FEDERAL LAW On the Election of Deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Adopted

by the State Duma on Approved by the Federation Council on December 11, 2002 November 20, 2002

Chapter I. General
Article 1. Basic Principles of the Election of Deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation
Deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation (hereafter deputies of the State Duma) shall be elected by citizens of the Russian Federation on the basis of universal, equal and direct suffrage by secret ballot. Participation of a Russian Federation citizen in the election shall be free and voluntary. Nobody shall compel a Russian Federation citizen to participate or not to participate in the election or shall prevent free expression of his will .

Article 2. Legislation on the Election of Deputies of the State Duma

1. The legislation on the election of deputies of the State Duma is formed by the Constitution of the Russian Federation, Federal Law No. 67-FZ of June 12, 2002On Basic Guarantees of the Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum (hereafter Federal Law `On Basic Guarantees of the Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum'), this Federal Law, other federal laws. 2. The main concepts and terms used in this Federal Law shall have the same meaning as in the Federal Law On Basic Guarantees of the Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum, unless otherwise provided by this Federal Law.

Article 3. Elections to the State Duma

1. Under the Constitution of the Russian Federation 450 deputies shall be elected to the State Duma. 2. Two hundred and twenty five deputies of the State Duma shall be elected in single -seat electoral districts (one district - one deputy) to be formed on the basis of a uniform quota of voters' representation for single-seat electoral districts, with the exception of electoral districts in the Russian Federation subjects where the number of voters is less than the uniform representation quota. The uniform quota of voters' representation for a single -seat electoral district shall be determined by dividing the total number of voters residing on the territory of the Russian Federation and registered in the Russian Federation in accordance with the Federal Law On Basic Guarantees of the Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum by the total number (225) of single-seat electoral districts. 3. Two hundred and twenty five deputies of the State Duma shall be elected in the federal electoral district in proportion to the number of votes cast for a federal lists of candidates nominated by political parties, electoral blocs.

Article 4. Electoral Rights of a Russian Federation Citizen at the Election of Deputies of the State Duma

1. A Russian Federation citizen who has attained to the age of 18 years on voting day shall be entitled to elect deputies of the State Duma in the federal electoral district. 2. A Russian Federation citizen who has attained to the age of 18 years on voting day and whose place of residence is within the territory of a relevant electoral district shall be entitled to elect a deputy of the State Duma in a single-seat electoral district. 3. A Russian Federation citizen who has attained to the age of 18 years on voting day shall be entitled to participate in the nomination of candidates for election to the State Duma and lists of candidates, in the election campaigning, in the monitoring of the conduct of the election and the work of election commissions, including determination of vote returns and establishm ent of election results, and in the performance of other electoral actions, in the procedure established by this Federal Law, other federal laws. 4. Eligible for election as a deputy of the State Duma shall be a Russian Federation citizen who has attained to the age of 21 years on voting day. 5. A Russian Federation citizen who resides or stays outside the territory of the Russian Federation during the preparation and conduct of the election shall have the same electoral rights as other citizens of the Russian Federation at the election of deputies of the State Duma. 6. A Russian Federation citizen shall not be entitled to the right to elect or be elected or participate in other electoral actions if he has been declared by a court to be incapable or is held in custody under a court sentence. 7. A Russian Federation citizen deprived of the right to occupy state offices for a definite period by a court decision which has come into force shall not be registered as a candidate for election to the State Duma if the voting at the election of deputies of the State Duma is to take place before the expiry of the period established by the court.

Article 5. Calling of the Election of Deputies of the State Duma

1. The conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma within the period established by the Constitution of the Russian Federation and this Federal Law shall be obligatory. 2. Under the Constitution of the Russian Federation the election of deputies of the State Duma of a new convocation shall be called by the President of the Russian Federation. The decision to call the election shall be taken not earlier than 110 days and not later than 90 days before voting day. Voting day at the election of deputies of the State Duma shall be the second Sunday of the month in which the constitutional term of the State Duma of the previous convocation expires. The constitutional term for which the State Duma is to be elected shall commence from the day of its election. The day of the election of the State Duma shall be the day of voting as a result of which it was elected as a competent body. The decision to call the election shall be officially published in the mass media not later than five days after it was taken. 3. If the President of the Russian Federation does not call the election of deputies of the State Duma within the period indicated in Clause 2 of this article, the election of deputies of the State Duma shall be called and conducted by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation on the first or second Sunday of the month which follows the month in which the constitutional term of the State Duma of the previous convocation expires. The decision of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation to call the election shall be published not later than seven days after the expiry of the period established by Clause 2 of this article for the official publication of the decision to call the election. 4. When dissolving the State Duma in the cases and in the procedure provided by the Constitution of the Russian Federation the President of the Russian Federation shall simultaneously call an early election of deputies of the State Duma of a new convocation. In this case voting day shall be the last Sunday before the day on which three months expire from the

day of the dissolution of the State Duma. The decision to call an early election shall be officially published in the mass media not later than five days from the day when it was taken. 5. If the President of the Russian Federation does not call the election of deputies of the State Duma of a new convocation after the dissolution of the State Duma, the election of deputies of the State Duma shall be called and conducted by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation on the first or second Sunday after the expiry of thee months from the day of the dissolution of the State Duma. The decision of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation to call the election shall be published not later than seven days after the expiry of the period established by Clause 4 of this article for the official publication of the decision to call the election. 6. In the cases provided by Clauses 4 and 5 of this article the periods for the performance of electoral actions established by this Federal Law shall be reduced by one-fourth. 7. If the Sunday on which the election is to be held coincides with a day preceding a holiday, or a holiday, or a day following a holiday or if this Sunday has been declared a working day in the established procedure, the election shall be held on the next Sunday.

Article 6. The Right to Nominate Candidates for Election to the State Duma
1. Candidates for election to the State Duma (hereafter candidates) may be nominated directly as well as on a federal list of candidates. 2. Direct nomination of candidates may be carried out by way of self-nomination and by way of nomination by a political party, electoral bloc. 3. Nomination of candidates on a federal list of candidates may be carried out by political parties which are entitled under Federal Law No. 95-FZ of July 11, 2001On Political Parties (hereafter Federal Law `On Political Parties') to participate in the election and nominate lists of candidates (hereafter political parties) and by electoral blocs.

Article 7. Preparation and Conduct of the Election of Deputies of the State Duma by Election Commissions
1. The preparation and conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma, the measures to ensure the realization and protection of the electoral rights of citizens and control over the observance of these rights shall be carried out by election commissions within the scope of their competence laid down by this Federal Law, other federal laws. 2. When preparing and conducting the election of deputies of the State Duma election commissions shall, within the scope of their competence laid down by this Federal Law, other federal laws, be independent of the bodies of state power and bodies of local self-government. Any interference in the activity of election commissions on the part of the legislative (representative) and executive bodies of state power, bodies of local self-government, officials, other persons shall not be allowed. 3. The decisions and acts of election commissions adopted by them within the scope of their competence laid down by this Federal Law, other federal laws shall be binding upon the federal bodies of executive power, bodies of executive power of the Russian Federation subjects, state bodies and institutions, bodies of local self-government, candidates, registered candidates, political parties, electoral blocs, public associations, organizations, officials and voters. 4. When preparing and conducting the election of deputies of the State Duma election commissions may use the state automated information system to inform voters about the progress of the preparation and conduct of the election and about the election results, to search for, acquire, replenish, process, transmit and store the information used in the course of the

preparation and conduct of the election and provide informational support for the activities of election commissions carried out within the scope of their competence laid down by this Federal Law, other federal laws.

Article 8. Right to Election Campaigning

1. Citizens of the Russian Federation, political parties, other public associations may conduct election campaigning in any form allowed by law, using lawful methods. 2. In this Federal Law election campaigning means the activities which are carried out during an election campaign and are aimed to encourage or are encouraging voters to vote for or against a candidate, candidates, list of candidates or against all candidates (against all lists of candidates). 3. The state shall assure for citizens of the Russian Federation, political parties, other public associations the freedom to conduct election campaigning in accordance with this Federal Law, other federal laws. 4. Equal conditions of access to the mass media for election campaigning shall be guaranteed to registered candidates, to political parties and electoral blocs which registered their federal lists of candidates.

Article 9. Funding of the Election of Deputies of the State Duma

1. Expenses on the preparation and conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma shall be paid out of the funds allocated from the federal budget. 2. Candidates, political parties, electoral blocs shall form their own electoral funds to finance their election campaign.

Article 10. Public Preparation and Conduct of the Election of Deputie s of the State Duma
1. The election of deputies of the State Duma shall be prepared and conducted openly and publicly. 2. The regulations of election commissions, bodies of state power and bodies of local self government directly relating to the preparation and conduct of the election shall be published in state and municipal print media. Other decisions of these bodies directly relating to the preparation and conduct of the election shall be published or shall be made public in some other manner.

Article 11. Inadmissibility of Participation in Election Campaigns of Foreign Nationals, Stateless Persons and Foreign Legal Entities
Foreign nationals, stateless persons, foreign legal entities shall not engage in any activities which help or impede the nomination and registration of candidates (list of candidates), election of registered candidates.

Chapter II. Electoral Districts and Electoral Precincts

Article 12. Formation of Single -Seat Electoral Districts

1. In order to conduct the election of deputies of the State Duma in single-seat electoral districts 225 single-seat electoral districts shall be formed on the territory of the Russian Federation on the basis of the information submitted to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation by the executive bodies of state power of the Russian Federation subjects about the number of voters registered in accordance with the requirements of Article 16 of the Federal Law On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum in the territories of the Russian Federation subjects. 2. Voters residing outside the territory of the Russian Federation shall be included in single-seat electoral districts formed on the territory of the Russian Federation. The information about the number of voters registered outside the territory of the Russian Federation in accordance with the requirements of Article 16 of the Federal Law On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum shall be submitted to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. The number of voters in a single -seat electoral district in which voters residing outside the territory of the Russian Federation are to be included must be less than the uniform quota of voters' representation. The number of voters thus included in a single-seat electoral district shall not exceed 10 percent of the number of voters registered on the territory of the given single-seat electoral district. 3. Single-seat electoral districts shall be formed in accordance with the following requirements: (1) single-seat electoral districts shall be approximately equal in the number of voters registered on their territories, with a permissible deviation from the average voters' representation quota within one Russian Federation subject not exceeding 10 percent, and in hard-to reach and remote areas not exceeding 15 percent. The list of hard-toreach and remote areas shall be established by a law of a Russian Federation subject that came into force before the day of the official publication of the decision to call the election; (2) formation of a single-seat electoral district consisting of non-adjacent territories within the territory of one Russian Federation subject shall not be allowed, with the exception of enclave territories of a Russian Federation subject, municipality, other administrative-territorial unit; (3) formation of a single-seat electoral district on the territory of two and more Russian Federation subjects shall not be allowed; (4) at least one single-seat electoral district shall be formed on the territory of each Russian Federation subject; (5) single-seat electoral districts shall be distributed between the Russian Federation subjects so as to ensure that voters residing in different Russian Federation subjects should, as far as possible, have equal representation in the State Duma, subject to Subclauses 3 and 4 of this clause. 4. The requirements to the formation of single-seat electoral districts set forth in Clause 3 of this article shall be met with due regard to the administrative-territorial structure(division) of a Russian Federation subject, boundaries of the municipalities. 5. Based on the voter data obtained in accordance with the Regulation on the State System for Registration of Voters, Referendum Participants the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall prepare a scheme of the formation of single-seat electoral districts and its graphical representation and not later than 190 days before the expiry of the constitutional term for which the State Duma of the current convocation was elected shall submit this scheme and its graphical representation to the State Duma for its consideration in the established procedure. The scheme of the single-seat electoral districts must indicate:

(1) the name and number of each single-seat electoral district; (2) the list of the administrative-territorial units, or municipalities, or populated centers at the level of cities, raions, city districts or other populated centers of the corresponding level, comprised in each single-seat electoral district. If the single-seat electoral district includes a part of the territory of an administrative-territorial unit, a municipality or a populated center, the scheme must indicate the boundaries of this part of the administrative-territorial unit, municipality or populated center. If one single-seat electoral district was formed on the territory of a Russian Federation subject, the list of administrative-territorial units, or municipalities, or populated centers comprised in this single-seat electoral district shall not be included in the scheme of single-seat electoral districts; (3) the location of each district election commission or the election commission of a Russian Federation subject charged with the functions of a district election commission; (4) the number of voters registered in each single-seat electoral district and, if more than one single-seat electoral district was formed on the territory of a Russian Federation subject, also the number of voters registered in each administrativeterritorial unit, or each municipality, or each populated center (or parts thereof) comprised in each single-seat electoral district; (5) the number of voters included in single-seat electoral districts in accordance with Clause 2 of this article and the names of the foreign states where these voters reside. 6. Single-seat electoral districts may be formed and their scheme determined with the use of the state automated information system. 7. The scheme of single-seat electoral districts shall be approved by a federal law which shall be published (made public) not later than 120 days before the expiry of the constitutional term for which the State Duma of the current convocation was elected. 8. If the federal law indicated in Clause 7 of this article, including the scheme of single-seat electoral districts, was not published (made public) within the period established by Clause 7 of this article or in the event of the dissolution of the State Duma the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall take one of the following decisions: (1) to conduct the election of deputies of the State Duma of a new convocation using the scheme of single-seat electoral districts which was used at the elections to the State Duma of the previous convocation (hereafter previous scheme of the districts), if this scheme meets the requirements of Clause 3 of this article. In this case the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall publish (make public) the previous scheme of the districts not later than 10 days after the expiry of the period indicated in Clause 7 of this article or, in the event of an early election, not later than 75 days before voting day; (2) to conduct the election of deputies of the State Duma in single-seat electoral districts whose scheme is to be determined, approved and published (mad public) by the e Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation not later than 10 days after the expiry of the period indicated in Clause 7 of this article or, in the event of an early election, not later than 75 days before voting day, if the previous scheme of the districts fails to meet the requirements of Clause 3 of this article. When determining the said scheme the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall ascertain the number of voters and make alterations in the previous scheme of the districts, with such alterations to be made only in the districts which fail to meet the requirements of Clause 3 of this article. If these alterations necessitate changing the boundaries of some other districts in the previous scheme of the districts the Central Election Commission of the

Russian Federation may change the boundaries of such districts in accordance with the requirements of Clause 3 of this article.

Article 13. Federal Electoral District

The federal electoral district wherein deputies of the State Duma are elected in proportion to the number of votes cast for federal lists of candidates nominated by political parties, electoral blocs shall comprise the entire territory of the Russian Federation. Voters included in single-seat electoral districts in accordance with Clause 2, Article 12 of this Federal Law shall be regarded as having been included in the federal electoral district as well.

Article 14. Formation of Electoral Precincts

1. Electoral precincts shall be formed to conduct voting and count votes at the election of deputies of the State Duma. Electoral precincts shall be formed on the basis of the information about the number of voters registered in accordance with the requirements of Article 16 of the Federal Law On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum on the territories of municipalities. 2. Electoral precincts shall be formed by the head of a municipality (if the charter of the municipality does not provide for such office - by a person authorized to do so by the representative body of local self-government) with the concurrence of a relevant territorial election commission, or by the persons indicated in Clauses 5 and 6 of this article. In the cases provided by Clause 4 of this article electoral precincts shall be formed by a territorial election commission. Electoral precincts shall be formed not later than 50 days before voting day with due regard to local and other conditions and so as to ensure maximum convenience for voters. 3. Formation of electoral precincts shall meet the following requirements: the number of voters registered on the territory of each electoral precinct shall not exceed 3,000; the boundaries of electoral districts shall not be crossed by the boundaries of electoral precincts. 4. In places where voters stay temporarily (hospitals, sanatoriums, holiday hotels, places where suspects and defendants are held in custody and other places of temporary stay), in hard -toreach or remote areas, on ships at sea on voting day and at polar stations electoral precincts may be formed within the period established by Clause 2 of this article, and, in exceptional cases, not later than five days before voting day, subject to the approval o a district election f commission. Such electoral precincts shall be included in single-seat electoral districts where the electoral precincts are located or where the ship is registered. In hard-to-reach or remote areas, on ships at sea on voting day and at polar stations electoral precincts may be formed by the higher territorial election commission with the concurrence of the captain of the ship, head of the polar station, heads of other organizations in hard-to-reach and remote areas. 5. Servicemen shall vote in regular electoral precincts. As an exception, electoral precincts may be formed on the territory of military units stationed in isolated areas, far from populated centers. In such cases electoral precincts shall be formed by commanders of military units subject to a decision of a relevant district election commission within the period indicated in Clause 2 of this article and, in exceptional cases, not later than five days before voting day. 6. To conduct voting and count the votes of voters who on voting day stay on the territory of foreign states the heads of diplomatic and consular missions of the Russian Federation shall form electoral precincts in the country where they operate not later than 50 days before voting day. In this case, the requirements to the number of registered voters set forth in Clause 3 of this article may be waived.

7. The lists of electoral precincts indicating their number and boundaries (if an electoral precinct includes a part of the territory of a populated center) or the populated centers (if an electoral precinct is formed on the territory of several populated centers), the location of the premises of precinct election commissions and polling stations, the telephone numbers of precinct election commissions shall be published by the head of a municipality (or, if the charter of the municipality does not provide for such office, by an official authorized to do so by the representative body of local self-government) not later than 45 days before voting day. The information about electoral precincts formed after the deadline set by Clause 2 of this article shall be published within three days upon their formation by the head of a municipality (or, if the charter of the municipality does not provide for such office, by an official authorized to do so by the representative body of local self-government) 8. In the case of electoral precincts formed outside the territory of the Russian Federation the matters connected with the publication of the information about electoral precincts specified in Clause 7 of this article shall be dealt with by the heads of relevant diplomatic or consular missions of the Russian Federation, with due regard to the local conditions.

Chapter III. Voters Lists

Article 15. Preparation of Voters Lists

1. Voters lists shall be prepared by relevant election commissions separately for each electoral precinct in accordance with the form established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. 2. A territorial election commission shall prepare voters lists not later than 26 days before voting day on the basis of the voter data furnished by the head of a municipality (if the charter of the municipality does not provide for such office - by a person authorized to do so by the representative body of local self-government), the commander of a military unit, the head of an institution where voters are temporarily staying. 3. The voters list for an electoral precinct formed in a hard-to-reach or remote area shall be prepared by a precinct election commission not later than 25 days before voting day and, in exceptional cases, not later than on the day of the formation of a precinct election commission, on the basis of the voter data furnished by the head of a municipality (if the charter of the municipality does not provide for this office - by a person authorized to do so by the representative body of local self-government). 4. In an electoral precinct formed on the territory of a military unit the list of voters - servicemen serving in the military unit, members of their families and other voters, if they reside within the territory of the military unit, shall be prepared by a precinct election commission not later than 25 days before voting day, on the basis of the voter data to be furnished by the comm ander of the military unit. 5. The voters list for an electoral precinct formed in places of temporary stay of voters (hospitals, sanatoriums, holiday hotels, places where suspects and defendants are held in custody and other places of temporary stay), on a ship at sea on voting day or at a polar station shall be prepared by a relevant precinct election commission not later than the day preceding voting day on the basis of the voter data furnished by the head of the institution where voters are staying temporarily, the captain of the ship or the head of the polar stations. 6. The voters list for an electoral precinct formed outside the territory of the Russian Federation shall be prepared by a relevant precinct election commission on the basis of application of s citizens of the Russian Federation who permanently reside outside the territory of the Russian

Federation or stay abroad on long business trips, in accordance with Clause 4, Article 16 of this Federal Law. 7. The voter data shall be collected and corrected by the officials indicated in Clauses 2 to 5 of this article, in the procedure established by the Regulation on the State System for Registration of Voters, Referendum Participants and shall be submitted to territorial election commissions not later than 60 days before voting day, and, if the voters list is to be prepared by a precinct election commission, to such precinct election commissions immediately upon their formation. 8. The voters list shall be prepared in duplicate. Voter data for voters included in the voters list shall be arranged in an alphabetical or some other order (by populated centers, streets, houses, flats). The list must indicate the surname, first name and patronymic of voters, the year of birth (for the age of 18 years - also the date and month of birth), the address of the voter's place of residence. Blank spaces shall be left in the voters list for the voter to write the series and number of his passport or an equivalent identity document and sign for each received ballot, for the signature of a member of a precinct election commission who issued the ballot (ballots) to the voter and for entering the summary data for the election of deputies of the State Duma both in a single-seat electoral district and in the federal electoral district. 9. In the preparation of voters lists use may be made of the state automated information system. The first copy of the voters list shall be made in a machine-printed form, the second copy in a machine-readable form. In exceptional cases voters lists may be made in a hand-written form. 10. The first copy of the voters list prepared in accordance with the requirements of Clause 2 of this article shall be handed over to a relevant precinct election commission on the basis of a transfer certificate not later than 25 days before voting day. The second, machine -readable copy of the voters list shall be kept by a territorial election commission and shall be used as prescribed by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. The voters list shall be signed by the chairman and the secretary of a territorial election commission and certified by the commission's seal. 11. The voters list for the electoral precincts formed in accordance with Clauses 4 to 6, Article 14 of this Federal Law shall be signed by the chairman and the secretary of a precinct election commission and certified by the commission's seal. 12. A precinct election commission may divide the first copy of the voters list into separate books preserving the consecutive numeration of the voters list. Not later than the day preceding voting day each such book shall be stitched and certified by the seal of the given precinct commission and the signature of its chairman. 13. Having received the voters list a precinct election commission shall check and update the list on the basis of personal applications from citizens made in accordance with Article 17 of this Federal Law, relevant documents of the bodies of local self-government, officials, registries, bodies in charge of registration of citizens of the Russian Federation at the place of their residence and stay within the Russian Federation, messages from the higher election commission about inclusion of voters in the voters list in some other electoral precinct. The checked and updated voters list with the indication of the quantity of separate stitched books shall be signed by the chairman and the secretary of a precinct election commission and certified by the commission's seal not later than the day preceding voting day. 14. The persons furnishing voter data shall be responsible for the accuracy and completeness of the data and its timely submission.

