second copy of the Summary Table and the List of Members of Election Commission of Subject of the Russian Federation with decisive vote, observers including foreign (international) observers, representatives of the mass media attending the procedure of vote tabulation, compilation of Protocols shall be kept with the Secretary of the Election Commission until the end of its work.
The third copy of the Protocol and the third copy of the Summary Table shall be provided for examination to candidates' proxies, observers, including foreign (international) observers, members of Precinct Election Commission with deliberative vote, representatives of the mass media, as well as any citizen of the Russian Federation upon his/her request.
Failure to comply with this requirements entails a fine imposed on the Chairman of the Election Commission in the amount of twenty to fifty monthly wages in compliance with Article 4013 of the Code of the RSFSR on Administrative Offenses.
The Election Commission of Subject of the Russian Federation, upon request (oral or written) of any member of Election Commission of Subject of the Russian Federation or an observer shall be obliged to provide them with a certified copy of the Protocol on Vote Returns or allow them to make a copy of the Protocol and then the Chairman or the Vice-Chairman or Secretary of the Commission shall certify it by signature and seal of the Territorial Election Commission.
Note: If after the Protocol of Precinct Election Commission, Protocol of Territorial Election Commission or the Protocol of Election Commission of Subject of the Russian Federation and the relevant Summary Table are signed, an inaccuracy is found in the Protocol or in the Summary Table (misprint or error in computation of the figures in the Protocol of inferior election commissions) the relevant election commission shall, at its session, consider an issue concerning amending the Protocol and (or) the Summary Table. The Election Commission must inform the members of the Election Commission with decisive vote, observers, representatives of the mass media attending the procedure of the completion of the Protocol about the decision made. The decision shall immediately be forwarded to the higher election commission.
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