It begins with the calling of elections - the establishment by an authorized body or official of the date of holding elections in accordance with the terms determined by the Constitution Russian Federation, federal laws and laws of constituent entities of the Russian Federation, charters of municipalities.
In accordance with the Constitution of the Russian Federation, elections of the President of the Russian Federation are called by the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly. Elections of deputies to the State Duma are appointed by the President of the Russian Federation.
Elections in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation are scheduled in accordance with the constitutions (charters) of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. As a rule, elections of members of legislative bodies are appointed by the heads of the relevant constituent entities of the Russian Federation, and elections of senior officials of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation are appointed by the relevant legislative bodies.
In Russia, the deadlines for carrying out electoral actions (calling elections, nominating candidates, registering candidates, etc.) are counted from voting day.
Setting an election date
There are two main approaches to setting a voting date.
- Elections are scheduled for a specific day associated with the end of office official or authority.
- Elections are being held.
In Russia, both approaches are used. The first is during the elections of the President of the Russian Federation and deputies of the State Duma. The second is for the rest of the elections.
In the event of early termination of the powers of an official or dissolution of a government body, the election date is set as close as possible to the date of termination of powers.
Voting days in Russia
According to the Constitution of the Russian Federation, voting in any elections can only be scheduled on a calendar day off. It is not permitted to schedule voting day on a holiday.
In accordance with Art. 5 No. 19-FZ “On the elections of the President of the Russian Federation”, voting day in the elections of the President of the Russian Federation is the second Sunday of the month in which voting was held in the previous general elections of the President of the Russian Federation. Since 2000, this month has been March.
In accordance with Art. 6 No. 51-FZ “On the election of deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation”, the voting day for the election of deputies of the State Duma is the first Sunday of the month in which the constitutional term for which the State Duma of the previous convocation was elected expires. Since 1993, this month has been December.
Election dates may shift in the event of an early Russian presidency or the dissolution of the State Duma.
Since 2004, the concept of “single voting day” has been introduced into the electoral legislation of Russia.
From 2004 to 2013, for regional and local elections, the single voting day was the second Sunday of March or the second Sunday of October. It was allowed to call elections simultaneously with elections to the State Duma.
On October 3, 2012, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed Law No. 157-FZ, which establishes a single voting day for regional and municipal elections on the second Sunday of September. The law came into force on November 1, 2012. The first single voting day under the new law will take place on September 8, 2013.
According to the law, elections will be held on the second Sunday of September of the year in which the terms of office expire regional bodies or their deputies. In those years when elections to the State Duma or presidential elections of the Russian Federation take place, regional elections will be combined with federal campaigns.
If the second Sunday of September falls on a non-working holiday, precedes it or follows it, or the second Sunday of September is declared a working day, then the elections are scheduled for the third Sunday of September.
In case of early termination of powers of bodies or deputies, elections must be held no later than six months from the date of loss of their powers. In case of early termination of powers of the head of the region, elections are held on the nearest second Sunday in September.
Besides, new law states that single-member and multi-member electoral districts will be created for a period of 10 years (previously - before each election), and polling stations and referendum areas - for 5 years. Moreover, the latter can be specified and are the same for all elections held in the relevant territory, as well as for all regional and local referendums.
Under this Federal Law, bodies or deputies are appointed by an authorized body or official.
3. On the day of voting in elections to bodies state power subjects of the Russian Federation, local government bodies is the second Sunday of September of the year in which the terms of office of the said bodies or deputies of the said bodies expire, and if the terms of office expire in the year of elections of deputies State Duma Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation of the next convocation, - the voting day at the said elections, except for the cases provided for in paragraphs 4 of this article.
4. In the event of early termination of powers of bodies or deputies specified in paragraph 3 of this article, entailing the incompetence of the body, early elections must be held no later than six months from the date of such early termination of powers, with the exception of early elections of the highest official of the subject of the Russian Federation (the head of the highest executive body of state power of a constituent entity of the Russian Federation), which are held taking into account the timing of elections provided for in paragraph 7 of this article, on the nearest second Sunday in September after such early termination of powers, and in the year of elections of deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Federation of the next convocation - on the voting day at the said elections.
(see text in the previous edition)
5. Elections to government bodies of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, newly formed in accordance with the federal constitutional law, federal law, constitution (charter) of the constituent entity of the Russian Federation, are scheduled for the second Sunday in September, and in the year of elections of deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation the next convocation - on the day of voting in the said elections or on another day in accordance with the federal constitutional law, federal law, decree of the President of the Russian Federation.
(see text in the previous edition)
5.1. Elections to local government bodies of a newly formed municipal entity must be held no later than six months from the date of its creation.
6. Voting in elections can only be scheduled for Sunday. It is not permitted to schedule voting on a non-working holiday, on the day preceding it, on the day following a non-working holiday, or on Sunday, which is declared a working day in accordance with the established procedure. If the second Sunday of September on which elections must be scheduled coincides with a non-working holiday, or the day preceding it, or the day following a non-working holiday, or the second Sunday of September is declared in accordance with the established procedure as a working day, the elections are scheduled for the third Sunday of September.
(see text in the previous edition)
7. The decision to call elections to a federal body of state power must be made no earlier than 110 days and no later than 90 days before voting day. The decision to call elections to a government body of a constituent entity of the Russian Federation must be made no earlier than 100 days and no later than 90 days before voting day. The decision to call elections to a local government body must be made no earlier than 90 days and no later than 80 days before voting day. The decision to call elections is subject to official publication in the media no later than five days from the date of its adoption. When early elections are called, the deadlines specified in this paragraph, as well as the deadlines for carrying out other electoral actions, may be reduced, but not by more than one third.