Article 16. Procedure for Inclusion of Citizens In, and Their Removal From, the Voters List

1. All citizens of the Russian Federation who are entitled to an active electoral right in accordance with Article 4 of this Federal Law shall be included in voters lists, save as otherwise provided by Clause 4 of this article. 2. A citizen shall be included in the voters list in a concrete electoral precinct on the basis of the fact that his place of residence is located on the territory of this electoral precinct as established by the bodies in charge of registration of citizens of the Russian Federation at the place of their stay or residence within the Russian Federation in accordance with the federal law regulating the procedure for the exercise by the citizens of the Russian Federation of the right to the freedom of movement, choice of the place of stay or residence within the Russian Federation. 3. Servicemen who live outside the territory of a military unit shall be included in the voters lists at the place of their residence on the usual terms. Servicemen serving in a military unit, members of their families and other voters living within the territory of a military unit shall be included in the voters list on the basis of the fact that their place of residence is located within the territory of the military unit as established by the relevant service of the military unit or bodies in charge of the registration of citizens of the Russian Federation at the place of their stay or residence within the Russian Federation, or on the basis of an order of the commander of the military unit whereby conscripts were enrolled in the military unit. 4. Citizens of the Russian Federation who permanently reside outside the territory of the Russian Federation or stay abroad on long business trips shall be included in voters lists on the basis of their written applications to be submitted not later than the day preceding voting day or an oral application made to a precinct election commission when the voter comes to the premises of this precinct election commission on voting day. 5. Voters - full-time students with their registered place of residence being in a hostel (where the educational establishment is located) shall be included in the voters lists at the place where the hostel (educational establishment) is located. 6. Voters staying on voting day in hospitals, sanatoriums, holiday hotels, places where suspects and defendants are held in custody and other places of temporary stay shall be included in the voters list on the basis of a passport, an equivalent identity document and an absentee certificate for voting at the election of deputies of the State Duma (hereafter absentee certificate). Voters at the place of temporary stay, who work at enterprises with a continuous operating cycle as well as servicemen who stay outside the area where their units are stationed, if they were unable to receive an absentee certificate, may be included in the voters list by the decision of a precinct election commission on the basis of a personal written application to be submitted to a territorial or precinct election commission not later than seven days before voting day. 7. Citizens of the Russian Federation who have been granted the status of forced migrants or have applied to the federal body of executive power dealing with the problems of migration or to the territorial agencies of this body for the status of forced migrants shall be included in the voters list at the place of their temporary residence on the basis of a passport or an equivalent identity document and relevant documents issued by the these authorities. 8. Citizens of the Russian Federation who are entitled to an active electoral right and are staying abroad at private invitations, on official and business trips and as tourists shall be included in the voters on the basis of an oral application list when they come to the premises of a precinct election commission, upon production of a passport or an equivalent identity document and an absentee certificate. Such citizens, who were unable to receive an absentee certificate, shall be included by a precinct election commission in the voters list on the basis of an oral application to be made when they come to the premises of a precinct election commission to vote on voting day. 9. Voters who settled down on the territory of an electoral precinct after the voters list had been made available to voters for inspection, as well as voters who were not included in the voters list for any other reason shall be additionally put on the voters list by a precinct election commission

on the basis of a passport or an equivalent identity document and, if necessary, the documen ts confirming that the voter's place of residence is located on the territory of the given electoral precinct. 10. A voter may be included in a voters list only in one electoral precinct. 11. After the voters list has been signed by the chairman and the se cretary of a territorial election commission a citizen may be removed from the voters list only on the basis of official documents or when an absentee certificate is issued to the voter in a procedure set forth in this Federal Law. In this case, the date when the citizen was removed from the voters list and the reasons therefor shall be indicated in the voters list. This note shall be certified by the signature of the chairman of a precinct election commission and, when an absentee certificate is issued, by the signature of the member of the election commission who issued the certificate. 12. No alterations shall be made in voters lists after the end of voting and commencement of vote counting.

Article 17. Inspection of Voters Lists by Voters

1. A precinct election commission shall make the voters lists available to voters for inspection and additional correction not later than 20 days before voting day. 2. A Russian Federation citizen entitled to an active electoral right may state to a precinct election commission that he has not been put on the voters list and inform the commission about any error or inaccuracy in his data entered in the voters list. Within 24 hours and, on voting day, within two hours after such statement is made and not later than the tim when e voting ends, a precinct election commission shall check the statement and the submitted documents and shall either correct the error or inaccuracy or give the voter a written answer indicating the reasons why the statement was rejected. 3. The decision of a precinct election commission to include or not to include a citizen in the voters list may be appealed in the higher election commission or in a court (at the place where the precinct election commission is located) and these bodies must consider the complaint (statement) within three days or immediately, if the complaint was filed within three days before or on voting day. In the event of a decision in favor of the applicant, a precinct election commission shall immediately make the necessary correction in the voters list. 4. Each Russian Federation citizen may inform a precinct election commission of changes in the voter data entered in the voters list of the given electoral precinct in accordance with Clause 8, Article 15 of this Federal Law.

Chapter IV. Election Commissions

Article 18. The System and the Status of Election Commissions for the Election of Deputies of the State Duma
1. The election of deputies of the State Duma shall be prepared and conducted by: the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation; election commissions of the Russian Federation subjects; district election commissions;

territorial (rayon, city and other) election commissions; precinct election commissions. 2. The powers and working procedures of election commissions for the election of deputies of the State Duma (hereafter election commissions) are laid down by the Federal Law On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum, this Federal Law and other federal laws. 3. At the election of deputies of the State Duma the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall be superior to all election commissions. 4. An election commission of a Russian Federation subject shall be the higher election commission in respect of the district, territorial and precinct election commissions acting on the territory of the given Russian Federation subject, a precinct election commissions formed in electoral precincts outside the territory of the Russian Federation and territorial election commissions formed in accordance with Clause 3, Article 21 of this Federal Law for directing the activity of the said precinct election commissions. 5. A district election commission shall be the higher election commission in respect of the territorial and precinct election commissions acting on the territory of the given single -seat electoral district, the precinct election commissions formed in the electoral precincts outside the territory of the Russian Federation and territorial election commissions formed in accordance with Clause 3, Article 21 of this Federal Law for directing the activity of the said precinct election commissions. 6. A territorial election commission shall be the higher election commission in respect of any precinct election commission acting in the given territory. A territorial election commission formed in accordance with Clause 2 or 3, Article 21 of this Federal Law for directing the activity of precinct election commissions formed in electoral precincts on ships, at polar stations, outside the territory of the Russian Federation, shall be the higher election commission in respect of the said precinct election commission. 7. Decisions of the higher election commission taken within the scope of its competence shall be binding on the lower election commissions. 8. Acting within the scope of their competence election commissions shall consider complaints which they receive in the course of the election campaign concerning violations of this Federal Law, other federal laws as regards preparation and conduct of the election, check these complaints and give written answers to the complainants within five days, but not later than the day preceding voting day or, on voting day and the day which follows voting day, immediately. If the facts cited in the complaints require additional verification, decisions thereon shall be taken within ten days. If the complaint mentions a violation of the law committed by a candidate , political party, electoral bloc, then the candidate, political party, electoral bloc or their authorized representatives shall be immediately notified of receipt of such complaint. The candidate or his authorized representative, authorized representatives of the political party, electoral bloc may provide explanations on the substance of the complaint. Should a candidate, political party, electoral bloc violate this Federal Law a relevant election commission may issue a warning to this candidate, political party, electoral bloc, which shall be made known to voters through the mass media or by other means. 9. Election commissions may apply to law enforcement authorities, in particular in connection with the complaints mentioned in Clause 8 of this article, for conducting the necessary investigation and stopping violations of this Federal Law, other federal laws as regards the preparation and conduct of the election. The law enforcement authorities shall take measures prescribed by law to stop such violations and shall inform the election commission, which made the application, of the results within five days or immediately, if such application was made five or less than five days before voting day but not later than the day preceding voting day, on

voting day and on the day which follows voting day. If the facts cited in the application require additional verification, such measures shall be taken within ten days. 10. Election commissions shall inform voters about the time and procedure for the performance of electoral actions and the progress of the election campaign, about the political parties and electoral blocs which nominated lists of candidates. 11. A decision of an election commission which conflicts with federal laws or which has been taken in excess of the commission's competence shall be revoked by the higher election commission or a court. In this case, the higher election commission shall be entitled to take a decision on the substance of the matter or return the documents in question for re-consideration to the election commission whose decision was revoked. 12. State bodies, state institutions and organizations and their officials shall assist election commissions in the exercise of their powers. In particular, they shall, free of charge, provide the necessary premises, including premises for safekeeping of electoral documentation before it is handed over to archives or destroyed upon the expiry of the safekeeping periods established by Russian Federation laws, make arrangements for guarding the sai premises and d documentation and supply transport and communication facilities, technical equipment. 13. Organizations with a charter capital in which the state and/or municipality holds a stake exceeding 30 percent as of the day of the official publication of the decision to call the election, the bodies of local self-government and their officials shall assist election commissions in the exercise of their powers and, in particular, they shall provide transport and communications facilities, technical equipment, premises, including premises for safekeeping of electoral documentation before it is handed over to archives or destroyed upon the expiry of the safekeeping periods established by Russian Federation laws, make arrangements for guarding the said premises and documentation. 14. The state and municipal organizations engaged in TV and/or radio broadcasting as well as editorial offices of state and municipal print media shall provide election commissions with free air time for information of voters in the procedure, established by this Federal Law, other federal laws, and with free space in print media for the publication of decisions and acts or election commissions, other information. In this case the expenditures of these organizations engaged in TV and/or radio broadcasting and of these editorial offices of the print media shall be covered in the procedure established by the Federal Law On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum. 15. State bodies, bodies of local self-government, public associations, organizations of all forms of ownership, including organizations engaged in TV and/or radio broadcasting (hereafter TV and radio broadcasting organizations), editorial offices of print media and the officials of these bodies and organizations shall provide election commissions with the necessary information and materials and shall respond to the applications of election commissions within five days or, during five and less than five days before and on voting day, immediately. Such information and materials shall be provided to election commissions free of charge.

Article 19. Formation of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and Election Commissions of the Russian Federation Subjects
The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, election commissions of the Russian Federation subjects shall be formed in accordance with the Federal Law On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum.

Article 20. Formation of District Election Commissions

1. A district election commission shall be formed in each single-seat electoral district.

2. A district election commission shall consist of 8 to 14 voting members and shall be formed not later than 80 days before voting day by the election commission of a Russian Federation subject in whose territory the given electoral district is located, in accordance with the general conditions for the formation of election commissions and the procedure for the formation of district election commissions for the elections to federal bodies of state power, established by the Federal Law On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum. The election commission of a Russian Federation subject shall establish the period for receipt of proposals concerning the composition of the district election commission. This period shall not be less than ten days. The decision of the election commission of a Russian Federation subject which establishes this period shall be published. 3. If the election commission of a Russian Federation subject has not appointed all or some of members of the district election commission within the period established by Clause 2 of this article, the formation of the district election commission or appointment of some of its members shall be carried out by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation in compliance with the requirements of this Federal Law. 4. If a Russian Federation subject has only one single-seat electoral district, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation may decide that a district election commission need not be formed. In this case the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall confer the powers of a district election commission on the election commission of the given Russian Federation subject.

Article 21. Formation of Territorial Election Commissions

1. The powers of territorial election commissions for the election of deputies of the State Duma shall be exercised by territorial election commissions formed in accordance with the Federal Law On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendumor the election commissions of municipalities vested with the powers of territorial election commissions. If there is no such territorial election commission in some territory, it shall be formed in accordance with the said Federal Law not later than 35 days from the day of the official publication of the decision to call the election. In this case, the election commission of a Russian Federation subject shall establish a period for receipt of proposals on the membership of a territorial election commission, which shall not be less than one month. The decision of the election commission of a Russian Federation subject establishing this period shall be published. 2. The election commission of a Russian Federation subject may form one or several territorial commissions to direct the preparation and conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma carried out by precinct election commissions formed on ships and at polar stations. 3. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation may form one or several territorial commissions to direct the preparation and conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma carried out by precinct election commissions formed outside the territory of the Russian Federation. 4. The territorial election commissions indicated in Clauses 2 and 3 of this article shall be formed in accordance with the general conditions for the formation of election commissions and the procedure for the formation of territorial election commissions established by the Federal Law On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum.

Article 22. Formation of Precinct Election Commissions

1. A precinct election commission shall be formed not earlier than 30 days and not later than 28 days before voting day by the higher territorial election commission in accordance with the general conditions for the formation of election commissions and the procedure for the

formation of precinct election commissions established by the Federal Law On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum with the following number of members, depending on the number of voters registered on the territory of the electoral precinct: for up to 1000 voters - 3 to 7 voting members of the election commission; for 1001 to 2000 voters - 5 to 11 voting members of the election commission; over 2000 voters - 5 to 15 voting members of the election commission; 2. If voting day at the election of deputies of the State Duma coincides with voting day at the election of bodies of state power of Russian Federation subjects, bodies of local selfgovernment, voting day at a referendum of a Russian Federation subject, local referendum the maximum number of voting members of a precinct election commission indicated in Clause 1 of this article may be increased but by not more than four members. Additional labor remuneration for these members of the election commission and compensation for a period during which they were relieved from their main job shall be paid to them out of the relevant budget. 3. Territorial election commission shall establish a period for receipt o proposals for the f membership of a precinct election commission. This period shall be not less than 15 days. The decision of a territorial election commission establishing this period shall be published. 4. In an electoral precinct formed at a polar station, on a ship at sea or on the territory of a military unit stationed in an isolated locality far from populated centers, in a hard-to-reach or remote area members of a precinct election commission shall be appointed within the period established by Clause 1 of this article and, in exceptional cases, not later than three days before voting day. 5. In an electoral precinct formed outside the territory of the Russian Federation a precinct election commission shall be formed within the period established by Clause 1 of this article by the head of a relevant diplomatic or consular mission of the Russian Federation or by the commander of a military unit stationed outside the territory of the Russian Federation.

Article 23. Appointment of Non -Voting Members of Election Commission

1. A political party, an electoral bloc which have nominated a federal list of candidates registered by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation may, from the day of submission of the documents to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation for the registration of the federal list of candidates, appoint one non-voting member to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, all election commissions of the Russian Federation subjects, all district, territorial, precinct election commission. 2. A candidate nominated in a single-seat electoral district may, from the day of submission of registration documents to the district election commission, appoint one non-voting member to the given district election commission as well as to all territorial and precinct election commissions of the single-seat electoral district in which the candidate has been nominated. 3. A political party, an electoral bloc which do not fall within Clause 1 of this article and which have nominated a registered candidate (registered candidates) in a single-seat electoral district also may appoint one non-voting member to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, the election commission of a Russian Federation subject. 4. Persons occupying elective offices, holding command posts in military units, military organizations and institutions, judges, prosecutors shall not be appointed as non-voting members of election commissions

5. A non-voting member of an election commission shall have the same rights as voting members with regard to the matters relating to the preparation and conduct of the election, save the right to (1) issue and sign ballots and absentee certificates; (2) participate in sorting out, counting and canceling ballots, (3) complete the protocol of vote returns, election results; (4) participate in the voting on the matters which are within the competence of the given election commission, and sign decisions of the election commission. The provisions of this clause shall not be used as a reason for refusing a non-voting member of an election commission the right to be present at the performance of actions indicated in this clause. 6. A non-voting member of an election commission shall be entitled to: (1) receive timely notices of meetings of the election commission; (2) speak at meetings of the election commission, make proposals on matters within the competence of the given election commission and request that these matters be put to the vote; (3) put questions to other participants in the meetings of the election commission in accordance with the meeting agenda and receive meaningful answers to these questions; (4) inspect any documents and materials (including voters lists, signature sheets, financial reports of candidates, political parties, electoral blocs, ballots) directly connected with the election, including documents and materials of the given commission and lower election commissions, recorded on machine -readable media, and receive copies of these documents and materials (with the exception of ballots, absentee certificates, voters lists, signature sheets, other documents and materials containing confidential information classified as such in the procedure established by law) and request that these copies be certified; (5) make sure that the number of voters who took part in the voting has been calculated correctly according to the voters list and that the ballots have been correctly sorted out in accordance with candidates, political parties, electoral blocs; (6) appeal decisions and actions (omissions) of the election commission in the higher commission and in a court. 7. Non-voting members of an election commission shall be issued with certificates of the form established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation 8. The powers of a non-voting member of an election commission may be terminated at any time during the term of these powers by a decision of the person or body that appointed this member of the election commission and such powers may be transferred to another person by a decision of the person or body that appointed the given member of the election commission. 9. Deputies of the State Duma elected in single-seat electoral districts and political parties, electoral blocs whose lists of candidates were included in the distribution of deputy seats shall, during the term of office of the deputy (deputies), be entitled to appoint non-voting members of an election commission operating on a permanent basis, in particular to fill vacancies.

Article 24. Organization of the Work of Election Commissions

1. The work of election commissions shall be organized in accordance with Article 28 of the Federal Law On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum. 2. During the period of the election campaign national state TV and radio broadcasting organizations shall, free of charge, allocate not less than 15 minutes of air time to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. Regional state TV and radio broadcasting organizations shall allocate not less than 10 minutes of free air time to the election commissions of Russian Federation subjects and not less than 5 minutes of free air time to district election commissions weekly, on each of their channels, for clarifying electoral laws, informing voters about the time and procedure for the performance of electoral actions, about candidates, political parties, electoral blocs, about the progress of the election campaign and for responding to questions of voters. In addition to this, national state TV and radio broadcasting organizations shall allocate not less than 10 minutes of free air time for these purposes to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation weekly, on each of their channels, in the period which begins 90 days before the expiry of the period in which the election of deputies of the State Duma must be called and ends on the day of the official publication of the decision to call the election. 3. During the period of the election campaign the editorial offices of national state print media coming out at least once a week shall, free of charge, allocate not less than 1/100th of their weekly space to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. During the period of the election campaign the editorial offices of regional state print media coming out at least once a week shall, free of charge, allocate not less than 1/100th of their weekly space to election commissions of the Russian Federation subjects and not less than 1/200th of their weekly space to district election commissions. Election commissions shall use this space for clarifying electoral laws, informing voters about the time and procedure for the performance of electoral actions, about candidates, political parties, electoral blocs, about the progress of the election campaign and for responding to questions of voters.

Article 25. Status of Members of Election Commissions

The status of voting members of election commissions and the status of non-voting members of election commissions is established by Article 29 of the Federal Law On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum and Article 23 of this Federal Law.

Article 26. Powers of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation
During the preparation and conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, acting within the scope of its powers established by federal laws, shall: (1) direct the activities of election commissions; (2) exercise control over the observance of electoral rights of citizens of the Russian Federation during the preparation and conduct of t e election and ensure uniform h application of this Federal Law; (3) prepare a scheme of single-seat electoral districts and submit it to the State Duma for its consideration in the established procedure; in the case provided by Sub-clause 2, Clause 8, Article 12 of this Federal Law approve the scheme of single-seat electoral districts;

(4) when determining the scheme of single-seat electoral districts deal with the question of inclusion of voters residing outside the territory of the Russian Federation in relevant single-seat electoral districts; (5) issue instructions and other regulations on the questions connected with the application of this Federal Law; (6) render legal, methodological, organizational and technical assistance to election commissions; (7) direct the activity of election commissions to ensure the uniform use of the state automated information system and separate technical facilities of this system, including technical facilities for vote counting; (8) register electoral blocs; (9) certify federal lists of candidates and lists of candidates nominated in single-seat electoral districts by political parties, electoral blocs; (10) register federal lists of candidates nominated by political parties, electoral blocs; (11) publish the registered federal lists of candidates; (12) register agents, authorized representatives for financial matters of political parties, electoral blocs; (13) issue certificates of an established form to candidates registered in the federal electoral district, agents of political parties, electoral blocs; (14) ensure that the conditions of election activities established by this Federal Law, other federal laws should be observed for all candidates, political parties, electoral blocs; (15) hear the information of the federal bodies of executive power, bodies of executive power of Russian Federation subjects and bodies of local self government on the matters relating to the preparation and conduct of the election; (16) establish unified numeration of electoral precincts formed outside the territory of the Russian Federation; (17) determine the form of ballots, voters lists and other electoral documents and make arrangements for their production; (18) determine the form of the absentee certificate and make arrangements for printing of absentee certificates and delivery thereof to election commissions of Russian Federation subjects; (19) approve the Russian text of the ballot for voting in the federal electoral district; (20) approve samples of seals of election commissions; (21) approve the procedure for safekeeping of electoral documents, their transfer to archives and their disposal upon the expiry of their safekeeping periods and agree this procedure with the Federal Archive Service of the Russian Federation;

(22) distribute the funds allocated from the federal budget for funding the preparation and conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma, the activities of election commissions and exercise of their powers, operation and development of the automation facilities, training of election officials and education of voters; exercise control over the proper use of the said funds as well as the money contributed to the electoral funds of candidates, political parties, electoral blocs; (23) take measures to ensure a uniform procedure for distribution of air time and space in print media between registered candidates, political parties, electoral blocs for election campaigning; (24) develop standard quotas of the technical equipment required for the work of territorial and precinct election commissions, approve these standard quotas and exercise control over compliance therewith; (25) deal with the matters connected with the logistical support of the election; (26) inform voters about the time and procedure for the performa nce of electoral actions, the progress of the election campaign, the political parties, electoral blocs; (27) consider complaints (applications) about decisions and actions (omissions) of the election commissions of Russian Federation subjects and their officials, about decisions of district election commissions to register (or not to register) candidates, and adopt reasoned decisions thereon; (28) determine which of the registered candidates on the federal lists of candidates nominated by political, parties, electoral blocs have been elected deputies of the State Duma in the federal electoral district and issue certificates of election to them; (29) establish the general results of the election of deputies of the State Duma for the whole of the Russian Federation and arrange for their official publication; (30) prepare the lists of persons elected deputies of the State Duma and hand over these lists and the necessary documents to the State Duma; (31) call and organize the repeat election of deputies of the State Duma and election of deputies of the State Duma to fill vacated seats (by-election); (32 exercise other powers in accordance with this Federal Law and the Federal Law On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum.

Article 27. Powers of the Election Commission of a Russian Federation Subject

1. The election commission of a Russian Federation subject shall: (1) coordinate the activities of election commissions on the territory of the Russian Federation subject; (2) ensure interaction between the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and the bodies of state power of the Russian Federation subject; (3) exercise control over observance of electoral rights of citizens of the Russian Federation on the territory of the Russian Federation subject;

(4) ensure that the conditions of election activities established by this Federal Law, other federal laws should be observed on the territory of the Russian Federation subject for all candidates, registered candidates, political parties, electoral blocs; (5) take measures to distribute air time and space in print media between registered candidates, regional groups of candidates; (6) exercise control over compliance with the maximum limit of all expenditures from the electoral fund of a candidate, established by Clause 11, Article 66 of this Federal Law, when the candidate forms electoral funds in several electoral dist icts at different r elections in accordance with this Federal Law and the laws of the Russian Federation subject (7) ensure the uniform use of the state automated information system on the territory of the Russian Federation subject in accordance with the procedure established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation; (8) form district election commissions and appoints their chairmen; (9) in accordance with the decisions of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation arrange for the printing of ballots for the federal electoral district and singleseat electoral districts formed on the territory of the Russian Federation subject and make arrangements for the delivery thereof to district and territorial election commissions; (10) make arrangements for the delivery of absentee certificates, other electoral documents to the lower election commissions; (11) distribute funds allocated to it for funding the preparation and conduct of the election in the Russian Federation subject, in particular, distribute a part of these funds between district and territorial election commissions and exercise control over the proper use of these funds and over contribution of money to and its expenditure from the electoral funds of candidates, political parties, electoral blocs on the territory of the Russian Federation subject; (12) establish unified numeration of electoral precincts on the territory of the Russian Federation subject; (13) ensure compliance with the standard quotas of the technological equipment approved by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and compliance with the procedure for safekeeping of electoral documents, their transfer to archives and their disposal upon the expiry of their safekeeping periods; (14) exercise control over compliance with the uniform procedure for vote -counting, determination of vote returns and election results on the territory of the Russian Federation subject; (15) hear the information of the bodies of executive power of the Russian F ederation subject and bodies of local self-government on the matters relating to the preparation and conduct of the election; (16) consider complaints (applications) about decisions and actions (omissions) of district election commissions and their officials in the given Russian Federation subject and, if the election commission of the Russian Federation subject has been vested with the powers of a district election commission, consider complaints (applications) about decisions and actions (omissions) of territorial election commissions and their officials in the given Russian Federation subject, adopt reasoned decisions thereon;

(17) inform voters about the time and procedure for the performance of electoral actions, the progress of the election campaign, the candidates, political parties, electoral blocs; (18) exercise other powers in accordance with this Federal Law and the Federal Law On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum. .

Article 28. Powers of the District Election commission

1. The district election commission shall: (1) exercise control over compliance with this Federal Law on the territory of the electoral district; (2) coordinate the activities of territorial and precinct election commissions, consider complaints (applications) about decisions and actions (omissions) of territorial election commissions and their officials and adopt reasoned decisions thereon; (3) advise the participants in the electoral process about the information to be submitted by candidates nominated in the given single-seat electoral districts, publish information about registered candidates; (4) register candidates in the given single-seat electoral district and their agents, issue certificates of a standard form to candidates and their agents, register authorized representatives of candidates for financial matters; (5) ensure that the conditions of election activities established by this Federal Law, other federal laws should be observed on the given territory for all candidates, political parties, electoral blocs; (6) ensure that the state automated information system should be used on the territory of the electoral district in accordance with the procedure established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation; (7) hear the information of the bodies of executive power of the Russian Federation subject and bodies of local self-government on the matters relating to the preparation and conduct of the election; (8) exercise control over compliance of participants in the electoral process with the procedures and rules of election campaigning; (9) exercise control over the proper use of funds allocated to it for the preparation and conduct of the election and over contribution of money to and its expenditure from electoral funds of candidates; (10) approve the text of the ballot for voting in the single-seat electoral district and, subject to a decision of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, arrange for the printing of ballots for voting in the single-seat electoral district; (11) make arrangements for the delivery of ballots for voting in the federal electoral district and the single-seat electoral district to territorial election commissions in the cases provided by this Federal Law;

(12) make arrangements for the delivery of absentee certificates, other electoral documents to the lower election commissions in the procedure established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation;; (13) exercise control over compliance with the uniform procedure for vote -counting, determination of vote returns and election results on the territory of the electoral district; (14) determine election results for the single-seat electoral district and vote returns for the federal electoral district and forward the information concerning the election results for the single-seat electoral district and the vote returns for the federal electoral district on the given territory to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, publish summary election results and the data contained in the protocols of vote returns submitted by the lower election commissions in accordance with the procedure and within time limits established by this Federal Law; (15) issue a certificate of election to the registered candidate elected to the State Duma in the given single-seat electoral district; (16) supervise the provision of territorial and precinct election commissions with premises, transport and communication facilities and check implementation of the decisions taken by election commissions on the other matters connected with the logistical support of the election; (17) ensure compliance with the standard quotas of the technological equipment, procedures for safekeeping of electoral documents, their transfer to archives and their disposal upon the expiry of the safekeeping period of these documents, approved by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. (18) inform voters about the time and procedure for the performance of electoral actions, the progress of the election campaign, the candidates. (19) conduct the repeat election and by-election to the State Duma (20) exercise other powers in accordance with this Federal Law. 2. The term of powers of the district election commission shall expire on the day of the official publication of the decision to call the election of deputies of the State Duma of a new convocation.

Article 29. Powers of a Territorial Election Commission

1. A territorial election commission shall: (1) supervise the preparation and conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma in the given territory; (2) form precinct election commissions and appoint their chairmen; (3) coordinate the work of precinct election commissions in the given territory, consider complaints (applications) about decisions and actions (omissions) of these election commissions and adopt reasoned decisions thereon; (4) hear the information of bodies of local self-government on the matters connected with the preparation and conduct of the election; (5 prepare voters lists for the given territory, separately for each precinct, save as otherwise provided by Clauses 3 to 6, Article 15 of this Federal Law;

(6) distribute funds allocated to it for the preparation and conduct of the election and, among other things, distribute a part of these funds between precinct election commissions and exercise control over their proper use; (7) together with the district election commission ensure that the conditions of election activities established by this Federal Law, other federal laws should be observed on the given territory for all candidates, political parties, electoral blocs; (8) exercise control over compliance of participants in the electoral process with the procedures and rules of election campaigning; (9) ensure that the state automated information system should be used on the given territory in accordance with the procedure established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation; (10) make arrangements for the delivery of ballots and other electoral documents to precinct election commissions; (11) issue absentee certificates to voters; (12) render organizational and technical assistance to precinct election commissions in the conduct of voting at polling stations; (13) exercise control over compliance with the uniform procedure for vote -counting, determination of vote returns and election results on the given territory; (14) determine the vote returns for the given territory, present these returns to members of the press and deliver the protocols of vote returns to the district election commission; (15) ensure safekeeping of documents relating to the preparatio and conduct of the n election and their transfer to the higher election commission or to the archives in accordance with the procedure approved by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, dispose of electoral documents after the expiry of their safekeeping periods; (16) ensure compliance with the standard quotas of the technological equipment approved by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation; (17) inform voters about the time and procedure for the performance of elector l a actions, the progress of the election campaign, the candidates. (18) exercise other powers in accordance with this Federal Law. 2. Territorial election commissions formed in the cases provided by Clauses 2 and 3, Article 21 of this Federal Law shall have powers indicated in Clause 1 of this article, save the powers indicated in Sub-clauses 2, 11 and 17, Clause 1 of this article.

Article 30. Powers of a Precinct Election Commission

1. A precinct election commission shall: (1) inform the population about the address and telephone number of the precinct election commission, its working hours, about the day, time and place of voting; (2) correct the voters list for the given electoral precinct and, in the cases provided by Clauses 3 to 6, Article 15 of this Federal Law, prepare and correct the voters list,

arrange for voters to inspect the voters list, consider statements about errors and inaccuracies in the voters list and make required corrections therein; (3) prepare voting sites, ballot boxes and other equipment; (4) inform voters about registered candidates, lists of candidates on the basis of the information received from the higher election commission; (5) exercise control over compliance with the rules for election campaigning on the territory of the electoral precinct; (6) issue absentee certificates to voters; (7) organize voting at the polling station on voting day and early voting; (8) count votes, determine vote returns for the given electoral precinct and deliver the protocols of vote returns to a territorial election commission; (9) within the scope of its competence consider complaints (applications) about violations of this Federal Law and take reasoned decisions thereon; (10) ensure safekeeping and transfer of the documents relating to the preparation and conduct of the election in accordance with the procedure approved by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation; (11) exercise other powers under this Federal Law 2. The powers of a precinct election commission shall expire ten days after the official publication of the general election results if no complaints (applications) and protests have been received by the higher election commission against decisions and actions (omissions) of the given election commission, which resulted in the violation of the voting and the vote-counting procedure and also if these facts are not being investigated by a court. If the vote returns have been contested, the powers of a precinct election commission shall expire after a court or the higher election commission hands down a final decision on the substance of the complaint (application) or the protest.

Article 31. Openness in the Activity of Election Commissions

1. Members of the higher election commissions, a candidate registered by the given or any higher election commission or his agent or authorized representative for financial matters, the authorized representative or agent of a political party, an electoral bloc which have registered a federal list of candidates or any candidate on the sa list may attend all meetings of any id election commission and be present when a relevant precinct, territorial election commission is working with voters lists, ballots, absentee certificates, protocols of vote returns. The aforementioned persons shall not need any additional permission to attend the meetings and be present when the election commission is working with the said electoral documents. Election commissions shall provide free access for the aforementioned persons to their meetings and to premises where the commission is counting votes and working with the said electoral documents. Members of the press may also be present at all meetings of election commissions, when they are working with the said electoral documents and counting votes. 2. The election commission shall inform the election commission of the next higher level, each candidate registered in the given single-seat electoral district or his agent or authorized representative for financial matters, the agent or authorized representative of each political party, each electoral bloc which have registered federal lists of candidates about the time when the commission is to hold its meetings or work with the electoral documents listed in Clause 1 of this article.

3. Representatives of the parties concerned may be present at the meetings of election commissions when the commission considers complaints (applications) and may give explanations and submit evidence on the substance of the matter being considered. 4. Election commissions shall inform voters about the results of the registration of candidates, lists of candidates; about biographical and other data of registered candidates which was received by the election commission in accordance with this Federal Law; about vote returns for each registered candidate, federal list of candidates. 5. On voting day and on the days of early voting, from the time a precinct election commission begins its work and until it is notified by the higher election commission about acceptance of the protocols of vote returns and also when votes are recounted, the persons indicated in Clause 1 of this article as well as observers, including foreign (international) observers, may be present at polling stations. 6. Observers, members of the press, foreign (international) observers may be present in other election commissions when these commissions are determining the vote returns, election results, working on the protocols of vote returns, election results and when votes are being recounted. 7. All members of an election commission, the persons indicated in Clause 1 of this article, observers shall be given access to the premises of a precinct election commission of any electoral precinct formed on the territory of a military unit, in a closed administrative-territorial unit, at a hospital, sanatorium, holiday hotel, places where suspects and defendants are held in custody or in other places of a temporary stay as well as to the polling station of the given electoral precinct. . 8. Observers may be appointed by each candidate registered in the given single-seat electoral district, each political party and each electoral bloc which have registered a federal list of candidates, each all-Russia public association registered in accordance with the federal law. Officials holding elective offices, persons directly subordinated to them, judges, prosecutors may not be appointed observers. 9. The powers of an observer shall be certified by written credentials issued by a candidate registered in a single-seat electoral district or his agent, by a political party, an electoral bloc or some other public association represented by the observer. The credentials must indicate the surname, first name and patronymic of the observer; address of his place of residence; number of the electoral precinct; name of the election commission (district, territorial, precinct election commission) to which the observer is sent. Provision of any additional information about the observer shall not be required. and the credentials need not be certified by a seal if the observer is appointed by a candidate or his agent. These credentials shall be valid if produced together with a document certifying the identity of the observer. No advance notification about sending of an observer shall be required. 10. The written credentials indicated in Clause 9 of this article may be presented to a precinct election commission in the period indicated in Clause 5 of this article and to a territorial commission or other election commissions - during early voting or in the period from the commencement of voting at polling stations to completion of the work on the protocol of vote returns for the given territory. 11. Two and more representatives of one registered candidate, one political party, one public association shall not simultaneously act as observers on the premises of an election commission or at the polling station. No restrictions other than those imposed by this Federal Law shall be established on the presence of observers on the premises of an election commission or at the polling station; on monitoring of voting and vote counting, preparation of the protocols of vote returns; on the issuance of copies of the protocols of vote returns. 12. The observer may:

(1) inspect voters lists; (2) be present at the polling station of the given electoral precinct at any time during the period indicated in Clause 5 of this article; (3) watch ballots being issued to voters; (4) be present when voters vote outside the polling station; (5) watch the number of voters on the voters lists, number of ballots issued to voters, number of canceled ballots being counted; watch votes being counted at the polling station from a distance and in the conditions which allow the observer to see the marks made on the ballots by voters; inspect any marked and unmarked ballot when votes are being counted; watch the election commission preparing the protocol of vote returns and other documents during the period indicated in Clause 5 of this article; (6) make proposals and remarks concerning the organization of voting to the chairman of a precinct election commission or, in his absence, to a person acting for him/her; (7) inspect the protocols of vote returns, election results of the election commission to which the observer has been sent and of the lower ele ction commissions and the documents attached to these protocols; receive from the election commission certified copies of the said protocols, of the documents attached thereto and of other documents received or prepared by the election commission in the period indicated in Clause 5 of this article, including a copy of the list of persons present at the voting, or make copies of the said documents by himself and have these copies certified by the election commission. (8) appeal decisions and actions (omissions) of a precinct election commission, other election commissions in the election commission of the next higher level or a court; (9) be present when votes are being recounted by the election commission. 13. The observers shall not: (1) issue ballots to voters; (2) sign for a voter for receipt of ballots even when asked to do so by the voter; (3) mark ballots for a voter even when asked to do so by the voter; (4) do anything that may violate the secrecy of voting; (5) directly participate in the counting of ballots together with the voting members of the election commission; (6) do anything that may interfere with the work of the election commission; (7) conduct election campaigning among voters; (8) participate in the adoption of decisions by the election commission. 14. Members of the press shall be entitled to examine the decisions and the protocols of vote returns and election results of all election commissions, make or receive from the election commission copies of the said decisions and protocols and of documents attached thereto. At

the request of members of the press the election commission shall certify a copy of its decision, copies of its protocols of vote returns, election results. 15. Copies of the protocols and of other documents of election commissions shall be certified by the chairman, or the deputy chairman, or the secretary of the election commission. The aforementioned persons shall write This is a true copy on the copy being certified, sign the copy, write their surname and initials, indicate the date and time of certification and affix the seal of the given election commission. 16. Non-voting members of election commissions, observers, members of the press present at the voting and at vote counting in precinct election commissions may wear ID cards free from any election propaganda, which show their status and full name, the full name of the registered candidate or the name of the political party, electoral bloc that nominated the non -voting member of the election commission, the full name of the registered candidate, the name of the political party, electoral bloc, public association that have sent the observer to the election commission and, in the case of members of the press, the name of the organization which they represent.

Article 32. Foreign (International) Observers

1. Foreign (international) observers shall receive a permission for entry into the Russian Federation in accordance with the procedure established by the federal law and, if they have an appropriate invitation, shall be accredited by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. 2. Invitations may be extended by the President of the Russian Federation, the Federation Council and the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, the Government of the Russian Federation, the Human Rights Commissioner of the Russian Federation, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation after the official publication of a decision to call the election. Applications for invitations may be made by international and national government and non-government organizations and private persons that enjoy high prestige in the field of the protection of human and civil rights and freedoms. The State Duma shall extend invitations in accordance with the proposals of each political party, each electoral bloc whose federal lists were included in the distribution of deputy seats. 3. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall issue a foreign (international) observer with an identity card of an established form on the basis of the documents to be presented by the observe to confirm that he has been invited by one of the bodies or persons listed in Clause 2 of this article. This identity card shall allow the foreign (international) observer to carry on his activity during the preparation and conduct of the election. 4. The activity of foreign (international) observers shall be regulated by this Federal Law, other federal laws. 5. The term of powers of a foreign (international) observer shall commence from the day when the observer receives accreditation at the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and shall end on the day of the official publication of the general election results. 6. A foreign (international) observer shall carry on his activity independently and by himself. The material and financial support for the activity of a foreign (international) observer shall be provided for the account of the organization which sent the observer or for his own account. 7. During his stay on the territory of the Russian Federation a foreign (international) observer shall be under the patronage of the Russian Federation. Election commissions, federal bodies of state power and bodies of state power of Russian Federation sub jects shall render the observe the necessary assistance.

8. After the end of the voting time foreign (international) observers may express their opinion about electoral laws and the preparation and conduct of the election, hold press conferences and apply to the mass media. 9. Foreign (international) observers may meet with candidates and their agents and authorized representatives and with authorized representatives of political parties, electoral blocs. 10. Foreign (international) observers shall not take advantage of their status to carry on activities unrelated to monitoring the course of the election campaign, the preparation and conduct of the election. 11. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation may revoke accreditation of a foreign (international) observer if he violates federal laws or the universally accepted principles and norms of international law.

Chapter V. Political Parties, Electoral Blocs

Article 33. Participation of Political Parties in the Election of Deputies of the State Duma
1. Political parties shall participate in the election of deputies of the State Duma and, among other things, shall nominate lists of candidates in accordance with this Federal Law and the Federal Law On Political Parties. 2. The list of political parties which are entitled to participate in the election of deputies of the State Duma under the Law On Political Parties and this Federal Law and, among other things, to nominate lists of candidates shall be made up by the federal body authorized to register political parties. At the request of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation this list made up as of the day of the official publication of the decision to call the election shall be submitted to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation within ten days of the day when the request was received. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall forward the list of political parties to the mass media for publication within five days of the day when the list was received.

Article 34. Participation of Electoral Blocs in the Election of Deputies of the State Duma
1. An electoral bloc is a voluntary union formed by two or three political parties included in the list of political parties, indicated in Article 33 of this Federal Law, for joint participation in the election. An electoral bloc may also be a voluntary union formed by one or two political parties, included in the list indicated in Article 33 of this Federal Law, and not more than, respectively, two or one all-Russia public association established in the form of a public organization or public movement whose charter provides for participation in elections. Such all-Russia public associations established in the form of a public organization or public movement, or modifications and amendments to their charters providing for participation in elections shall be registered in accordance with the federal law not later than one year before voting day and, in the event of the early election of deputies of the State Duma, not later than six months before voting day. These time periods shall not apply to other modifications and amendments to the charter of an all-Russia public association. 2. The following all-Russia public associations established in the form of a public organization or public movement shall not be entitled to join electoral blocs: associations registered in accordance with Russian Federation laws as a trade union, a religious or charity organization, a national-cultural autonomy;

associations whose charters provide that membership therein is based only on the profession, nationality, ethnic origin, race and confession of citizens; associations whose non-political nature is specially stipulated in the federal law.; international public associations. 3. The list of all-Russia associations which have been established in the form of a public organization or public movement and meet the requirements of Clauses 1 and 2 of this article shall be made up by the federal justice body. At the request of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation this list made up as of the day of the official publication of the decision to call the election shall be submitted to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation within ten days of the day when the request was received. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall forward the list of all-Russia public associations to the mass media for publication within five days of receipt of the list. 4. A decision to join an electoral bloc, indicating the name (names) of the political party (parties), another all-Russia public association (other all-Russia public associations) with which an electoral bloc is to be formed shall be adopted at the congress (conference) of each of the political parties, each of the all-Russia public associations. After this the authorized representatives of these political parties, other all-Russia public associations shall sign a joint agreement on the formation an electoral bloc. 5. For registration of an electoral bloc its authorized representative shall submit the following documents to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation: (1) notarized copies of the Rules of the political parties, charters of the other allRussia public associations which are comprised in the electoral bloc; (2) notarized copies of the certificates evidencing entry of the political parties, other all-Russia public associations which are comprised in the electoral bloc in the unified state register of legal entities; (3) minutes of proceedings of the congresses (conferences) of the political parties, other all-Russia public associations, containing the decision to join the electoral bloc; (4) an agreement on the formation of an electoral bloc signed by the authorized representatives of the political parties, other all-Russia public associations and certified by the seals of these political parties, all-Russia public associations; (5) information about the full name and abbreviated name (consisting of not more than seven words) of the electoral bloc. 6. Electoral blocs shall be registered by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation not later than five days after submission of the required documents. These documents may be submitted simultaneously with, but not later than, the submission of a joint federal list of candidates and/or a list of candidates nominated in single-seat electoral districts. 7. The reasons for the refusal of registration of an electoral bloc may only be the absence or improper execution of the documents indicated in Clause 5 of this article; the failure of one of or several all-Russia public associations (including political parties) which are comprised in the electoral bloc to meet the requirements of Article 33 of this Federal Law or Clause 2 of this article; the failure to meet the requirements of Clauses 1, 4 and 8 of this article, Clause 3, Article 35 of this Federal Law. An electoral bloc shall not be refused registration if the number of its members is less than that indicated in the decision of the congress (conference) of the political party (political parties), the other all-Russia public association (other all-Russia public

associations) on the formation of this electoral bloc, unless no political parities remain in the electoral bloc. 8. Political parties, other all-Russia public associations comprised in one electoral bloc shall not join other electoral blocs or act independently at the same election of deputies of the State Duma. 9. After an electoral bloc has been registered by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation it shall not admit any other political parties, other all-Russia public associations as its members. 10. Upon its formation an electoral bloc shall authorize its body or one of political parties in the electoral bloc to act on behalf of the electoral bloc during the election campaign and also during the term of powers of the State Duma of the given convocation should the federal list of candidates nominated by this electoral bloc be included in the distribution of deputy seats.

Article 35. Name and Emblem of a political party, an electoral bloc

1. A political party, an electoral bloc shall submit information about their name to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation . 2. The name of a political party shall be the name indicated in its Rules. 3. The name of an electoral bloc shall be determined at the congress (conference) of the representatives of the political parties, other all-Russia public associations which formed the given bloc. The name of an electoral bloc shall not make use of the name of any registered allRussia public association which is not a member of this electoral bloc, regardless of whether this public association takes part in the election, or the name of another electoral bloc which has already been registered at the given election. Neither shall an electoral bloc use the name which it used at the previous election of deputies to the State Duma if more than a half of political parties (their legal successors) which were members of the given electoral bloc at the previous election are no longer its members. The use of the first name, surname or pseudonym of a concrete natural person, the name of a state or municipal office in the name of an electoral bloc shall not be allowed. 4. When submitting lists of candidates for certification a political party, an electoral bloc may also submit their emblems to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. A political party may submit the emblem described in its Rules (hereafter registered emblem) or, in the absence of such emblem, some other emblem. An electoral bloc may submit a registered emblem of any of the political parties comprised in the electoral bloc or some other emblem with the exception of registered emblems of political parties and emblems described in the charters of other all-Russia public associations which are comprised in other electoral blocs or emblems submitted by other electoral blocs at this or previous election of deputies of the State Duma (unless the electoral bloc submitting an emblem is entitled to use the name of such bloc in accordance with Clause 3 of this article). The symbols of a political party, an electoral bloc shall not infringe intellectual property rights, insult or denigrate the National Flag of the Russian Federation, the National Emblem of the Russian Federation, the National Anthem of the Russian Federation, the flags, emblems, anthems of the Russian Federation subjects, municipalities, foreign states, religious symbols and national sentiments and shall not violate the generally recognized moral norms. 5. A political party, an electoral bloc shall agree with the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation the abbreviated name (consisting of not more than seven words) and the emblem to be used in electoral documents. 6. The names and emblems of political parties, electoral blocs shall not be changed after they have been submitted to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.