8. If the authorized body or official does not call elections within the time period provided for in paragraph 7 of this article, and also if the authorized body or official is absent, elections are called: to federal bodies of state power - by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation in the manner established by federal law; to state authorities of a constituent entity of the Russian Federation - by the election commission of a constituent entity of the Russian Federation no later than 80 days before voting day; to local government bodies - by the relevant election commission no later than 70 days before voting day. The decision of the election commission to call elections is published no later than seven days from the date of expiration of the deadline established by paragraph 7 of this article for the official publication of the decision to call elections.
9. If the relevant election commission does not appoint, within the period established by paragraph 8 of this article, elections of the bodies or deputies specified in paragraph 1 of Article 8 of this Federal Law, or if such an election commission does not exist and cannot be formed in the manner provided for by this Federal Law, the relevant court of general jurisdiction, based on applications from voters, electoral associations, state authorities, local self-government bodies, the prosecutor, can determine the period no later than which the authorized body or official, and in their absence, the relevant election commission, must call elections. In this case, the court also has the right to impose on the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation or the election commission of a constituent entity of the Russian Federation (corresponding to the level of elections) the obligation to form, within ten days from the date of entry into force of the court decision, a temporary election commission of no more than 15 commission members, in compliance with the composition requirements election commission provided for - and this Federal Law, and in the absence of a body or official authorized to call elections - also establish a period within which the temporary election commission must call elections. The term of office and the number of voting members of a temporary election commission are established by the election commission that formed it.
Under this Federal Law, bodies or deputies are appointed by an authorized body or official.
Information about changes:
3. The voting day for elections to government bodies of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, local self-government bodies is the second Sunday of September of the year in which the terms of office of these bodies or deputies of these bodies expire, and if the terms of office expire in the year of elections of deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Federation of the next convocation - the day of voting at the said elections, except for the cases provided for in paragraphs 4 - 6 of this article.
4. In the event of early termination of powers of bodies or deputies specified in paragraph 3 of this article, entailing the incompetence of the body, early elections must be held no later than six months from the date of such early termination of powers, with the exception of early elections of the highest official of the subject of the Russian Federation (the head of the highest executive body of state power of a constituent entity of the Russian Federation), which are held taking into account the timing of elections provided for in paragraph 7 of this article, on the nearest second Sunday in September after such early termination of powers, and in the year of elections of deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Federation of the next convocation - on the voting day at the said elections.
Information about changes:
5. Elections to government bodies of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, newly formed in accordance with the federal constitutional law, federal law, constitution (charter) of the constituent entity of the Russian Federation, are scheduled for the second Sunday in September, and in the year of elections of deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation the next convocation - on the day of voting in the said elections or on another day in accordance with the federal constitutional law, federal law, decree of the President of the Russian Federation.
Information about changes:
6. Voting in elections can only be scheduled for Sunday. It is not permitted to schedule voting on a non-working holiday, on the day preceding it, on the day following a non-working holiday, or on Sunday, which is declared a working day in accordance with the established procedure. If the second Sunday of September on which elections must be scheduled coincides with a non-working holiday, or the day preceding it, or the day following a non-working holiday, or the second Sunday of September is declared in accordance with the established procedure as a working day, the elections are scheduled for the third Sunday of September.
7. The decision to call elections to a federal body of state power must be made no earlier than 110 days and no later than 90 days before voting day. The decision to call elections to a government body of a constituent entity of the Russian Federation must be made no earlier than 100 days and no later than 90 days before voting day. The decision to call elections to a local government body must be made no earlier than 90 days and no later than 80 days before voting day. The decision to call elections is subject to official publication in the media no later than five days from the date of its adoption. When early elections are called, the deadlines specified in this paragraph, as well as the deadlines for carrying out other electoral actions, may be reduced, but not by more than one third.
8. If the authorized body or official does not call elections within the time period provided for in paragraph 7 of this article, and also if the authorized body or official is absent, elections are called: to federal bodies of state power - by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation in the manner established by federal law; to state authorities of a constituent entity of the Russian Federation - by the election commission of a constituent entity of the Russian Federation no later than 80 days before voting day; to local government bodies - by the relevant election commission no later than 70 days before voting day. The decision of the election commission to call elections is published no later than seven days from the date of expiration of the deadline established by paragraph 7 of this article for the official publication of the decision to call elections.
9. If the relevant election commission does not appoint, within the period established by paragraph 8 of this article, elections of the bodies or deputies specified in paragraph 1 of Article 8 of this Federal Law, or if such an election commission does not exist and cannot be formed in the manner provided for by this Federal Law, the relevant court of general jurisdiction, based on applications from voters, electoral associations, state authorities, local self-government bodies, the prosecutor, can determine the period no later than which the authorized body or official, and in their absence, the relevant election commission, must call elections. In this case, the court also has the right to impose on the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation or the election commission of a constituent entity of the Russian Federation (corresponding to the level of elections) the obligation to form, within ten days from the date of entry into force of the court decision, a temporary election commission of no more than 15 commission members, in compliance with the composition requirements election commission provided for by this Federal Law, and in the absence of a body or official authorized to call elections - also establish a period within which the temporary election commission must call elections. The term of office and the number of voting members of a temporary election commission are established by the election commission that formed it.