Article 36. Authorized Representatives of Political Parties, Electoral Blocs

1. A political party, an electoral bloc shall appoint representatives authorized, under this Federal Law, to represent the political party, electoral bloc in all matters relating to participation of the political party, electoral bloc in the election of deputies of the State Duma, including financial matters. 2. Authorized representatives shall be appointed by the decision of a congress of a political party, the congress (conference) of the repr esentatives of political parties, other all-Russia public associations which are comprised in the electoral bloc or by the decision of a body authorized to do so by the congress of the political party, congress (conference) of the representatives of the political party, other all-Russia public associations which are comprised in the electoral bloc. 3. An authorized representative of a political party, an electoral bloc shall act on the basis of the decision indicated in Clause 2 of this article. Such decision must indicate the powers of the authorized representative, his surname, first name and patronymic, date of birth, series, number and date of issuance of the passport or an equivalent identity document, place of residence, main place of work or service, position (occupation, if there is no main place of work or service), and, in respect of an authorized representative for financial matters, the right of first or second signature on financial documents and the sample of a seal imprint for financial documents. 4. The list of appointed authorized representatives of a political party, an electoral bloc shall be submitted to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. The lists of authorized representatives of a political party, an electoral bloc must indicate the surname, first name and patronymic of each authorized representative of the political party, electoral bloc, his date of birth, series, number and date of issuance of the passport or an equivalent identity document, place of residence, main place of work or service, position (occupation, if there is no main place of work or service), telephone number and, in respect of an authorized representative for financial matters, also the fact that he is an authorized representative for financial matters. This list shall be accompanied by a written consent of each of the listed persons to act in this capacity. 5. Authorized representatives of a political party, an electoral bloc for financial matters shall be subject to registration by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. 6. Subject to the decision of the body of a political party, an electoral bloc authorized to take such decisions the political party, electoral bloc may at any time terminate the powers of an authorized representative by serving written notice to this effect on this representative and sending a copy of the relevant decision to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. . 7. Authorized representatives of political parties, electoral blocs who occupy state or municipal offices shall not take advantage of their office or official position. 8. The term of powers of authorized representatives of a political party, an electoral bloc shall commence from the day of their appointment and expire upon the loss of a candidate's status by all candidates nominated on a list of candidates by the political party, electoral bloc which appointed the authorized representatives but not later than the day of the official publication of the general election results. The term of powers of authorized representatives for financial matters of a political party, an electoral bloc shall expire 60 days after voting day or, if the political party, electoral bloc are involved in a case pending in a court, from the day when the court hands down a final decision.

Article 37. Participation of Political Parties, Electoral Blocs in the Election of Deputies of the State Duma

Political parties, electoral blocs shall participate in the election of deputies of the State Duma on equal conditions in accordance with the procedure established by this Federal Law.

Chapter VI. Nomination and Registration of Candidates

Article 38. Self-Nomination of a Candidate
1. Every citizen of the Russian Federation entitled to a passive electoral right shall have the right to put up his candidature in a single-seat electoral district. 2. A Russian Federation citizen may put up his candidature only in one single -seat electoral district. A candidate who has put up his candidature may not be nominated by a political party, an electoral bloc. If this requirement is violated, the nomination of which the election commission was notified earlier shall be deemed valid, if within 24 hours of receipt of the later notification the candidate does not apply for the withdrawal of the earlier notification 3. A candidate may nominate himself in a single-seat electoral district after the official publication of a decision to call the election but not earlier than the day of the official publication of the scheme of single-seat electoral districts and not later than 30 days after the official publication of the decision to call the election. 4. In the event of the dissolution of the State Duma a candidate may nominate himself in a single-seat electoral district after the official publication of the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation calling an early election of deputies of the State Duma of a new convocation or publication of the decision of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation taken in pursuance of Clause 5, Article 5 of this Federal Law, but not later than five days before the day when the documents for the registration of the candidate are to be submitted to the election commission. 5. At repeat elections and by-elections a candidate may nominate himself in a single-seat electoral district after publication of the decision to call these elections. 6. A Russian Federation citizen who put up his candidature in a single-seat electoral district shall serve written notice of self-nomination to a relevant district electoral commission. The notice must indicate the surname, first name and patronymic, date of birth, address of the place of residence of the candidate. . 7. The following documents shall be submitted to a relevant district election commission simultaneously with the notice indicated in Clause 6 of this article: (1) the candidate's statement of consent to stand for election in the single-seat electoral district and the obligation, if elected, to discontinue activities incompatible with the status of a deputy of the State Duma. The statement must indicate the biographical data of the candidate: his surname, first name and patronymic; 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 the candidate is a deputy and exercises his powers on a non permanent basis - this fact and the name of the relevant representative body; kind, series, number and date of issuance of the identity pa per containing information about the citizenship, address of the place of residence and the name or code of the body which issued this document. If the candidate has a conviction that has not been cancelled and annulled, the statement must also indicate this fact. The statement must indicate the citizenship of the candidate and, if the candidate has Russian Federation citizenship and foreign citizenship, also the foreign citizenship - the name of the foreign state, the date when the

foreign citizenship was received and the reasons therefor (hereafter information about the candidate's foreign citizenship); (2) information about the size and sources of income of the candidate, property owned or co-owned by the candidate, bank deposits, securities. The information about the size and sources of income shall be submitted in the form of a copy of the tax declaration of the citizen who is a candidate for the year preceding the year in which the election was called (with a note of the tax authority at the place of submission). If, under Russian Federation laws, the citizen who is a candidate does not have to file a tax declaration, he shall submit the information about his income (including the pension, benefits, other payments) for the year preceding the year in which the election was called from the legal entities and/or natural persons, which/who are tax agents under the federal law, from the organizations making such payments. The information about the property owned by the candidate and other information indicat d in e this clause shall be submitted in accordance with the form shown in Annex 4 to this Federal Law. If, in the year preceding the year in which the election was called, the candidate did not receive any income and/or does not own any property to be reported in accordance with this clause, this fact must be indicated in the candidate's statement of consent to stand for election. 8. In the statement indicated in Clause 7 of this article a self-nominated candidate may mention his membership in not more than one political party registered in the procedure established by the federal law or membership in some other public association registered not later than one year before voting day in the procedure established by law as well his status in this public association provided the candidate submits a document confirming this information and this document is officially certified by a permanent leading body of the given public association. The candidate shall agree an abbreviated name of the given public association (consisting of not more that seven words) with the district election commission. 9. The notice of self-nomination of a candidate and other documents indicated in this article shall be personally submitted by the self-nominated candidate to the district election commission within the period established by Clauses 3 to 5 of this article. At the candidate's request the notice of self-nomination of the candidate and other documents indicated in this article may be submitted by other persons if the candidate is ill, held in custody in places where suspects and defendants are held (in this case the candidate's signature on the statement shall be notarially certified or certified in writing by the administration of the stationary hospital in which the candidate is being treated or the administration of the place of detention where he is held in custody as a suspect or defendant). 10. If the district election commission is not formed at the time of the nomination of a candidate, the notice indicated in Clause 6 of this article, the candidate's statement of consent to stand for election and the other documents indicated in Clause 7 of this article shall be submitted to the election commission of the Russian Federation subject, which performs the functions of a district election commission and processes the submitted documents until the district election commission is formed. The election commission of the Russian Federation subject shall hand over these documents to the district election commission after formation of this district commission and appointment of its chairman. 11. The notice of self-nomination of a candidate and the attached documents shall be accepted by a relevant district election commission upon production of a document certifying the candidate's identity (if the notice is submitted by some other person - upon production of a notarized copy of the document certifying the candidate's identity). In the presence of the candidate the district election commission shall make a copy of the document certifying the candidate's identity. This copy shall be certified by the signature of the person who accepted the notice and shall be attached to the notice. The candidate (other person) shall also present documents which confirm the information contained in the candidate's statement of consent to stand for election: information about his education, main place of work or service and position (occupation), information that the candidate is a deputy.

12. A relevant election commission shall issue a written receipt confirming acceptance of the notice indicated in Clause 6 of this article, the candidate's statement of consent to stand for election and other documents indicated in this article to the persons who submitted these documents. This written receipt shall be issued immediately upon submission of these documents.

Article 39. Nomination of Candidates by a political party, an electoral bloc in Single-Seat Electoral Districts
1. A decision to nominate candidates in single-seat electoral districts shall be taken by a political party at its congress by secret voting in accordance with the Federal Law On Political Parties and the Rules of the political party. 2. A political party, an electoral bloc may nominate not more than one candidate in one singleseat electoral district. 3. A decision to nominate candidates in single-seat electoral districts at repeat elections and byelections may be taken after the official publication of the decision to call these elections by the permanent leading body of a political party, if this body is authorized to do so under the Rules of the party, by the authorized body of an electoral bloc whose federal list of candidates was included in the distribution of deputy seats at the election of deputies of the State Duma, if this is provided for in the agreement on the formation of the electoral bloc. 4. When candidates for single-seat electoral districts are to be nominated by an electoral bloc the candidatures proposed for nomination from the electoral bloc by a political party, other allRussia public associations shall be supported at a congress (conference) of the political party, other all-Russia public associations comprised in the electoral bloc by secret voting, in compliance with the other requirements set by the Federal Law On Political Parties to the nomination of candidates. The congress (conference) of a political party, other all-Russia public associations shall also appoint representatives authorized to take a decision on the nomination of candidates in single-seat electoral districts at a congress (conference) of the representatives of the political parties, other all-Russia public associations comprised in this electoral bloc. The decision to nominate candidates in single-seat electoral districts from the electoral bloc shall be adopted at the said congress (conference) of the representatives of the political party, other allRussia public associations. 5. A political party, an electoral bloc shall nominate candidates in single-seat electoral districts within 30 days of the official publication of the decision to call the election, but not earlier than the day of the official publication of the scheme of single-seat electoral districts. 6. In the event of the dissolution of the State Duma nomination of candidates in single -seat electoral districts may be carried out by a political party, an electoral bloc from the day of the official publication of the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation calling an early election of deputies of the State Duma of a new convocation or from the day of the 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, but not later than 10 days before the day when documents for the registration of a candidate have to be submitted to the district election commission. 7. The decision of the congress (conference) of a political party, an electoral bloc on the nomination of candidates shall be recorded in its minutes (or in the form of some other document), which must indicate: (1) the number of registered participants in the congress (conference); (2) the number of participants which is required for adoption of the decision under the Rules of the political party or the agreement on the formation of the electoral bloc;

(3) the decision on the nomination of candidates and the results of the vote taken on this decision (the list of candidates nominated in single-seat electoral districts shall be appended); (4) the decision on the appointment of authorized representatives of the political party, electoral bloc; (5) the date of the decision. 8. The list of candidates nominated in single-seat electoral districts must contain the name and the number of the electoral districts in which each candidate will stand for election. The list of candidates nominated by a political party in single-seat electoral districts shall be signed by the leader of the political party and certified with the party's seal. When candidates in single-seat electoral districts are to be nominated by an electoral bloc the decision of a political party, other all-Russia public associations comprised in the electoral bloc proposing candidatures to be nominated as candidates from the electoral bloc shall be signed by the leader of this politic al party, leaders of these other all-Russia public associations and certified with the seal of the political party, the other public associations. The list of candidates nominated by an electoral bloc shall be signed by the authorized representatives of the electoral bloc and certified with the seals of the political parties, other all-Russia public associations comprised in the electoral bloc 9. Subject to a decision of the duly authorized bodies of a political party, an electoral bloc indicated in the Rules of the political party or designated at its congress, at the congress (conference) of the political parties, other all-Russia public associations comprised in the electoral bloc the political party, electoral bloc may, not later than 55 days before voting day and with the candidate's consent, change the single-seat electoral district in which the candidate was initially nominated by submitting a written notice to this effect to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and a relevant district election commissions. Subject to a decision of their duly authorized bodies a political party, an electoral bloc may, not later than 55 days before voting day and with the consent of the candidate included in a federal list of candidates, nominate the candidate in any single-seat electoral district by submitting a written notice to this effect to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and a relevant district election commissions and, if this district election commission has not yet been formed, to the election commission of the Russian Federation subject. 10. A political party, an electoral bloc may nominate candidates who are not members of the given political party, other political parties, other all-Russia public associations comprised in the electoral bloc.

Article 40. Nomination of a Federal List of Candidates by a political party, an electoral bloc
1. A decision to nominate a federal list of candidates from a political party shall be taken by secret voting at a congress of the political party. 2. When a federal list of candidates is to be nominated by an electoral bloc the candidatures proposed for nomination on a federal list of candidates of the electoral bloc by a political party, other all-Russia public associations shall be supported at a congress (conference) of the political party, other all-Russia public associations comprised in the electoral bloc by secret voting in compliance with the other requirements set by the Federal Law On Political Parties to the nomination of candidates. The congress (conference) of a political party, other all-Russia public associations shall also appoint representatives authorized to take a decision on the nomination of a federal list of candidates of the electoral bloc at a congress (conference) of the representatives of the political parties, other all-Russia public associations comprised in this electoral bloc. The decision to nominate a federal list of candidates shall be adopted at the said congress (conference) of representatives of the political party, other all-Russia public associations.

3. A political party, an electoral bloc may nominate a federal list of candidates after the official publication of the decision to call the election. 4. In the event of the dissolution of the State Duma nomination of a federal list of candidates may be carried out by a political party, an electoral bloc from the day of the official publication of the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation calling an early election of deputies of the State Duma of a new convocation or from the day of the 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, but not later than 10 days before the day when documents for the registration of a federal list of candidates have to be submitted to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation 5. The decision of the congress (conference) of a political party, an electoral bloc on the nomination of a federal list of candidates shall be recorded in its minutes (or in the form of some other document), which must indicate: (1) the number of registered participants in the congress (conference); (2) the number of participants which is required for adoption of the dec ision under the Rules of the political party or the agreement on the formation of the electoral bloc; (3) the decision on the nomination of candidates and the results of the vote taken on this decision (the federal list of candidates shall be appended); (4) the decision on the appointment of authorized representatives of the political party, electoral bloc; (5) the date of the decision. 6. A political party, an electoral bloc may nominate candidates on a federal list who are not members of the given political party, other political parties, other all-Russia public associations comprised in the electoral bloc. 7. The federal list of candidates nominated by a political party shall be signed by the leader of the political party and certified with the party's seal. When a federal list of candidates is to be nominated by an electoral bloc the decision of a political party, other all-Russia public associations comprised in the electoral bloc proposing candidates for the inclusion in the federal list of candidates of the electoral bloc shall be signed by the leader of the political party, leaders of other all-Russia public association and certified with the seal of the political party, other allRussia public association. The federal list of candidates nominated by an electoral bloc shall be signed by the authorized representatives of the electoral bloc and certified with the seals of the political parties, other all-Russia public associations comprised in the electoral bloc. 8. The composition of a federal list of candidates and the arrangement of candidates on the list shall be determined by a political party, an electoral bloc. In determining the arrangement of candidates on a federal list of candidates a political party, an electoral bloc shall divide the list fully or in part into regional groups of candidates corresponding to the Russian Federation subjects or groups thereof (hereafter regional groups of candidates). The regional part of a federal list of candidates must indicate the Russian Federation subject or group of the Russian Federation subjects (listing these Russian Federation subjects) to which each regional group of candidates corresponds and the name of each regional group of candidates consisting of not more than five words. The number of regional groups of candidates shall not be less than seven. The federal part of a federal list of candidates, which contains candidates who are not comprised in the regional groups, may include not more than 18 candidates. A candidate may be mentioned in a federal list of candidates only once.

9. A federal list of candidates may include candidates who are nominated by the same political party, the same political bloc in single-seat electoral districts. . 10. The total number of candidates nominated by a political pary, an electoral bloc in the t federal electoral district shall not exceed 270 candidates.

Article 41. Submission of Lists of Candidates and Other Electoral Documents of Political Parties, Electoral Blocs to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. Submission of Documents of Candidates Nominated by Political Parties, Electoral Blocks In Single -seat Electoral Districts to District Election Commissions
1. The federal list of candidates and the list of candidates nominated by a political pary, an t electoral bloc in single-seat electoral districts shall be submitted by an authorized representative of the political party, electoral bloc to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation not later than 30 days after the official publication of the decision to call the election. These lists must indicate the surname, first name and patronymic, date of birth, education of the candidate, the name of the Russian Federation subject, raion, city, other populated center where the place of his residence is located, the main place of work or service and position (in the absence of the main place of work or service - occupation) of each candidate (if the candidate is a deputy and exercises his powers on a non -permanent basis - this fact and the name of the relevant representative body), information about convictions and foreign citizenship of the candidates and, at the candidate's request, his membership in not more than one public association registered not later than a year before voting day and his status therein, provided the candidate submits a document confirming this information, which is officially certified by the permanent leading body of this public association. 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 the format established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. 2. Simultaneously with the lists of candidates indicated in Clause 1 of this article (hereafter lists of candidates) the authorized representative of a political party shall submit the following documents: (1) a notarized copy of a document confirming that the political party has been entered in the unified state register of legal entities; (2) a notarized copy of the Rules of the political party; (3) a decision (decisions) of the congress of the political party on the nomination of the list (lists) of candidates; (4) a list of the authorized representatives of the political party with the information about these representatives listed in Clause 3, Article 36 of this Federal Law; (5) powers of attorney of the authorized representatives of the political party for financial matters duly executed in the procedure established by this Federal Law. 3. The authorized representative of an electoral bloc shall submit the following documents: (1) minutes of proceedings of the congresses (conferences) of the political parties, other all-Russia public associations comprised in the electoral bloc with decisions on candidatures proposed for nomination as candidates from the electoral bloc;

(2) a decision (decisions) of the congress (conference) of the representatives of the political parties, other all-Russia public associations comprised the electoral bloc on the nomination of a list (lists) of candidates by the electoral bloc; (3) a list of authorized representatives of the electoral bloc with the information about them listed in Clause 3, Article 36 of this Federal Law; (4) powers of attorney of the authorized representatives of the electoral bloc for financial matters executed in the procedure established by this Federal Law. 4. Simultaneously with the documents indicated in Clauses 1 to 3 of this article the authorized representative of a political party, an electoral bloc shall submit: (1) in respect of each candidate - the candidate's statement of consent to stand for election in the given electoral district and his obligation, if elected, to discontinue activities incompatible with the status of a deputy of the State Duma. The statement must indicate the biographical data of the candidate: his surname, first name and patronymic; date and place 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 the candidate is a deputy and exercises his powers on a non-permanent basis - this fact and the name of the relevant representative body; kind, series, number and date of issuance of the identity document containing information about the citizenship, address of the place of residence and the name or code of the body which issued this document. In the statement of consent to stand for election the candidate may mention his membership in not more than one poli ical party t registered in the procedure established by the federal law or membership in some other public association registered not later than one year before voting day in the procedure established by law as well as his status in this public association provided the candidate submits a document confirming this information and this document is officially certified by a permanent leading body of the given public association. In this case the candidate shall agree an abbreviated name of the given public association (consisting of not more that seven words) with this public association and with the Central Commission of the Russian Federation. If the candidate has a conviction that has not been cancelled and annulled, the statement shall also indicate the information about the candidate's conviction. The statement must indicate citizenship of the candidate and, if the candidate has Russian Federation citizenship and foreign citizenship, also the information about his foreign citizenship. (2) In respect of candidates included in a federal list of candidates - the information about the size and sources of the candidate's income and about the property owned and co-owned by the candidate, bank deposits, securities. The information about the size and sources of income shall be submitted in the form of a copy of the tax declaration of the citizen who is a candidate for the year preceding the year in which the election was called (with a note of the tax authority at the place of submission). If, under Russian Federation laws, the citizen who is a candidate does not have to file a tax declaration, he shall submit the certified information about his income (including the pension, benefits, other payments) for the year preceding the year in which the election was called from the legal entities and/or natural persons, which/who are tax agents under the federal law, from the organizations making such payments. The information about the property owned by the candidate and the other information indicated in this clause shall be submitted in accordance with the form shown in Annex 4 to this Federal Law. If, in the year preceding the year in which the election was called, the candidate did not receive any income and/or does not own any property to be reported in accordance with this clause, this fact must be indicated in the candidate's statement of consent to stand for election.

5. A candidate nominated by a political party, an electoral bloc may be included only in one federal list of candidates and nominated only in one single-seat electoral district. A candidate nominated by a political party, an electoral bloc shall not put up his candidature by way of selfnomination. 6. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall accept the lists of candidates together with a copy of the document certifying the identity of the candidate and copies of the documents confirming the information indicated in the candidate's statement of consent to stand for election about his education, main place or work or service, position (occupation) and the information that the candidate is a deputy. Such certified copies shall be submitted in respect of each candidate included in the list. 7. 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-seat electoral districts to the authorized representative of a political party, an electoral bloc, or a reasoned 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 34 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. 8. The refusal to issue certified lists of candidates to a political party, an electoral bloc may be due to the absence, incompleteness or improper execution of the documents indicated in Clauses 1 to 4 of this article or due to other breaches of the procedure established by Articles 39 and 40 of this Federal Law and Clause 5 of this article for the nomination of candidates. 9. A political party, an electoral bloc may appeal the refusal to issue certified copies of lists of candidates in the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, which shall consider the appeal within three days. 10. After a federal list of candidates, a list of candidates nominated in single-seat 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 candidates therein, 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 political party, electoral bloc, or because of the death of a candidate, or due to the circumstances indicated in Clause 9, Article 39 of this Federal Law, or in connection with the removal of a candidate from the list of candidates by a decision of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. 11. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall forward copies of the certified list of candidates nominated by a political party, an electoral bloc in single-seat electoral districts (certified excerpts from this list) to relevant district election commissions not later than three days after the list was certified. 12. A candidate nominated by a political party, an electoral bloc in a single-seat electoral district and included in the list of candidates certified by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall submit to the district election commission his statement of consent to stand for election in the single-seat electoral district with an obligation, if elected, to discontinue the activities incompatible with the status of a deputy of the State Duma and other information about himself indicated in Sub-clause 1, Clause 4 of this article. A candidate may also submit to the district election commission a copy of the list of candidates nominated in single -seat electoral districts, certified by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. The submission of these documents shall be regarded as a notice of nomination of the candidate in the single-seat electoral district. 13. Together with the statement of consent to stand for election a candidate shall submit to the district election commission the information about the size and sources of his income and the property owned and co-owned by him, bank deposits, securities. The information about the size

and sources of income shall be submitted in the form of a copy of t e tax declaration of the h citizen who is a candidate for the year preceding the year in which the election was called (with a note of the tax authority at the place of submission). If, under Russian Federation laws, the citizen who is a candidate does not have to file a tax declaration, he shall submit certified information about his income (including the pension, benefits, other payments) for the year preceding the year in which the election was called from the legal entities and/or natural persons, which/who are tax agents under the federal law, from the organizations making such payments. The information about the property owned by the candidate and other information indicated in this clause shall be submitted in accordance with the form shown in Annex 4 to this Federal Law. If in the year preceding the year in which the election was called the candidate did not receive any income and/or does not own any property to be reported in accordance with this clause, this fact must be indicated in the candidate's statement of consent to stand for election. 14. If the district election commission has not yet been formed, the documents indicated in Clauses 12 and 13 of this article shall be submitted to the election commission of the Russian Federation subject which performs the functions of a district election commission and processes the submitted documents until the district election commission is formed. The election commission of the Russian Federation subject shall hand over these documents to the district election commission after its formation and appointment of its chairman. 15. The notice of the nomination of a candidate and the attached documents shall be accepted by the district election commission upon production of a document certifying the candidate's identity (if the notice is submitted by some other person - upon production of a notarized copy of the document certifying the candidate's identity). In the presence of the candidate the district election commission shall make a copy of the document certifying the candidate's identity and this copy shall be certified by the signature of the person who accepted the notice and shall be attached to the notice. The candidate (other person) shall also present documents which confirm the information contained in the candidate's statement of consent to stand for election: information about his education, main place of work or service and position (occupation), information that the candidate is a deputy. 16. A relevant election commission shall issue a written receipt confirming acceptance of the documents indicated in Clauses 12 and 13 of this article to the persons who submitted these documents. This written receipt shall be issued immediately upon submission of these documents. 17. 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 the users of the public information-telecommunication networks. District election commissions or the election commissions of Russian Federation subjects shall ensure access to the information about the candidates nominated in single-seat electoral districts and to the changes in this information.

Article 42. Collection of Signatures in Support of a Self -Nominated Candidate

1. Collection of signatures in support of a self-nominated candidate shall commence on the day following the day when a relevant district election commission (election commission of a Russian Federation subject) was notified of the self-nomination in the procedure established by Article 38 of this Federal Law. 2. If signatures are to be collected in support of a candidate, the number of the signatures to be collected shall be not less than one percent of the total number of voters registered on the territory of the given electoral district, or, if the number of voters in the electoral district is less than 100 thousand, not less than one thousand signatures. In the event of an early election, the number of signatures to be collected in support of a candidate shall respectively be 0.5 percent and not less than 500 voter signatures.

3. Signature sheets shall be printed for the account of the candidate's electoral fund, according to the form shown in Annex 1 to this Federal Law. Each signature sh eet must indicate the surname, first name and patronymic of the candidate; date of birth; main place of work or service and position (occupation, if there is no main place of work or service); if the candidate is a deputy and exercises his powers on a non-permanent basis - this fact and the name of the relevant representative body; name of the Russian Federation subject, raion, city, other populated center where the place of residence of the candidate is located; name of the electoral district where he is nominated. If the candidate has a conviction that has not been cancelled and annulled, the signature sheet must indicate the information about the conviction of the candidate. If the candidate has Russian Federation citizenship and foreign citizenship, the signature sheet must indicate the information about the foreign citizenship of the candidate. 4. The signature sheet must also indicate membership of the candidate in the public association, which the candidate indicated in his statement of consent to stand for election in accordance with Clause 8, Article 38 of this Federal Law, and his status in this public association. 5. Signatures may be collected only among the voters of the electoral district in which the candidate was nominated.

Article 43. Collection of Signatures in Support of Candidates, a Federal List of Candidates Nominated by a political party, an electoral bloc
1. If a political party, an electoral bloc which nominated candidates in single -seat electoral districts collect voter signatures in support of a candidate among voters of the electoral district in which the candidate was nominated, the number of such signatures to be collected shall be not less than one percent of the total number of voters registered on the territory of the given electoral district or, if the number of voters in the electoral district is less than 100 thousand, not less than one thousand signatures. In the event of an early election, the number of signatures to be collected in support of a candidate shall respectively be 0.5 percent and not less than 500 voter signatures. 2. If a political party, an electoral bloc which nominated a federal list of candidates collect signatures in support of the federal list of candidates, the number of such signatures shall be not less than 200 thousand, with each Russian Federation subject accounting for not more than 14 thousand out of the number of signatures required for registration. In the event of an early election the aforesaid number of signatures shall be reduced by half. 3. A political party, an electoral bloc may commence collection of signatures in support of the nomination of a federal list of candidates from the day following the day when a copy of this list of candidates was 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 has been certified. Collection of signatures in support of a candidate nominated by a political party, an electoral bloc in a single-seat electoral district shall commence from the day when the documents and information indicated in Clauses 12 and 13, Article 41 of this Federal Law are submitted to the district election commission or the election commission of a Russian Federation subject. 4. Signature sheets shall be printed for the account of a relevant electoral fund according to the form shown in Annexes 2 and 3 to this Federal Law. 5. When signatures are collected in support of the nomination of a federal list of candidates, each signature sheet must indicate the surname, first name and patronymic; date of birth; main place of work or service and position (occupation, if there is no main place of work or service); name of the Russian Federation subject, raion, city, other populated center where the place of residence is located for the following candidates: the first three candidates who top the federal part of the federal list of candidates and three candidates who top the regional group of candidates corresponding to the Russian Federation su bject (group of Russian Federation

subjects) in which signatures are collected. If any one of these candidate has a conviction that has not been cancelled and annulled, the signature sheet must indicate information about the conviction of the candidate. If any one of these candidates has Russian Federation citizenship and foreign citizenship the signature sheet must indicate information about the foreign citizenship of the candidate. If a candidate included in the signature sheet is a deputy and exercises his powers on a non-permanent basis, this fact may be indicated in the signature sheet at the candidate's request together with the name of the relevant representative body. At the request of a candidate included in the signature sheet the signature sheet m indicate his ay membership in a public association if this fact is mentioned in the candidate's statement of consent to stand for election in accordance with Clause 4, Article 41 of this Federal Law, and the candidate's status in this public association. Each signature sheet must also indicate the name of the Russian Federation subject where signatures are being collected. At the voter's request the person collecting signatures in support of the nomination of a federal list of candidates shall produce a copy of the federal list of candidates certified by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. 6. If signatures are collected in support of a candidate nominated by a political party, an electoral bloc in a single-seat electoral district, the signature sheet must indicate the information about the candidate listed in Clause 5 of this article and the name of the political party, electoral bloc which nominated this candidate.

Article 44. Rules for Collection of Signatures in Support of the Nomina tion of a Candidate, Federal List of Candidates and Execution of Signature Sheets
1. Participation of bodies of state power, bodies of local self-government, governing bodies of organizations of all forms of ownership, institutions, voting members of election commissions in the collection of signatures shall not be allowed. In the course of signature collection it shall be prohibited to force voters to put their signatures or to remunerate them in any form for doing so and collect signatures at work places, when and where wages, pensions, allowances, stipends, other social benefits are paid. 2. Voter signatures may be collected by any legally capable citizen of the Russian Federation who has attained to the age of 18 years by the day of signature collection. A candidate, a political party, an electoral bloc may sign a contract for signature collection with a person collecting voter signatures. Remuneration for this work shall be paid only through the electoral fund of the candidate, political party, electoral bloc. 3. Voter signatures in support of the nomination of candidates, federal lists of candidates may be collected at the place of study, residence and in other places where election campaigning and signature collection are not prohibited by the federal law. 4. A voter may put his signature in support of the nomination different candidates (federal lists of candidates), but only once in support of the same candidate (federal list of candidates). A voter shall put his signature on the signature sheet and write the date, his surname, first name and patronymic, year of birth (if he attains to the age of 18 years on voting day - also the day and month of birth), series and number of the passport or an equivalent identity document and the address of the place of residence indicated in the passport or the equivalent document containing information about the address of his place of residence. The voter shall put his signature and write the date with his own hand. At the voter's request the data of the voter who put his signatures and wrote the date on the signature sheet may be entered in the signature sheet by a person collecting signatures in support of the nomination of a candidate, federal list of candidates. All such data shall be written by hand. 5. The signature sheet used for collection of signatures in support of the nomination of a candidate, federal list of candidates may be filled out both on the face and on the back. The back shall be the continuation of the face and all signatures on the signature sheet shall be

numbered consecutively. The certifying signatures shall be put on the back of the signature sheet. 6. The signature sheet used for collection of voter signatures in support of a candidate nominated in a single-seat electoral district shall be certified by the signature collector and the candidate. The signature collector shall, with his own hand, write his surname, first name and patronymic, series and number of the passport or an equivalent identity document, the date of its issuance and the name or code of the issuing body, address of the place of residence; sign the signature sheet and write the date. The candidate shall, with his own hand, put his signature against his surname, first name and patronymic, write the date and sign the signature sheet. 7. The signature sheet used for collection of voter signatures in support of the nomination of a federal list of candidates shall be certified by the signature collector and the authorized representative of a political party, an electoral bloc. The signature collector shall, with his own hand, write his surname, first name and patronymic, address of the place of residence, series and number of the passport or an equivalent identity document, the date of its issuance and the name or code of the issuing body; sign the signature sheet and write the date. The authorized representative of a political party, an electoral bloc shall, with his own hand, put his signature against his surname, first name and patronymic and write the date. 8. After collection of voter signatures in support of a federal list of candidates has been completed the authorized representatives of a political party, an electoral bloc shall count the number of collected signatures separately for each Russian Federation subject where signatures were collected and the total number of signatures. The counting results shall be entered in the protocol of the results of signature collection which shall be signed by authorized representatives of the political party, electoral bloc. 9. A candidate or the authorized representatives of a political party, an electoral bloc shall count the number of voter signatures collected in support of the candidate nominated in a single -seat electoral district, record this number in the protocol of the results of signature collection and sign the protocol. 10. The number of voter signatures on signature sheets which are submitted to election commissions may exceed the number of signatures required for registration under this Federal Law, but by not more than 25 percent. 11. Signature sheets to be submitted to election commissions shall be stitched together and numbered. The signature sheets in support of the nomination of a federal list of candidates shall be sorted out and stitched in the form of files in accordance with the Russian Federation subjects where voter signatures were collected.

Article 45. Submission of Electoral Documents for the Registration of Candidates, Federal Lists of Candidates
1. For the registration of a candidate nominated in a single-seat electoral district the candidate or the authorized representative of a political party, an electoral bloc shall, submit the following electoral documents to a relevant election commission not earlier than 75 days and not later than 45 days before voting day, 18.00 hours local time: (1) signature sheets with voter signatures collected in support of the nomination of the candidate (if signatures were collected in support of the nomination of the candidate); (2) the 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 (if signatures were collected in support of the nomination of the candidate);

(3) information about the changes in the candidate's data submitted earlier in pursuance of Clauses 7 and 8, Article 38, Clauses 12 and 13, Article 41 of this Federal Law; (4) the first financial report of the candidate. 2. For the registration of a federal list of candidates the authorized representative of a political party, an electoral bloc shall submit the following electoral documents to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation not earlier than 75 days and not later than 45 days before voting day, 18.00 hours Moscow time:: (1) signature sheets with voter signatures collected in support of the nomination of the federal list of candidates (if signatures were collected in support of the nomination of the federal list of candidates); (2) the protocol of signature collection results on a paper medium in duplicate, and in a machine-readable form according to the form established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation (if signatures were collected in support of the nomination of the federal list of candidates); (3) information about the 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 earlier in pursuance of Clauses 1 and 4, Article 41 of this Federal Law; (4) the first financial report of the political party, electoral bloc. 3. When accepting electoral documents the election commissions shall certify each file containing signature sheets with their seal, check to see that the number of submitted signature sheets corresponds to the number indicated in the protocol of signature collection results and then issue to the candidate or the authorized representative of the political party, electoral bloc a written receipt confirming the acceptance of the signature sheets and indicating the number of accepted signature sheets, the stated number of signatures, the date and time when the signature sheets were accepted. An election commission shall not restrict admission to its premises of candidates, authorized representatives of a political party, an electoral bloc nor shall it refuse to accept electoral documents required for the registration from these persons if the documents were delivered before the deadline indicated in Clauses 1 and 2 of this article, save as otherwise provided by Clause 4 of this article. 4. If by the day when documents for registration of a candidate, federal list of candidates are to be submitted to a relevant election commission, this candidate or the political party, electoral bloc which nominated this federal list of candidates paid an electoral deposit into the special account of the election commission and after than they submitted signature sheets with voter signatures, then this election commission shall carry out verification of the submitted signatures. If the candidate, federal list of candidates have been registered on the basis of the submitted voter signatures, the election commission shall, within 10 days, remit the electoral deposit to the special account of the candidate, political party, electoral bloc. 5. A candidate shall be entitled not to collect signatures in support of his nomination and a political party, an electoral bloc shall be entitled not to collect signatures in support of the nomination of a candidate, federal list of candidates and not to submit collected signatures to the election commission. In this case registration of the candidate, federal list of candidates shall be carried out by a relevant election commission 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 Russian Federation subject or by a political party, an electoral bloc into a special account of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. These accounts shall be opened at the branches of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation. Upon payment of an electoral deposit a candidate, political party, electoral bloc shall submit to a relevant election commission a copy

of the payment order for remittance of the electoral deposit with a note of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation confirming that the order has been accepted for execution, as well as other documents unrelated to collection of voter signatures, which are required for registration of a candidate, federal list of candidates in accordance with Clauses 1 or 2 of this article, respectively. The amount of an electoral deposit and the procedure for its payment are established by Article 68 of this Federal Law. 6. Submission of voter signatures to district election commissions, payment of an electoral deposit for the registration of candidates nominated by a political party, an electoral bloc in single-seat electoral districts shall not be required if the federal list of candidates nominated by this political party, electoral bloc has been registered on the basis of submitted voter signatures. 7. Submission of voter signatures to district election commissions, payment of an electoral deposit for the registration of candidates nominated by a political party, an electoral bloc in single-seat electoral districts shall not be required if the federal list of candidates nominated by this political party, the electoral bloc consisting of the same political parties and other all-Russia public associations as this electoral bloc was included in the distribution of deputy seats. 8. Submission of voter signatures to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, payment of an electoral deposit for the registration of a federal list of candidates nominated by a political party, an electoral bloc shall not be required if the federal list of candidates nominated by this political party, the electoral bloc which consisted of the same political parties and other all-Russia public associations as this electoral bloc was included in the distribution of deputy seats.

Article 46. Verification by Election Commissions of the Authenticity of the Data Contained in Signature Sheets and Information Submitted by Candidates, Political Parties, Electoral Blocs
1. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall check compliance with the procedure for the nomination of a federal list of candidates established by this Federal Law on the part of each political party, electoral bloc which submitted the documents required under this Federal Law. If a political party, an electoral bloc submitted signature sheets with voter signatures collected in support of the nomination of a federal list of candidates, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall check compliance with the rules for signature collection and execution of signature sheets and shall verify the authenticity of the data contained in these signature sheets. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation may verify authenticity of the biographic data and other information submitted by a candidate, political party, electoral bloc in accordance with this Federal Law. 2. District election commissions shall check to see that candidates were nominated in compliance with the requirements of this Federal Law. If a candidate, political party, electoral bloc submitted signature sheets with voter signatures collected in support of the nomination of a candidate, the district election commission shall check compliance with the rules for signature collection and execution of signature sheets and shall verify authenticity of the voter data and voter signatures contained in these signature sheets. A district election commission may verify authenticity of the biographic data and other information submitted by a candidate, political party, electoral bloc in accordance with this Federal Law. 3. An election commission shall make an application to competent bodies to verify authenticity of the data and 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 before voting day, within the time established by the election commission. 4. An election commission may, by its decision, form working groups from members of the election commission, members of its staff, invited specialists to check compliance with the rules for signature collection and execution of signature sheets and verify authenticity of the voter data and voter signatures contained in these signature sheets. Such verification may be carried

out with the involvement of members of the lower election commissions, experts from internalaffairs bodies of the Russian Federation, juridical bodies of the Russian Federation, military commissariats as well as specialized institutions and organizations in charge of the registration of the population in the Russian Federation. On the basis of their conclusions the data in signature sheets may be pronounced unauthentic. In order to verify authenticity of the information contained in signature sheets election commissions may use the State System for Registration of Voters, Referendum Participants. 5. Verification shall cover not less than 20 percent of the number of voter signatures in support of the nomination of each candidate, federal list of candidates, required for registration, and the corresponding data of the voters who put these 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 one thousand, all signatures shall be verified. Signature sheets to be subjected to selective verification shall be chosen by random sampling (by lot). The random sampling procedure shall be determined by a relevant election commission. In a district election commission lot-drawing and verification of signature sheets may be witnessed by candidates nominated in the given electoral district or by their agents, authorized representatives of the political parties, electoral blocs which nominated candidates in the single-seat electoral district, in the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation by the authorized representatives of the political parties, electoral blocs which nominated federal lists of candidates. The time appointed for lot-drawing and verification of signature sheets shall be made known the candidate, the authorized representative of the political party, electoral bloc which nominated a federal list of candidates, who have submitted the number of signatures required for the registration of the candidate, federal list of candidates. The election commission shall not refuse to allow other persons sent by the candidate, political party, electoral bloc to be present at verification. The verification shall cover all signatures on the signature sheets sampled for verification. 6. On the basis of verification of the data contained in signature sheets a voter signature may be pronounced authentic, unauthentic or invalid. 7. Voter signatures and the corresponding voter data contained in signature sheets but deleted (stricken out) by the persons who certify signature sheets before the signature sheets were submitted to the election commission shall not be verified or counted, if these persons have made a special note to confirm the deletion in the signature sheet or signature collection protocol before submission of the signature sheets to the election commission. 8. If verification of signature sheets 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 rest shall be pronounced invalid. 9. Signatures shall be deemed unauthentic if put by one person on behalf of different persons or on behalf of some other person. Such signatures shall be pronounced unauthentic on the basis of a written conclusion of an expert, involved in the verification of the authenticity of signatures in accordance with Clause 4 of this article. 10. The following signatures shall be deemed invalid: (1) signatures of persons who are not entitled to an active electoral right in the given single-seat electoral district, Russian Federation subject; (2) signatures of voters who indicated wrong data in the signature sheet. In this case, the signature shall be pronounced invalid on the basis of the official information supplied by an internal affairs body of the Russian Federation or a conclusion made by an expert involved in the verification of the authenticity of signatures in accordance with Clause 4 of this article;

(3) voter signatures put without indication of some of the data required under this Federal Law or without indication of the date when the voter put his signature with his own hand; (4) voter signatures accompanied by voter data which is not written by hand or written with a pencil; (5) voter signatures with a corrected date indicating when they were put on the signature sheet if the corrections have not been specially endorsed by the voters or persons certifying the signature sheets and voter signature and dates that were not put by the voter with his own hand; (6) voter signatures with corrected data of the voters who put these signatures if the corrections have not been specially endorsed by the voter or the persons certifying the signature sheets; (7) all signatures on the signature sheet if the signature sheet has not been certified by an autograph signature of the signature collector and/or of the authorized representative of a political party, an electoral bloc, and/or of the candidate, or if this signature is unauthentic, or if the data of the signature collector or the date when the signature sheet was signed by the signature collector, authorized representative of a political party, an electoral bloc, a candidate have been corrected and the corrections have not been specially endorsed by the signature collector, authorized representative of a political party, an electoral bloc, a candidate, respectively; (8) voter signatures put on the signature sheet before the day following the day when the district election commission, election commission of a Russian Federation subject were notified about the nomination of the candidate or before the day following the day when a copy of the federal list of candidates was certified by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. (9) signatures collected with the participation of bodies of state power, bodies of local self-government, governing bodies of organizations of all forms of ownership, institutions, voting members of election commissions or with coercion applied to voters during signature collection, or with remuneration of voters for putting their signatures, or at work places or when and where wages, pensions, allowances, stipends, other social benefits are paid; (10) voter signatures, if voter data has been written on the signature sheet not by the voters who put their signatures and not by the signature collector - on the basis of a written conclusion of an expert involved in the verification of signatures in accordance with Clause 4 of this article; (11) all signatures on a signature sheet made with the violation of the requirements set forth in Annexes 1, 2 and 3 to this Federal Law. 11. If a filled-out line (lines) is (are) discovered on the signature sheet, which does (do) not meet the requirements of this Federal Law, only the signature in the given line (given lines) shall be disregarded, save as otherwise provided by Sub-clauses 7 and 11, Clause 10 of this article. 12. Corrections and blots specially endorsed on the signature sheet shall not be used as a reason for invalidating a signature unless it has been pronounced unauthentic or invalid in accordance with Clauses 8 to 10 of this article. Neither shall a voter signature be invalidated because of abbreviations contained in the voter data if these abbreviations do not prevent unambiguous interpretation of this data. 13. The authenticity of a voter signature shall not be established by polling.

14. If the number of signatures found to be unauthentic and invalid in the course of selective verification equals or exceeds 25 percent of the number of signatures sampled for verification, an additional 15 per cent of the number of voter signatures required for registration shall be subjected to verification in the procedure set forth in this article. 15. If the total number of unauthentic and invalid signatures discovered in the course of selective verification equals or exceeds 25 percent of the total number of signatures subject to verification under Clauses 5 and 14 of this article, further verification of the signature sheets shall be discontinued and the candidate, federal list of candidates shall not be registered. 16. Neither shall a candidate, federal list of candidates be registered if the number of submitted voter signatures minus the number of signatures found unauthentic and invalid is insufficient for registration. 17. After the end of verification of signature sheets a final protocol of verification results shall be prepared for each candidate, federal list of candidates. This protocol shall be signed by the head of the working group - a voting member of the given election commission and shall be submitted to the election commission for adoption of a relevant decision. The protocol must indicate the number of stated, submitted and verified signatures, the number of signatures pronounced unauthentic or invalid and the reasons why t ey have been pronounced h unauthentic or invalid. The protocol shall be appended to the 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 a political party, an electoral bloc not less than two days before the meeting of the election commission at which registration of the candidate, federal list of candidates is to be considered. If the number of authentic voter signatures is insufficient or the number of unauthentic or invalid signatures equals or exceeds 25 percent of the total number of signatures sampled for verification, the candidate, political party, electoral bloc shall be entitled to receive from the election commission a copy of the protocol certified by the head of the working group, a verification report setting forth the reasons why the voter signatures were pronounced unauthentic or invalid and indicating the number of the file, the number of the signature sheet and the number of the line of the signature sheet which contain each such signatures, as well as copies of official documents on the basis of which the signatures were pronounced unauthentic or invalid.

Article 47. Registration of a Federal List of Candidates, Candidate

1. Not later than ten days after acceptance of the documents required for the registration of a federal list of candidates (and, in respect of a political party, an electoral bloc which have paid an electoral deposit for the registration of a federal list of candidates - after the electoral deposit is received to the special account of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation) the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall take a decision to register the federal list of candidates or a reasoned decision not to register this list. 2. Not later than ten days after acceptance of the documents required for the registration of a candidate in a single-seat electoral district (and, in respect of candidates who have paid an electoral deposit for the registration - after the electoral deposit is received to the special account of the election commission of a Russian Federation subject) a district election commission shall take a decision to register the candidate in the single-seat electoral district or a reasoned decision not to register this candidate. 3. When registering a candidate nominated by a political party, an electoral bloc a district election commission shall indicate in its decision that the candidate has been nominated by a political party, an electoral bloc. 4. The decision to register a candidate, federal list of candidates must indicate the date and time of the registration.

5. One and the same person shall not be registered on more than one federal lists of candidates and in more than one single-seat electoral districts. A candidate registered in a single-seat electoral district as a self-nominated candidate shall not be simultaneously registered in the same electoral district as a candidate from a political party, an electoral bloc. A candidate registered in a single-seat electoral district as a candidate nominated by a political party, an electoral bloc shall not be simultaneously included in a registered list of candidates of another political party, electoral bloc. 6. One and the same person may be simultaneously registered as a candidate in the federal electoral district and as a candidate in a single-seat electoral district, if the candidate in the single-seat electoral district and the federal list of candidates were nominated by the same political party, the same electoral bloc. 7. If the rules for the registration of a candidate laid down by Clauses 5 and 6 of this article have been violated, the valid registration of a candidate shall be that carried out on the basis of a decision taken earlier. The decision on the registration taken later shall be annulled by a relevant election commission if, within 24 hours of the adoption of the later decision, the registered candidate has not filed an application for canceling the earlier registration. 8. Having taken a decision to refuse the registration of a candidate, federal list of candidates, an election commission shall, within 24 hours of its adoption, issue a copy of this decision, stating the reasons for the refusal, to the candidate or to the authorized representatives of the political party, electoral bloc which nominated the federal list of candidates. The reasons for the refusal may be the following: (1) the candidate nominated in a single-seat electoral district is not entitled to a passive electoral right. The fact that separate candidates included in a federal list of candidates are not entitled to a passive electoral right may only serve as a reason for the removal of these candidates from the certified federal list of candidates; (2) for candidates nominated by a political party, an electoral bloc, for federal lists of candidates - the failure to comply with the requirements to the nomination of a candidate, list of candidates established by the federal laws On Political Parities and On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Rights of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum; (3) documents required for the registration of a candidate, federal list of candidates under this Federal Law are not included in the documents submitted for the registration; (4) serious or repeated violation of the prohibition against collection of signatures at places where such activity is prohibited by the federal law, if the signatures submitted for the registration of a candidate, federal list of candidates were collected in violation of this prohibition. A serious violation is collection of not less than 20 percent of the signatures submitted for the registration of a candidate, federal list of candidates at places where collection of signatures is prohibited. (5) insufficient number of submitted authentic voter signatures in support of the nomination of a candidate, federal list of candidates or the proportion of unauthentic and invalid voter signatures equals or exceeds 25 percent of the total number of signatures sampled for verification, unless an electoral deposit was paid after submission of the signatures to an election commission; (6) inaccuracy of the information submitted by candidates, political parties, electoral blocs in accordance with Sub-clause 1, Clause 7, Article 38; Sub-

clause 1, Clause 4 and Clause 12, Article 41 of this Federal Law. Inaccuracy of the information relating to separate candidates on a federal list of candidates nominated by a political party, an electoral bloc may only serve as a reason for the removal of these candidates from the certified federal list of candidates; (7) the failure of a candidate, political party, electoral bloc to establish an electoral fund; (8) expenditures made by a candidate, political party, electoral bloc from sources other than their electoral funds to finance their election campaigns exceed five percent of the maximum limit of all expenditures from an electoral fund established by this Federal Law; (9) expenditures made by a candidate, political party, electoral bloc from their electoral funds to finance their election campaigns exceed by five percen the t maximum limit of all expenditures from an electoral fund established by this Federal Law; (10) the number of candidates removed from a federal list of candidates on the basis of their applications, by a decision of a political party, an electoral bloc (with the exception of candidates who were deleted due to compelling circumstances) and by a decision of an election commission for reasons set forth in this clause exceeds 25 percent of the total number of candidates on a certified federal list of candidates; (11) a candidate, an authorized representative of a political party, an electoral bloc have violated Clause 1, Article 64 of the Federal Law during the campaigning period, as established by a court decision; (12) a candidate (including a candidate on a federal list of candidates), his agents have taken advantage of the office or official position; (13) a candidate has been registered in some other electoral district at this election, save the case where a candidate was nominated by a political party, an electoral bloc simultaneously in a single-seat electoral district and on a federal list of candidates; (14) all political parties comprised in the given electoral bloc have refused to participate in the election as members of this electoral bloc; (15) withdrawal of candidates as a result of which less than seven regional groups of candidates have remained on a federal list of candidates. 9. Collection of voter signatures and their submission to an election commission by a candidate, political party, electoral bloc for the registration of a candidate, federal list of candidates shall not prevent registration on the basis of the payment of an electoral deposit. Neither shall the payment of an electoral deposit prevent registration on the basis of the collected voter signatures. 10. If the registration of a candidate, federal list of candidates was refused, they may be nominated again provided the procedure and periods established by this Federal Law are complied with. 11. In the event of detection of any facts pointing to the violation of the election laws of the Russian Federation entailing criminal or administrative responsibility, an election commission shall present required documents and materials to law enforcement authorities for establishing the fact of the violation and bringing the offenders to responsibility.

12. The decision of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation to register or not to register a federal list of candidates may be appealed in the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation. The decision of a district election commission to register or not to register a candidate may be appealed in the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, or the supreme court of the republic, or the krai and oblast court, the court of a city of federal significance, the court of an autonomous oblast, autonomous okrug. The appeal shall be considered within five days. 13. A certificate of registration shall be issued to each registered candidate. 14. Within 48 hours of their registration, registered federal lists of candidates together with the data of candidates included in these lists as well as the data of candidates registered in singleseat electoral districts shall be made available to the mass media by relevant election commissions. The list of the information about the income and property of registered candidates and candidates included in a registered federal lists of candidates shall be established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. 15. Not later than 15 days before voting day, the information about registered candidates and federal lists of candidates, containing the data listed in Clauses 3 to 5, Article 74 of this Federal Law, shall be displayed by district and territorial election commissions on bulletin boards inside their premises. The same procedure shall be used to announce annulment of registration of registered candidates, federal lists of candidates, changes in the membership of electoral blocs which registered federal lists of candidates, withdrawal of registered candidates from registered federal lists of candidates. The information about registered candidates, including those on registered federal lists of candidates, political parties, electoral blocs shall be arranged in the same sequence as in ballots. 16. If, 35 days before voting day, no candidates or only one candidate has been registered in a single-seat electoral district and if less than three federal lists of candidates have been registered in the federal electoral district, then by the decision of a relevant district election commission, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation the election shall be postponed for a period not exceeding two months for the additional nomination of candidates, federal lists of candidates and performance of subsequent electoral actions.

Chapter VII. Status of Candidates

Article 48. Equality of Candidates
1. All candidates shall have equal rights and bear equal obligations, save as otherwise provided by this Federal Law, the Federal Law On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum, other federal laws. 2. Only authorized representatives for financial matters and agents of candidates nominated in single-seat electoral districts may act on behalf of such candidates or, if a candidate is nominated on a federal list of candidates - only authorized representatives and agents of the political party or electoral bloc which nominated this list.

Article 49. Restrictions Connected with Office or Official Position

1. When conducting their election campaign candidates who occupy state or municipal offices or are in state or municipal service as well as candidates who are officials, journalists, persons holding other creative jobs in mass media organizations shall not take advantage of their office or official position. 2. Registered candidates occupying state offices of category A in the bodies of executive power, including top executives of Russian Federation subjects (heads of the highest executive

bodies of state power of Russian Federation subjects), or offices in the bodies of judicial power, or elective municipal offices (with the exception of deputies of representative bodies of local self-government) as well as registered candidates who are in state and municipal service or work in mass media organizations (with the exception of the editorial offices of print media founded by candidates, political parties) shall, for the period of their participation in the election, be relieved from their official duties and shall submit certified copies of relevant orders to the election commission which registered them, within three days of the day of registration. 3. During an election campaign persons who are not candidates and oc cupy state or municipal offices or are in state or municipal service shall not take advantage of their offices or official position to promote nomination and/or election of a candidate, federal list of candidates. 4. In this Federal Law taking advantage of an office or official position means: (1) involvement of persons who are subordinate to or dependent on a candidate in the line of duty, other state and municipal employees in activities carried out during the working hours to promote nomination and/or election of a candidate; (2) use of premises occupied by state bodies or bodies of local self-government for activities promoting nomination and/or election of a candidate (candidates) if the use of the same premises is not guaranteed to other candidates on the same terms and conditions; (3) use of telephone, fax and other means of communication, information services, office equipment of state bodies or bodies of local self-government, state and municipal institutions for election campaigning; (4) use of state- or municipality-owned transport facilities at no charge or reduced charges for activities promoting nomination and/or election of a candidate (candidates). This provision shall not apply to persons using the said transport facilities in accordance with the Russian Federation laws on the security services provided by the state; (5) collection of signatures or election campaigning carried out by persons who hold state and municipal offices or are in state or municipal service during business trips paid for from the state or municipal funds; (6) privileged access (compared to other candidates) to the state and municipal mass media for collection of signatures or election campaigning; (7) propaganda speeches at mass events organized during an election campaign by a state and/or municipal body, organization, with the exception of a speech at an event indicated in Clause 5, Article 62 of this Federal Law.; (8) publication of any work progress reports during an election campaign, mailing of congratulations and other materials on behalf of a citizen who is a candidate if such mailing is not paid for out of a relevant electoral fund. 5. Compliance with the restrictions listed in Clause 4 of this article must not prevent deputies from exercising their powers and performing their obligations to voters. 6. Officials, journalists and other persons holding creative jobs in mass media organizations (with the exception of the editorial offices of print media founded by candidates, political parties) shall not participate in highlighting an election campaign in the mass media if these persons are candidates, or authorized representatives, or agents of candidates, political parties, electoral blocs.

Article 50. Guarantees for the Activity of Registered Candidates

1. At a candidate's request or report the employer, head of a state body or its division, commanding officer of a military unit, administration of an educational establishment where the candidate serves, does an alternative military service, undergoes military training, studies shall relieve the candidate from work, service, training and study on any day and for any time in the period from the day of the candidate's registration by a relevant election commission to the day of the official publication of the general election results. 2. A candidate registered in a single-seat electoral district who, as shown by vote returns, received not less than three percent of the total vote in a single-seat electoral district or was declared elected, a registered candidate who withdrew his candidature before voting day because of compelling circumstances shall be compensated for travel expenses in the amount of the fare charged on the urban and suburban public transport (not more than thirty trips) and interurban public transport within the territory of the given district (not more than four trips). If such candidate resides outside the boundaries of the single -seat district in which he was registered, he shall be additionally compensated for travel expenses in the amount of the cost of tickets for four round trips to the electoral district by public railway, water or motor transport or two round trips by air transport. In cities where there are several electoral districts a candidate registered in one of such electoral districts shall be compensated for travel expenses in the amount of the fare charged on the urban transport. Compensation for travel expenses shall be paid by a relevant district election commission out of the funds allocated from the federal budget for the preparation and conduct of the election. 3. A candidate included in the federal part of a registered federal list of candidates who, as shown by vote returns, received not less than two percent of the total vote in the federal electoral district, or was recalled by a political party, an electoral bloc because of compelling circumstances, or withdrew his candidature before voting day because of compelling circumstances, shall be compensated for travel expenses in the amount of the cost of tickets for two trips within the territory of the Russian Federation by any means of public interurban transport. A registered candidate included in the regional group of candidates of such federal list of candidates shall be compensated for travel expenses in the amount of the cost o the fare f charged on urban and suburban transport (not more than thirty trips) and on public interurban transport (not more than four trips) within the region where the candidate is included in the regional group of candidates. If such registered candidate resides outside the boundaries of the region where he is included in the regional group of candidates, he shall be additionally compensated for travel expenses in the amount of the cost of tickets for four round trips to the region by public railway, water or motor transport or two round trips by air transport. Compensation for travel expenses shall be paid by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation out of the funds allocated from the federal budget for the preparation and conduct of the election. 4. Registered candidates indicated in Clauses 2 and 3 of this article shall be compensated for travel expenses incurred from the day of their registration to the day of the official publication of the election results. No compensation shall be paid for taxi trips and the use of chartered transport. Travel expenses incurred in the use of suburban and interurban transport shall be reimbursed upon production of tickets bought for the trips (from the point of departure to the point of destination), expenses incurred in the use of urban transport - upon production of a pass for a relevant period. 5. Payment of compensation for travel expenses shall be made after the official publication of the general election results and before a registered candidate, a political party and an electoral bloc which registered a federal list of candidates submit a final financial report to a relevant election commission within the period established by this Federal Law. No compensation for travel expenses shall be paid after a registered candidate, a political party and an electoral bloc which registered a federal list of candidates submit a final financial report to a relevant election commission within the period established by this Federal Law.

6. During the period indicated in Clause 1 of this article a registered candidate shall not be dismissed from his job, expelled from an educational establishment, transferred to another job, including jobs in other localities without his consent, sent on business trips by the administration (employer), called up for military service or military training or ordered to do an alternative military service. The time of participation of a registered candidate in the election shall be included in his overall service record in accordance with his specialty before the registration. 7. During the period indicated in Clause 1 of this article a registered candidate shall not be subjected to criminal prosecution, arrested and no administrative punishments shall be imposed on a candidate by a court without the consent of the Prosecutor-General of the Russian Federation. Having given such a consent, the Prosecutor-General of the Russian Federation shall serve a notice to this effect on the election commission which had registered the candidate. 8. A candidate registered in a single-seat electoral district, an authorized representative of a political party and an electoral bloc which registered a federal list of candidates may receive from a relevant district election commission a list of electoral precincts indicating the boundaries of the electoral precincts, addresses and telephone numbers of territorial and precinct election commissions, addresses of polling stations.

Article 51. Agents of Candidates, Political Parties, Electoral Blocs

1. A candidate registered in a single-seat electoral district may appoint up to 20 agents, a political party and an electoral bloc which registered a federal list of candidates up to 500 agents. These persons shall be registered by a district election commission or he Central t Election Commission of the Russian Federation, respectively. Agents shall be registered within three days of receipt of a written notification from a candidate or a political party, an electoral bloc about the appointment of agents and a statement of the citizen expressing his consent to be an agent. The notification must indicate the surname, first name and patronymic of each proposed agent, his date of birth, main place of work or service (occupation, if there is no main place of work or service), position, place of residence, series and number of the passport or an equivalent identity document, date of its issuance. 2. Persons occupying state offices of category A or elective municipal offices, members of the staff of election commissions shall not be agents of candidates, political parties, electoral blocs. Persons in state or municipal service may be appointed agents if they are relieved from their official duties while they exercise the powers of an agent. A person in state or municipal service shall be registered as an agent if he submits a relevant order (directive) to an election commission. 3. Agents shall receive ID cards from an election commission. At the request of agents the administration (employer) shall grant them an unpaid leave of absence for the period during which they are to exercise the powers of an agent. 4. Agents shall participate in the election campaign of a candidate, political party, electoral bloc, including propaganda activities. An agent shall also exercise the powers of an observer. 5. Candidates, political parties and electoral blocs who/which appointed agents may, at any time, recall them and appoint other agents in their place by serving a notice to this effect on an election commission, which shall annul ID cards issued to the recalled agents. Agents may, at any time, resign their powers on their own initiative by returning their ID cards to a relevant election commission and notifying a candidate, political party, electoral bloc of their decision 6. The powers of agents shall commence from the day when agents are registered by a relevant election commission and cease when a candidate's status is lost by the candidate who appointed them or by all candidates nominated on a federal list of candidates by a politi al c party, an electoral bloc which appointed the agents, save as otherwise provided by Clause 5 of this article, but not later than the day of the official publication of the general election results, or,

if a complaint about violations of this Federal Law is being examined by a court, not later than the date when the court hands down a final decision.

Article 52. Withdrawal of Candidates, Recalling of Federal Lists of Candidates

1. A candidate nominated in a single-seat electoral district may, at any time but not later than three days or, in the presence of compelling circumstances, not later than one day before voting day, withdraw his candidature by submitting a written application to a relevant district election commission. Such application shall be irrevocable. In the case of a registered candidate, a district election commission shall annul registration of the candidate within 24 hours of receipt of his application. 2. A candidate on a federal list of candidates may, at any time but not later than five days before voting day or, in the presence of compelling circumstances, not later than one day before voting day, refuse to continue participation in the election on the given federal list of candidates by submitting a written application to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. Such application shall be irrevocable. Based on the received application the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall, within 24 hours, remove the applicant from the given federal list of candidates. 3. The actions indicated in Clauses 1 and 2 of this article shall not deprive the person who took them of a right to be nominated again at the same election in any single-seat electoral district, in accordance with the procedure and within the period established by this Federal Law. 4. At any time but not later than five days before voting day, a political party and an electoral bloc which nominated a federal list of candidates may recall their federal list of candidates, subject to a decision of the duly authorized body of this political party, electoral bloc, by submitting a written application to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. Such application shall be irrevocable. 5. A political party, other all-Russia public associations comprised in an electoral bloc may, at any time but not later than five days before voting day, refuse to continue participation in the election within the given electoral bloc, subject to a decision of the duly authorized body of this political party, other all-Russia pubic associations, by submitting a written application to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. A political party, other all-Russia public associations which refused to continue participation in the election within an electoral bloc may join another electoral bloc and a political party may also participate in the election independently in accordance with the procedure and time periods established by this Federal Law. If, after the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation certified a copy of the list (lists) of candidates nominated by an electoral bloc, the political parties, other all-Russia public associations comprised in the given electoral bloc, with the exception of one political party, refuse to participate in the election, this political party shall have the right to continue to participate in the election as an electoral bloc using the name and emblem of the electoral bloc and assuming the rights and obligations of the electoral bloc which submitted a relevant list of candidates. This right shall not apply if registration of a federal list of candidates was refused or its registration was annulled in accordance with Sub-clause 10 , Clause 8, Article 47 and Clause 4, Article 95 of this Federal Law. If, as a result of the refusal to participate in the election within an electoral bloc no political parties remain in the electoral bloc, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall revoke the decision to register the electoral bloc and certify the list (lists) of candidates nominated by this electoral bloc or shall annul registration of the federal list of candidates nominated by this electoral bloc. 6. Refusal of an electoral bloc to participate in the election shall not deprive the political parties, other all-Russia public associations comprised in this electoral bloc of the right to participate in this election. In this case once against it shall be necessary to nominate candidates and perform other electoral actions in accordance with the procedure and within the periods established by this Federal Law.

7. A political party on the basis of its Rules, an electoral bloc subject to a decision of representatives duly authorized by political parties, other all-Russia public associations comprised in the bloc may, at any time but not later than five days before voting day, remove some candidates from a federal list of candidates certified (registered) by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. 8. A political party on the basis of its Rules, an electoral bloc subject to a decision of representatives duly authorized by political parties, other all-Russia public associations comprised in the electoral bloc may, at any time but not later than five days before voting day, recall a candidate, nominated by them in a single-seat electoral district by submitting a written application to this effect to a relevant district election commission. If the recalled candidate is a registered candidate, the district election commission shall annul registration of the candidate. 9. An election commission which took a decision to annul registration of a candidate shall forthwith serve a notice to this effect on the person in respect of whom the decision was taken and shall issue a copy of the decision to this person. 10. No new persons shall be put on the list of persons and no changes shall be made in the order in which candidates are arranged on the list, save the cases where changes in the arrangement of candidates result from the withdrawal of some candidates and also the case provided by Clause 9, Article 39 of this Federal Law. 11. If, by voting day, no registered candidates or only one registered candidate remains in an electoral district or if less than three federal lists of candidates remain in the federal electoral district, then, by the decision of, respectively, a relevant district election commission, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation the election shall be postponed for a period not exceeding two months in a single-seat electoral district and not exceeding three months in the federal electoral district for additional nomination of candidates, lists of candidates and performance of subsequent electoral actions. 12. If the circumstances indicated in Clause 11 of this article result from the fact that a registered candidate withdrew his candidature in the absence of any compelling circumstances, or a political party, an electoral bloc recalled a registered candidate in the absence of any compelling circumstances, or the registration of a candidate was annulled by a court, or a political party, an electoral bloc recalled a registered federal list of candidates in the absence of any compelling circumstances, or the registration of a federal list of candidates was annulled by a court, all expenses incurred by a relevant election commission in the preparation and conduct of the election shall be collected from this registered candidate, this political party, electoral bloc. If the obligation to reimburse these expenses is imposed on an electoral bloc, the required funds shall be equally divided between the political parties comprised in the given bloc as of the date on which a relevant decision was taken by the electoral bloc or as of the date of the decision of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation to annul registration of a federal list of candidates, unless another method of division is envisaged in the agreement for the establishment of this bloc submitted to the Central Election Commission of the Russ ian Federation. 13. In this Federal Law circumstances compelling a candidate to withdraw his candidature or a political party, an electoral bloc to recall a candidate mean the pronouncement of a candidate to be legally incapable or partially incapable by a court, a serious illness or persistent health problems of a candidate or his next of kin. The circumstances compelling a political party, an electoral bloc to recall a federal list of candidates mean withdrawal of the first three candidates who top the federal part of a federal list of candidates due to compelling circumstances or death or presumptive death of these candidates and/or withdrawal of more than 25 percent of candidates from a federal list of candidates.

Chapter VIII. Information of Voters and Election Campaigning

Article 53. Informational Support of the Election
The informational support of the election shall include information of voters and election campaigning conducive to conscious expression of voters' will and to openness of the election.

Article 54. Information of Voters

1. Information of voters shall be carried out by bodies of state power, bodies of local self government, election commissions, mass media organizations, legal entities and natural persons in accordance with this Federal Law, Federal LawOn Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum. Bodies of state power, bodies of local self-government shall not inform voters about candidates, about political parties and electoral blocs which nominated lists of candidates. 2. Informational materials carried by the mass media or disseminated by other methods shall be objective and accurate and shall not violate the equality of candidates, political parties, electoral blocs. 3. Information of voters, in particular through the mass media, about the preparation and conduct of the election, the periods and procedures for the performance of electoral actions, about political parties and electoral blocs, about candidates, lists of candidates, about electoral laws of the Russian Federation shall be carried out by election commissions. 4. Mass media organizations shall be free in their activity aimed at information of voters. 5. In TV and radio news programs and in the publications carried by the print media reports concerning election events shall be always presented in the form of separate news items, without any comments. Such news items shall not be paid for by candidates, political parties, electoral blocs and shall not give preference to any candidate, any political party, electoral bloc, in particular with regard to the time devoted to highlighting their election activities, the amount of space allocated in the print media for such reports. 6. Journalists, other creative workers and officials of a mass media organization who are engaged in the activity aimed at the informational support of the election of deputies of the State Duma in accordance with the electoral laws of the Russian Federation shall not be fired by the administration (employer) and shall not be transferred to other jobs without their consent during the election campaign at the election of deputies of the State Duma and during one year thereafter, save the case where a disciplinary action was taken against them in accordance with the labor laws of the Russian Federation and this action was not appealed in a court or was declared lawful and appropriate by a court. 7. On voting day, before the end of voting in an electoral district, no information shall be published (made public) about the results of the election and no such information shall be placed in the public information-telecommunications networks (including the Internet).

Article 55. Opinion Polls

1. Publication of the results of opinion polls connected with the election of deputies of the State Duma is a form of information of voters. The failure to comply with the requirements of Clauses 2 and 3 of this article when the results of opinion polls are published (made public) shall result in the fact the materials containing this information will be treated as propaganda materials and such failure shall entail the responsibility established by this Federal Law.

2. When publishing the results of opinion polls connected with the election of deputies of the State Duma the mass media, citizens and organizations that publish (make public) these results shall indicate the organization which conducted the poll, the time when it was conducted, the number of respondents (sample), how the information was gathered, the region where the poll was conducted, the precise formulation of the question, the statistical assessment of a possible error, the person (persons) who ordered the poll and paid for the publication of its results. 3. For five days before voting day and on voting day it shall be prohibited to publish (make public) the results of opinion polls, forecasts of election results at the election of deputies of the State Duma, other studies relating to the election, in particular in the public information telecommunications networks (including theInternet).

Article 56. TV and Radio Broadcasting Organizations and Print Media Used for Informational Support of the Election of Deputies of the State Duma
1. The informational support of the election of deputies of the State Duma shall be provided by means of state, municipal and non-state TV and radio broadcasting organizations and print media. 2. In this Federal Law state TV and radio broadcasting organizations and print media mean TV and radio broadcasting organizations and print media which are founded (co-founded) or the editorial offices of which are founded (co-founded) by state bodies and organizations and/or which, a year before the day of the official publication of the decision to call the election, received state support in the form of subsidies and/or subventions for their current functioning from the federal budget, budgets of Russian Federation subjects and/or which have a charter capital where the state has a stake as of the day of the official publication of the decision to call the election. 3. In this Federal Law municipal TV and radio broadcasting organizations and print media mean TV and radio broadcasting organizations and print media which are founded (co-founded) or the editorial offices of which are founded (co-founded) by municipal bodies and organizations and/or which, a year before the day of the official publication of the decision to call the election, received municipal support in the form of subsidies and/or subventions for their current functioning from the local budget and/or which have a charter capital where the municipality has a stake as of the day of the official publication of the decision to call the election. 4. In this Federal Law non-state TV and radio broadcasting organizations and print media mean TV and radio broadcasting organizations and print media which do not fall within Clauses 2 and 3 of this article. 5. In this Federal Law, depending on their coverage and distribution area, state TV and radio broadcasting organizations and print media are divided into: (1) national TV and radio broadcasting organizations, i.e., TV and radio organizations which have a broadcasting license covering the territory of a half or more than a half of Russian Federation subjects; (2) regional TV and radio broadcasting organizations, i.e., TV and radio broadcasting organizations which have a broadcasting license covering less than a half of Russian Federation subjects as well as relevant divisions of the TV and radio broadcasting organizations indicated in Clause 1 of this article.; (3) national print media registered for distribution in a half or more than a half of Russian Federation subjects;

(4) regional print media registered for distribution in less than a half of Russian Federation subjects. 6. Print media founded by legislative (representative), executive and judicial bodies of state power, bodies of local self-government exclusively for the publication of their official documents and reports, regulations and other acts shall not publish any propaganda materials and editorial articles highlighting the activity of candidates, political parties, electoral blocs. 7. The list of national TV and radio broadcasting organizations and print media shall be published by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation on the basis of the information submitted by the federal bodies of executive power which formulate and implement the state policy vis-a-vis the mass media, not later than the tenth day after the official publication of the decision to call the election. If a national state print media outlet is published less than once a week, this fact shall be indicated in the list. 8. The list of regional state TV and radio broadcasting organizations and print media and of municipal TV and radio broadcasting organizations and editorial offices of municipal print media shall be published by the election commissions of the Russian Federation subjects on the basis of the information submitted by the territorial agencies of the federal bodies of executive power which formulate and implement the state policy vis-a-vis the mass media and the relevant bodies of executive power of the Russian Federation subjects not later than the tenth day after the official publication of the decision to call the election. If a regional state print media outlet is published less than once a week, this fact shall be indicated in the list.

Article 57. Election Campaigning

1. The following shall be regarded as election campaigning during the conduit of an election campaign: (1) calls for voting for or against a candidate, federal list of candidates; (2) expression of preference for some candidate, political party, other all-Russia public associations (if they are comprised in an electoral bloc), electoral bloc, in particular, statements indicating the candidate, federal list of candidates, political party, electoral bloc for which a voter will vote; (3) description of possible consequences of the election or non-election of a candidate, federal list of candidates; (4) dissemination of materials with a marked predominance of the information about some candidates, political parties, other all-Russia public associations (if they are comprised in an electoral bloc), electoral blocs, with positive or negative comments; (5) dissemination of information about the activities of a candidate unrelated to his professional activity or performance of his official duties; (6) activity promoting formation of a positive or negative attitude of voters towards a candidate, political party or other all-Russian public associations (if they are comprised in an electoral bloc) of which the candidate is a member, a political party and an electoral bloc which nominated the candidate (candidates), list of candidates; (7) other actions which aim at encouraging or are encouraging voters to vote for or against a candidate, list of candidates or against all candidates (all lists of candidates).

2. Election campaigning may be conducted: (1) on the channels of TV and radio broadcasting organizations and in the print media; (2) by means of public events (meetings with citizens, rallies, marches, demonstrations, public debates and discussions); (3) by producing and distributing printed, audio-visual and other propaganda materials; (4) by other methods which are not prohibited by law. 3. Election campaigning on the channels of TV and radio broadcasting organizations and in the print media shall be conducted in the form of public debates, discussions, roundtables, press conferences, interviews, speeches, demonstration of TV stories and video films about a registered candidate, political party, electoral bloc and in other forms which are not prohibited by law. 4. A candidate, political party, electoral bloc may select the contents, form and methods of their election campaigning at their own discretion, conduct election campaigning and involve other persons therein in the procedure established by Russian Federation laws. . 5. Election campaigning shall not be conducted and any kind of election propaganda materials shall not be produced and distributed by: (1) federal bodies of state power, bodies of state power of Russian Federation subjects, other state bodies, bodies of local self-government; (2) persons who are in state and municipal service, including servicemen, persons occupying state offices of category A or elective municipal offices when they are discharging their official duties and/or by taking advantage of their office and official position; (3) military units, military establishments and organizations; (4) charity and religious organizations and organizations founded by them as well as representatives of religious associations when they are performing rites and ceremonies; (5) election commissions, voting members of election commissions; (6) foreign nationals, stateless persons, foreign legal entities; (7) representatives of mass media organizations when they are engaged in their professional activities. 6. Persons who occupy state offices of category A or elective municipal offices shall not conduct election campaigning on the channels of TV and radio broadcasting organizations and in the print media, save the case where these persons have been registered as candi ates. d 7. Persons who have not attained to the age of 18 years on voting day shall not be directly or indirectly involved in election campaigning. 8. Pictures of a natural person, positive statements of a natural person about a candidate, political party, other all-Russia public associations (if they are comprised in an electoral bloc), an electoral bloc may be used in propaganda materials of candidates, political parties, electoral

blocs only with a written consent of the natural person. The document confirming such consent shall be submitted to an election commission together with copies of propaganda materials to be submitted in accordance with Clause 5, Article 63 of this Federal Law and, if the propaganda material is to be broadcast by a TV and radio broadcasting organization or published in a print media outlet, at the request of an election commission. This restriction shall not apply to opinions quoted by candidates, political parties, electoral blocs in their election campaigning if these opinions have been expressed in public and published (made public), provided the date (period of time) of the publication and name of the mass media outlet where this opinion was published are indicated. References in propaganda materials to a positive statement of a natural person, who is not allowed to conduct election campaigning under this Federal Law, about a candidate, political party, other all-Russia public associations (if they are comprised in an electoral bloc), electoral bloc shall be allowed only if this statement was published (made public) before the official publication of the decision to call the election. Such reference must indicate the date (period of time) when this statement was published (made public) and the name of the mass media outlet where it was made public. 9. All election campaigning expenditures shall be paid exclusively from relevant electoral funds. Campaigning activities aiming to encourage or encouraging voters to vote for a candidate, federal list of candidates nominated by a political party, an electoral bloc, which are paid for from electoral funds of other candidates, political parties, electoral blocs, shall be prohibited. 10. If a political party, including a political party comprised in an electoral bloc, or this electoral bloc have nominated a candidate, list (lists) of candidates or registered a federal list of candidates, then not later than ten days before voting day t is political party shall publish its h election program at least in one national state print media outlet and in the Internet. A political party comprised in an electoral bloc shall have the right not to publish its election program if this electoral bloc publishes its election program within the period indicated above. Such publication shall be carried out with the use of either free space provided by the print media under this Federal Law or space paid for from the electoral fund of the candidate, political party, electoral bloc.

Article 58. Campaigning Period

1. Election campaigning shall commence from the day of nomination of a candidate, federal list of candidates and end at 00.00 hours local time one day before voting day. 2. Election campaigning on the channels of TV and radio broadcasting organizations and in the print media shall be conducted in the period which begins 30 days before voting day and ends at 00.00 hours local time one day before voting day. 3. No election campaigning shall be conducted on voting day and a day before. 4. Printed propaganda materials (leaflets, posters, etc.) which were earlier displayed outside polling stations and premises of election commissions at a minimum distance of 50 meters from the entrance thereto in the procedure established by the federal law, shall remain in place on voting day.

Article 59. General Terms and Conditions for the Access of Registered Candidates, Political Parties, Electoral Blocs to the Mass Media
1. Air time on the channels of TV and radio broadcasting organizations and space in print media may be made available to registered candidates, political parties and electoral blocs which registered federal lists of candidates in the procedure established by this Federal Law free of charge (free air time, free space) or for a charge. 2. Registered candidates, political parties and electoral blocs which registered federal lists of candidates shall not use their free air time, free space in print media to campaign for any other registered candidates, other political parties, electoral blocs. This requirement shall not apply to

election campaigning conducted by registered candidates nominated by a political party, an electoral bloc for other registered candidates nominated by the same political party, el ctoral e bloc and to election campaigning conducted by a political party, an electoral bloc for the registered candidates whom they nominated. 3. State and municipal TV and radio broadcasting organizations and the editorial offices of state and municipal print media shall guarantee to candidates registered in single -seat electoral districts and to political parties and electoral blocs which registered federal lists of candidates equal terms and conditions for election campaigning, in particular for the presentation of their election programs to voters. 4. National state TV and radio broadcasting organizations and the editorial offices of national state print media shall offer possibilities for conducting election campaigning to political parties and electoral blocs which registered federal lists of candidates 5. Regional state TV and radio broadcasting organizations and the editorial offices of regional state print media shall offer possibilities for conducting election campaigning to candidates registered in single-seat electoral districts and to regional groups of candidates. 6. Municipal state TV and radio broadcasting organizations and the editorial offices of municipal state print media shall guarantee equal terms and conditions for conducting election campaigning to registered candidates, political parties and electoral blocs which registered federal lists of candidates. These organizations and editorial offices may provide air time and space in print media to such candidates, political parties. electoral blocs only for a charge. 7. Non-state TV and radio broadcasting organizations and the editorial offices of non-state print media founded not less than one year before the commencement of an election campaign as well as non-state TV and radio broadcasting organizations and the editorial offices of non-state print media founded by political parties less than one year before the commencement of an election campaign may provide air time, space in print media to registered candidates, political parties and electoral blocs which registered federal lists of candidates for a charge. Other nonstate TV and broadcasting organizations and the editorial offices of other non-state print media shall not provide air time, space in print media to registered candidates, poliical parties, t electoral blocs. 8. The terms of payment for the provision of air time, space in print media shall be the same for all registered candidates, political parties, electoral blocs to whom/which they were provided. This requirement shall not apply to the editorial offices of print media founded by candidates, political parties which nominated a list (lists) of candidates, political parties comprised in an electoral bloc which nominated a list (lists) of candidates. In this Federal Law print media founded by a candidate means print media founded not less than one year before the commencement of an election campaign by a citizen (citizens) of the Russian Federation, who participates (participate) in the election of deputies of the State Duma as a candidate (candidates). 9. Information about the rates charged (in the Russian Federation currency) for air time, space in print media and other terms of payment shall be published by a relevant TV and radio broadcasting organization, editorial office of a print media outlet not later than 30 days after the day of the official publication of the decision to call the election. Within this period this information and a notice of readiness to provide air time, space in print media to political parties and electoral blocs which registered federal lists of candidates, registered candidates, regional groups of candidates shall be submitted: by the national TV and radio broadcasting organizations and the editorial offices of national print media to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation;

by the regional and municipal TV and radio broadcasting organizations and the editorial offices of regional and municipal print media to the election commission of the Russian Federation subject. 10. A registered candidate nominated by a political party, an electoral bloc in a single -seat electoral district and included in the federal part of a registered federal list of candidates of the same political party, electoral bloc shall not be entitled to free air time and free space on the channels of national state TV and radio broadcasting organizations and in the national state print media, respectively. 11. A registered candidate nominated by a political party, an electoral bloc in a single -seat electoral district and included in the regional group of candidates of a registered federal list of candidates of the same political party, electoral bloc may use free air time and free space on the channels of regional state TV and radio broadcasting organizations and in region state print al media, respectively, either as a candidate registered in a single-seat electoral district or as a candidate included in the regional group of candidates. 12. TV and radio broadcasting organizations and the editorial offices of print media (regardless of the form of ownership) which provided free or paid air time and free or paid space to registered candidates, political parties and electoral blocs which registered federal lists of candidates shall keep separate records of the amount and cos of such air time and space in t according to the forms of such records established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, and, five days before voting day and within five days of voting day, shall furnish the data of these records to: the election commission of the Russian Federation subject - with regard to candidates registered in single-seat electoral districts; the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation - with regard to political parties and electoral blocs which registered federal lists of candidates, including candidates in the federal part of these lists and in the regional groups of candidates. 13. At the request of an election commission of a Russian Federation subject, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation TV and radio broadcasting organizations and the editorial offices of print media (regardless of the form of ownership) which provided air time and space to registered candidates, political parties and electoral blocs which registered federal lists of candidates shall present documents confirming the consent of the registered candidate, the political party and the electoral bloc to the provision of paid services. 14. Non-state and municipal TV and radio broadcasting organizations and print media, specialized TV and radio broadcasting organizations and print media and state print media which are published less than once a week may refuse to participate in election campaigning. Such refusal shall be non-submission of the notice indicated in Clause 9 of this article to a relevant election commission within the period established by this clause. 15. TV and radio broadcasting organizations and the editorial offices of print media shall keep the documents indicated in Clause 12 of this article, which confirm the provision of free and paid air time and free and paid space in print media, for not less than three years after voting day. 16. Free or paid air time or space in print media shall be provided for election campaigning on the basis of a written contract concluded between a TV and radio broadcasting organizations, the editorial office of a print media outlet and a candidate, political party, electoral bloc before the provision of such air time, space in print media. As a condition for the provision of such air time, such space in print media. As a condition for the provision of free air time, free space in print media the contract between a TV and radio broadcasting organization, the editorial office of a print media outlet and a political party, editorial bloc shall indicate the cost of the provided free air time, free space (based on the rates indicated in accordance with Clause 9 of this

article) and contain an obligation of the political party, electoral bloc to reimburse this cost if the political party, electoral bloc do not fall within Clause 1, Article 71 of the this Federal Law on the basis of the vote returns.

Article 60. Election Campaigning on Television and Radio

1. Registered candidates, political parties and electoral blocs which registered federal lists of candidates shall be entitled to free air time on the channels of state organizations which carry out TV and/or ratio broadcasting on the territory of a relevant electoral district on equal terms and conditions (length of provided air time, airing time, other conditions). 2. The total amount of free air time to be provided for election campaigning by each national state TV and radio broadcasting organization on each of its channels shall be not less than one hour on working days in the period established in Clause 2, Article 58 of this Federal Law. The total amount of free air time to be provided for election campaigning by each regional state TV and radio broadcasting organization on each of its channels shall be not less than 30 minut s e on working days in the period established by Clause 2, Article 58 of this Federal Law and, if the total broadcasting time of a TV and radio broadcasting organization is less than two hours a day, not less than one-fourth of the total broadcasting time. Free air time shall be provided in the broadcast periods viewed or listened to by the greatest number of persons, as determined by the TV and radio broadcasting organization. 3. The amount of free air time to be provided to a regional group of candidates in each Russian Federation subject by a regional state TV and radio broadcasting organization shall be calculated by multiplying the amount of air time provided by the TV and radio broadcasting organization to a candidate registered in a single-seat electoral district in the given Russian Federation subject by the number of single-seat electoral districts in this Russian Federation subject but shall not exceed this amount by more than three times. TV and radio broadcasting organizations shall provide equal amounts of air time to candidates registered in single-seat electoral districts, regional groups of candidates, with due regard for the said ratio. 4. Not less than one half of the total amount of free air time made available by TV and radio broadcasting organizations shall be provided to registered candidates, regional groups of candidates, political parties and electoral blocs which registered federal lists of candidates for joint debates, roundtables and other joint campaigning events of a similar kind. This rule shall not apply if each registered candidate receives less than five minutes of the total amount of free air time. When air time is provided for joint campaigning events on the channels of regional state TV and radio broadcasting organizations, this air time shall be calculated and allocated separately for registered candidates and regional groups of candidates, with due regard for the ratio indicated in Clause 3 of this article. All registered candidates, regional groups of candidates, political parties and electoral blocs which registered federal lists of candidates shall be allowed to use this part of free air time on equal conditions. 5. Registered candidates, (including those on a federal list of candidates), authorized representatives and agents of political parties and electoral blocs which registered federal lists of candidates may participate in campaigning events indicated in Clause 4 of this article only personally. 6. Representatives of a candidate registered in a single -seat electoral district shall not be allowed to participate in joint campaigning events indicated in Clause 4 of this article. 7. A candidate, regional groups of candidates, political party, electoral bloc may refuse to participate in a joint campaigning event indicated in Clause 4 of this article. 8. In the cases provided by Clauses 6 and 7 of this article, air time allocated for a joint campaigning event shall not be reduced, save the case where only one participant is able to participate in a campaigning event. At his request this participant shall be given free air time within its part obtained by dividing the air time made available for the joint campaigning event by

the total number of the planned participants in this event. Non-participation of a registered candidate, regional group of candidates, political party, electoral bloc in a joint campaigning event shall not increase the amount of free air time to which they are entitled in accordance with Clause 9 of this article. 9. The remaining part of free air time made available by TV and radio broadcasting organizations shall be divided in equal parts between registered candidates, between regional groups of candidates, between political parties and electoral blocs which registered federal lists of candidates. 10. After the end of the registration of candidates, federal lists of candidates but not later than 32 days before voting day lots shall be drawn to distribute free air time between all registered candidates, regional groups of candidates, political parties and electoral blocs which registered federal lists of candidates. 11. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation together with the representatives of TV and radio broadcasting organizations shall organize lot-drawing to determine the concrete dates and time when election propaganda materials of political parties, electoral blocs are to be aired. The election commission of a Russian Federation subject together with the representatives of TV and radio broadcasting organizations shall organize lot drawing to determine the concrete dates and time when election propaganda materials of registered candidates, regional groups of candidates are to be aired. Lotdrawing may be witnessed by persons listed in Clause 1, Article 31 of this Federal Law. The result of lots drawing shall be recorded in a protocol. The schedule of air time distribution determined on the basis of lot-drawing results shall be published in, respectively, national and regional state print media. Air time shall be provided on the basis of a contract to be concluded after low-drawing. 12. State TV and radio broadcasting organizations shall reserve air time to be acquired on a paid basis for election campaigning by registered candidates, regional groups of candidates, political parties and electoral blocs which registered federal lists of candidates. The rates and the terms of payment shall be the same for all registered candidates, political parties, electoral blocs. The total amount of paid air time to be reserved by each TV and radio broadc asting organization shall not be less than the total amount of free air time to be made available in accordance with Clauses 2 and 3 of this article but shall not exceed this amount by more than two times. 13. Each registered candidate, regional group of candidates, political party, electoral bloc shall be entitled, for a charge, to a part of the total amount of reserved air time, given by dividing this total amount by the total number of, respectively, registered candidates and regional groups of candidates (with due regard to the provisions of Clause 3 of this article) or political parties and electoral blocs which registered federal lists of candidates. 14. TV and radio broadcasting organizations shall provide the air time indicated in Clause 12 of this article in the period indicated in Clause 2, Article 58 of this Federal Law. The date and time when election propaganda materials are to be aired shall be determined by lot, with lot-drawing to be organized by a TV and radio broadcasting organization with the participation of interested persons on the basis of written applications for participation in lot-drawing, submitted by registered candidates, authorized representatives of political parties, electoral blocs. Lotdrawing shall be conducted within the period established by Clause 10 of this article. Air time shall be provided on the basis of a contract to be concluded after lot-drawing. 15. Municipal TV and radio broadcasting organizations which complied with the provisions of Clause 9, Article 59 of this Federal Law shall provide air time for election campaigning to registered candidates, political parties and electoral blocs which regis tered federal lists of candidates on a paid basis. The rates and the terms of payment shall be the same for all registered candidates, political parties, electoral blocs. The total amount of paid air time to be provided by a municipal TV and radio broadcas ting organization to registered candidates, political parties, electoral blocs shall be determined by this organization. The date and time when election propaganda materials of each registered candidate, political party, electoral bloc

are to be aired shall be determined by lot, with lot-drawing to be organized by a TV and radio broadcasting organization with the participation of interested persons on the basis of written applications for participation in lot-drawing, submitted by registered candidates, political parties, electoral blocs. Lot-drawing shall be conducted within the period established by Clause 10 of this article. Air time shall be provided on the basis of a contract to be concluded after lot drawing. 16. If, after lot-drawing, a registered candidate, regional group of candidates, political party, electoral bloc refuse to use air time, they shall inform about their decision the relevant TV and radio broadcasting organization in writing not later than five days before the airing time and the TV and radio broadcasting organization shall be free to use the released air time at its discretion. 17. Air time on the channels of non-state TV and radio broadcasting organizations shall be provided to registered candidates, political parties and electoral blocs which registered federal lists of candidates on equal terms and conditions. Non-state TV and radio broadcasting organizations which fail to comply with this requirements and with the provisions of Clause 9, Article 59 of this Federal Law shall not be allowed to provide air time for election campaigning to registered candidates, political parties, electoral blocs. 18. The contracts for the provision of paid air time shall indicate the following: the type (form) of election campaigning; the airing date and time; the length of air time to be provided; the rates and terms of payment for the air time; the form and conditions of participation of a journalist (moderator) in the TV or radio program. After the terms and conditions of the contract have been carried out a work performance certificate and a record of the used air time shall be drawn up to confirm the performance of contractual obligations with the indication of the broadcasting channel, the name of the program and its airing time. 19. Not later than two days before provision of air time a registered candidate, political party, electoral bloc shall submit a payment order to a branch of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation for remittance of the full amount of payment for the air time. A registered candidate, political party, electoral bloc shall present a copy of the payment order endorsed by the branch of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation to a TV and radio broadcasting organization before provision of air time. If these terms and conditions for the provision of air time are not complied with, air time on the channels of TV and radio broadcasting organizations shall not be provided. 20. The branch of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation shall remit the money not later than the next banking day after receipt of the payment order. The time for processing a non cash payment shall not exceed two banking days within a Russian Federation subject and five banking days within the Russian Federation. 21. If, while using paid air time, a registered candidate, political party, electoral bloc violate the terms and conditions established by this Federal Law, a TV and radio broadcasting organization may apply to a court for cancellation of the contract for the provision of air time. 22. Transmission of election propaganda materials of a registered candidate, regional group of candidates, political party, electoral bloc shall not be interrupted, in particular, by commercials advertising goods and services. 23. Transmission of propaganda materials of a registered candidate, regional group of candidates, political party, electoral bloc on the channels of TV and radio broadcasting organizations shall not be interrupted for transmission of other TV and radio programs, other propaganda materials. 24. Video and audio recordings of TV and radio programs containing election propaganda materials shall be kept by a relevant TV and radio broadcasting organization for not less than 12 months from the day on which these programs were aired. TV and radio broadcasting

organizations shall, free of charge, provide copies of such TV and radio programs to election commissions at their request.

Article 61. Election Campaigning Through Print Media

1. Registered candidates, political parties and electoral blocs which registered federal lists of candidates shall be entitled to free space in state print media which are published not less than once a week on the following conditions: equal amount of the provided space; the same place on a page; the same type size, and other conditions. 2. The total minimum weekly amount of free space which the editorial office of each state print media outlet is to provide to registered candidates, regional groups of candidates or to political parties and electoral blocs which registered federal lists of candidates shall be equal to not less than 10 percent of the total amount of weekly space of the print media outlet in the period established by Clause 2, Article 58 of this Federal Law. The information about the total amount of free space which the given print media outlet is to provide for election campaigning during the entire period established by Clause 2, Article 58 of this Federal Law shall be published in the given print media outlet not later than 30 days after the official publication of the decision to call the election. 3. The amount of space in a regional state print media outlet to be provided by its editorial office to a regional group of candidates in each Russian Federation subject shall be calculated by multiplying the amount of space provided by the editorial office of the print media outlet to a candidate registered in a single-seat electoral district in the given Russian Federation subject by the number of single-seat electoral districts in this Russian Federation subject but shall not exceed this amount by more than three times. The said editorial offices of print media shall provide an equal amount of space to candidates registered in single -seat electoral districts, regional groups of candidates, with due regard for the said ratio. 4. The total amount of free space declared by the editorial office of a print media outlet shall be distributed in equal parts between registered candidates, regional groups of candidates, political parties, electoral blocs by dividing the total amount of available space by the total number of registered candidates, regional groups of candidates (with due regard to the provisions of Clause 3 of this article) or political parties, electoral blocs which are entitled to free space in the given print media outlet. 5. After the end of the registration of candidates, federal lists of candidates but not later than 32 days before voting day, the editorial office of a print media outlet together with interested persons shall organize lot-drawing to distribute free space between all registered candidates, regional groups of candidates, political parties, electoral blocs and fix the date of publication of their election propaganda materials. Lot-drawing may be witnessed by members of a relevant election commission and the persons indicated in Clause 1, Article 31 of this Federal Law. The results of lot-drawing shall be recorded in a protocol. Space in print media shall be provided on the basis of a contract to be concluded after lot-drawing. 6. The editorial offices of state print media published not less than once a week shall reserve space to be acquired on a paid basis for publication of election propaganda materials by registered candidates, regional groups of candidates, political parties and electoral blocs which registered federal lists of candidates. The rates and terms of payment for the use of such space shall be the same for all registered candidates, political parties, electoral blocs. The total amount of paid space to be reserved by the editorial office of a print media outlet shall not be less than the total amount of free space to be provided in accordance with Clause 2 of this article but shall not exceed this amount by more than two times. 7. Each registered candidate, regional groups of candidates, political party and electoral bloc which registered federal lists of candidates shall be entitled to paid space from the total amount of the reserved space within a part thereof given by dividing this total amount by the total number of registered candidates, regional groups of candidates (with due regard to the

provisions of Clause 3 of this article) or political parties and electoral blocs which registered federal lists of candidates. 8. Space in print media indicated in Clause 6 of this article shall be made available by their editorial offices within the period indicated in Clause 2, Article 58 of this Federal Law. The date for the publication of election propaganda materials of a registered candidate, regional group of candidates, political party, electoral bloc shall be determined by lot, with lot drawing to be organized by the editorial office of a print media outlet with the participation of interested persons on the basis of written applications for participation in lot-drawing submitted by registered candidates, authorized representatives of political parties, electoral blocs. Lawdrawing shall be conducted within the period indicated in Clause 5 of this article. Lot-drawing may be witnessed by members of a relevant election commission and the persons indicated in Clause 1, Article 31 of this Federal Law. The results of lot- drawing shall be recorded in a protocol. Space in print media shall be provided on the basis of a contract to be concluded after lot-drawing. 9. The editorial offices of municipal print media, editorial offices of state print media published less than once a week which complied with the provisions of Clause 9, Article 59 of this Federal Law shall provide paid space to registered candidates, political parties and electoral blocs which registered federal lists of candidates. The rates and the terms of payment for such space shall be the same for all registered candidates, political parties, electoral blocs. The total amount of paid space to be provided by the editorial offices of such print media to registered candidates, political parties, electoral blocs shall be determined by the editorial offices at their discretion. The date when election propaganda materials of a registered candidate, political party, electoral bloc are to be published shall be determined by lot, with lot-drawing to be organized by the editorial offices of the print media with the participation of interested persons on the basis of written applications for participation in lot-drawing, submitted by registered candidates, authorized representatives of political parties, electoral blocs. Lot-drawing shall be conducted within the period established by Clause 5 of this article. Space shall be provided on the basis of a contract to be concluded after lot-drawing. 10. If, after lot-drawing, a registered candidate, regional group of candidates, political party and electoral bloc, which registered federal lists of candidates, refuse to use space in print media, they shall inform the editorial office of a relevant print media outlet about their decision not later than five days before the day on which the propaganda material was to be published and the editorial office shall be free to use the released space at its discretion. 11. The editorial offices of non-state print media may publish election propaganda materials on the basis of a contract to be concluded between the editorial office and a registered candidate, a political party and electoral bloc which registered a federal list of candidates. The editorial offices of non-state print media which did not comply with the provisions of Clause 9, Article 59 of this Federal Law shall not be allowed to provide space in their print media to registered candidates, political parties, electoral blocs for election campaigning. 12. The editorial offices of non-state print media which complied with the provisions of Clause 9, Article 59 of this Federal Law may refuse to provide space in their print media for election campaigning. 13. Not later than two days before the day on which the election propaganda material is to be published a registered candidate, political party, electoral bloc shall submit a payment order to a branch of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation for remittance of the full amount of the payment for space to be used. A copy of the payment order endorsed by the branch of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation shall be presented by a registered candidate, political party, electoral bloc to the editorial office of a print media outlet before space therein is provided. If this condition is not complied with, space in such print media shall not be provided. 14. The branch of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation shall remit the money not later than the next banking day after receipt of the payment order. The time for processing a non -

cash payment shall not exceed two banking days within a Russian Federation subject and five banking days within the Russian Federation. 15. Election propaganda materials published in accordance with this article shall not be accompanied by any forms of editorial comment and by headlines and illustrations that are not agreed upon with registered candidates, political parties and electoral blocs which registered federal lists of candidates. 16. The editorial offices of print media which publish election propaganda materials shall not give preference to any candidate, political party, electoral bloc by changing the circulation and publication frequency of print media. This requirement shall not apply to the editorial offices of the print media founded by a candidates, political parties which registered federal lists of candidates, political parties comprised in electoral blocs which registered federal lists of candidates. 17. All materials which are published by print media and paid for from the electoral fund of a candidate, political party, electoral bloc shall indicate the candidate, political party, electoral bloc from whose electoral fund the given publication was paid for. If election propaganda materials were published free of charge, the publication shall indicate this fact and name the registered candidate, political party, electoral bloc that published this material. The responsibility for the compliance with this requirement shall be borne by the editorial office of a print media outlet.

Article 62. Election Campaigning by Means of Mass Events

1. State bodies and bodies of local self-government shall assist registered candidates, political parties and electoral blocs which registered federal lists of candidates in organizing meetings with voters, public debates and discussions, rallies, demonstrations and marches. 2. Applications for the provision of premises to hold meetings with voters organized by registered candidates and their agents, agents and authorized representatives of political parties and electoral blocs which registered federal lists of candidates shall be considered by state bodies and bodies of local self-government within three days of the day of the submission thereof. Notifications of organizers of rallies, demonstrations and marches shall be considered by bodies of local self-government within seven days of the day when they are received, in accordance with Russian Federation laws. 3. On the basis of an application from a registered candidate, a political party and an electoral bloc which registered federal lists of candidates, premises which are suitable for holding election-related mass events and are state- or municipality-owned shall be made available by the owner, proprietor, free of charge and for a time to be established by the election commission of a Russian Federation subject or, at its request, by a district or territorial election commission, to registered candidates or their agents, agents an authorized representatives of political d parties, electoral blocs for meetings with voters. Election commissions shall ensure equal possibilities to hold election-related mass events for registered candidates, political parties, electoral blocs. 4. If the premises indicated in Clause 3 of this article or the premises owned by an organization with a charter capital in which the state and/or municipality holds a stake exceeding 30 percent as of the day of the official publication of the decision to call the election were provided for holding an election-relation mass event to one of registered candidates, one of political parties or electoral blocs which registered a federal list of candidates, the owner, proprietor of the premises shall not refuse to provide the premises to other registered candidates, other political parties, electoral blocs on the same terms and conditions at some other time during the campaigning period. 5. Election campaigning and public speeches of candidates registered in single -seat electoral districts at events funded, organized or held for the population by bodies of state power, bodies of local self-government, state and municipal organizations shall be allowed only if all

candidates registered in the given electoral district were notified of this event and if they were offered the possibility to speak at this event. 6. Candidates, political parties and electoral blocs which nominated a federal list (federal lists) of candidates may rent, on a contractual basis, buildings and premises belonging to citizens and organizations of all forms of ownership to hold meetings with voters, rallies, public debates and other election-related mass events. 7. Buildings and structures included in the State Register of Particularly Valuable Memorials of the Cultural Heritage of the Peoples of the Russian Federation shall not be made available for campaigning purposes. 8. No election campaigning shall be allowed on the territory of military units, in military organizations and institutions, save the case where the only building (premises) suitable for meetings with voters is located within the territory of a military unit. Such building (premises) shall be provided for campaigning events by the commanding officer of the military unit at the request of a relevant election commission. Meetings of voters - servicemen with registered candidates or their agents, authorized representatives and agents of political parties and electoral blocs which registered federal lists of candidates shall be organized outside the territory of the military unit by the commanding officer of the military unit together with a district election commission, subject to a mandatory requirement that all candidates registered in the given single-seat electoral district, authorized representatives of all political parties and electoral blocs which registered federal lists of candidates be invited to all such meetings not later than three days before the day of the meeting. 9. Security at election-related mass events shall be ensured by the state bodies in accordance with Russian Federation laws.

Article 63. Production and Distribution of Printed, Audio -Visual and Other Election Propaganda Materials
1. Candidates, political parties and electoral blocs which nominated federal lists of candidates shall be free to produce and distribute printed, audio-visual and other propaganda materials in the procedure established by Russian Federation laws. 2. Organizations providing advertising services shall publish propaganda materials of candidates registered in single-seat electoral districts and of political parties and electoral blocs which registered federal lists of candidates on equal terms and conditions. 3. Printshops shall ensure equal terms of payment for the production of propaganda materials for candidates, registered in single-seat electoral districts, political parties and electoral blocs which registered federal lists of candidates. Information about the rates charged (in the Russian Federation currency) and other terms of payment for services of a printshop intending to print propaganda materials shall by published by the printshop not later than 30 days after the official publication of the decision to a call the election and shall be, within the same period, submitted to the election commission of the Russian Federation subject where this printshop is registered. A printshop which failed to comply with these conditions shall not be allowed to accept orders for production of propaganda materials. 4. All printed, audio-visual and other propaganda materials (with the exception of the materials distributed pursuant to Articles 60 and 61 of this Federal Law) shall indicate the names and legal addresses of the organization (the surname, first name and patronymic of a person and the name of the Russian Federation subject, raion, city, other populated center where the person's place of residence is located) that produced the material, the name of the organization (the surname, first name and patronymic of a person) that placed an order for the material, the information about the number of copies printed and the date of publication.

5. Prior to their distribution printed, audio-visual and other election propaganda materials or their copies, photos of other propaganda materials shall be submitted to a relevant district election commission or territorial election commission by a candidate or to the election commission of a Russian Federation subject or the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation by a political party, an electoral bloc. Along with the aforementioned materials a relevant election commission shall be furnished with the information concerning the location (place of residence) of the organization (person) that produced and ordered these materials. 6. Propaganda materials shall not contain commercial advertisements. 7. Propaganda materials shall not be produced without prepayment made from a relevant electoral fund or in violation of the requirements set forth in Clauses 4 and 6 of this article. 8. Distribution of propaganda materials in violation of the requirements set forth in Clause 5 of this article and Clause 8, Article 57 of this Federal Law shall not be allowed. 9. Not later than 30 days before voting day, on the recommendation of a district election commission the bodies of local self-government shall designate special places for displaying printed election propaganda materials on the territory of each electoral precinct. Such places shall be convenient for voters to visit and shall be arranged so that voters could read the displayed information. The area of such places must be sufficient to display the materials of election commissions and printed propaganda materials of candidates, political parties, electoral blocs. Candidates registered in a single-seat electoral district as well as authorized representatives of political parties and electoral blocs which nominated federal lists of candidates may apply to a territorial election commission for a list of places where printed propaganda materials can be displayed. Candidates registered in a single-seat electoral district as well as political parties and electoral blocs which registered federal lists of candidates shall be allocated equal areas for displaying their printed propaganda materials. 10. In cases which are not provided by Clause 9 of this article propaganda materials may be displayed (posted) inside premises, on buildings, structures or other objects only with the consent of their owners, proprietors. A property owned by the state, or a municipality, or an organization with a charter capital in which the state and/or municipality holds a stake exceeding 30 percent as of the day of the official publication of the decision to call the election shall be made available to all registered candidates, political parties, electoral blocs for displaying their propaganda materials on equal terms and conditions. No charge shall be paid for displaying propaganda materials on a state- or municipally-owned property 11. Propaganda materials shall not be placed (posted, displayed) on mo numents, obelisks, buildings, structures and premises which have a historical, cultural or architectural value, inside the buildings and offices of election commissions and in polling stations or at a distance less than 50 meters from the entrance thereto. 12. The election commission which was informed about distribution of false printed, audio-visual and other propaganda materials or about distribution of election propaganda materials carried out in violation of the provisions of Clauses 4 to 8, 10 and 11 of this article shall take appropriate measures and may make an application to law enforcement and other authorities for stopping unlawful election campaigning and for seizing unlawful election propaganda materials.

Article 64. Inadmissibility of Misuse of the Right to Election Campaigning

1. Misuse of the freedom of mass information in election campaigning shall not be allowed. Election programs of registered candidates, political parties and electoral blocs which registered federal lists of candidates, other propaganda materials, speeches at meetings and rallies, articles in the mass media shall not contain calls for seizure of power, violent change of the constitutional system and violation of the integrity of the Russian Federation, warmongering. Propaganda exciting social, racial, national, religious hatred or enmity, misuse of the freedom of mass information in other forms defined by Russian Federation laws shall be prohibited.

Propaganda shall not be regarded as fomenting social discord if it is aimed at the defense of the ideas of social justices. Propaganda violating Russian Federation laws on intellectual property shall be prohibited. 2. Candidates, political parties, electoral blocs and their authorized representatives and agents as well as other persons and organizations involved in election campaigning shall not bribe voters: they shall not give voters money, gifts and other things otherwise than for the performance of organizational work (collection of voter signatures and other campaigning activities); remunerate voters who perform the said organizational work depending on the results of the voting or promise such remuneration; sell goods at reduced prices; distribute free of charge any goods other than printed materials (including illustrated boo klets) and badges specially produced for the election campaign; render services free of charge or at reduced rates. While conducting election campaigning candidates, political parties, electoral blocs, their authorized representatives and agents or other persons and organizations shall not influence voters by promises of money, securities, other things (in particular, depending on the voting results) and by rendering services otherwise than on the basis of decisions of bodies of state power and local self-government taken in accordance with the federal laws. 3. During the period of an election campaign, the election and election results shall not be an object of lotteries, totalizators (bets) and other risk-based games. 4. In the course of an election campaign materials advertising the business activity and other activities unrelated to the election, which contain a candidate's name or picture, an emblem or other symbols of political parties and an electoral blocs which nominated a list (lists) of candidates, a political party, other all-Russia public associations comprised in an electoral bloc which nominated a list (lists) of candidates, shall be paid for only from a relevant electoral fund. Publication of such advertisements shall not be allowed on voting day and the day preceding voting day. 5. Candidates, political parties and electoral blocs which nominated a list (lists) of candidates, their authorized representatives and agents, political parties and other all-Russia public associations comprised in such electoral blocs as well as organizations registered after the commencement of an election campaign, which are founded, owned or possessed by such natural persons and organizations and/or which have governing bodies on which such natural persons or organizations are represented as well as other natural persons and legal entities acting at the request or on the instructions of such persons or organizations shall not engage in any charity activities in the course of an election campaign. In the course of an election campaign other natural persons and legal entities shall not engage in any charity activities at the request, on the instructions or on behalf of candidates, the said political parties and other all-Russia public associations, electoral blocs, agents and authorized representatives and shall not conduct election campaigning simultaneously with the pursuance of charity activities. Candidates, the said political parties and other all-Russia public associations, electoral blocs, agents and authorized representatives shall be prohibited from asking other natural persons and legal entities to render material or financial assistance to voters and organizations on the territory of a relevant electoral district. 6. Mass media organizations shall not make publc (publish) propaganda and informational i materials (including such materials which contain reliable information) which may damage the honor, dignity or business reputation of a candidate if these organizations cannot give a candidate a possibility to make public (publish) a denial or some other explanation in defense of his honor, dignity or business reputation before the end of the election campaigning period. When a possibility is offered to a candidate to publish (make public) free of charge a denial or some other explanation in defense of his honor, dignity or business reputation air time shall be provided at the same time of the day at which the original information was made public. The amount of air time provided for making a denial or explanation shall not be less than the amount of air time provided for presentation of the original information and shall not be less than two minutes. In print media a denial shall be printed in the same type, in the same place on the page and shall be allocated space not less than the space taken up by the original compromising text. The failure to provide such possibility to a candidate may serve as a ground

for bringing to responsibility the organizations indicated in this clause and their officials under Russian Federation laws. The rules established by this clause shall not apply to the editorial offices of non-state print media founded by candidates, political parties, including political parties comprised in an electoral bloc, other all-Russia public association comprised in an electoral bloc. 7. Law enforcement and other authorities shall take measures to stop unlawful propaganda activities, prevent production of and seize false and unlawful printed, audio -visual and other election propaganda materials, identify the producers of such materials and the source from which they are paid for and promptly inform a relevant election commission about the facts established and measures taken. 8. Should a TV and radio broadcasting organization, the editorial office of a print media outlet violate the election campaigning rules laid down by this Federal Law, a relevant election commission may apply to law enforcement authorities, courts, bodies of executive power which implement the state policy vis-a-vis the mass media for stopping the unlawful propaganda activities and bringing the TV and radio broadcasting organization, editorial office of the print media outlet, their officials to responsibility under Russian Federation laws.

Chapter IX. Funding of the Election

Article 65. Funding of the Preparation and Conduct of the Election
1. The expenditures incurred in the preparation and conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma, in the activities of election commissions during the term of their powers, in the operation and development of the automation facilities as well as in the training of election officials and education of voters shall be paid by election commissions from the funds allocated for these purposes from the federal budget. These expenditures shall be included in the federal budget in accordance with the budget classification of the Russian Federation. 2. The funds allocated from the federal budget for the preparation and conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma shall be placed at the disposal of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation within ten days of the official publication of the decision to call the election. 3. In the event of an early election of deputies to the State Duma the amount of funds allocated from the federal budget for its preparation and conduct shall not be less than the sum contained in the report of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation on the expenditure of funds for the preparation and conduct of the previous election of deputies of the State Duma (with due regard for the changes in the minimum monthly wage established by the federal law regulating labor remuneration as of the day of the official publication of the decision to call the previous similar election of deputies of the State Duma). 4. If insufficient funds have been allocated from the federal budget for funding the election of deputies of the State Duma, including an early election, and if the funds allocated from the federal budget were not transferred in the due time or in full, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall be entitled to obtain credits from banks on a competitive basis. In this case, the total amount of the funds for the preparation and conduct of the election shall not exceed the sum contained in the report of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation on the expenditures incurred in the preparation and conduct of the previous similar election of deputies of the State Duma (with due regard for the changes in the minimum monthly wage established by the federal law regulating labor remuneration as of the day of the official publication of the decision to call the previous similar election of deputies of the State Duma). Within ten days of receipt of an appropriate request from the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation the Government of the Russian Federation shall issue a state guarantee for repayment of the credits, including interest thereon. The received credits and

interest thereon shall be repaid from the federal budget. Allocations for meeting this liability shall be approved by a federal budget law for the coming fiscal year. 5. Not later than 60 days before voting day, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall distribute the funds allocated for the conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma to the election commissions of the Russian Federation subjects, which shall distribute the received funds to district and territorial election commissions not later than 40 and 30 days, respectively, before voting day. In the event of a by -election or early election of deputies of the State Duma and if the election is not funded in the due time or in full, the election commissions shall distribute the funds as they come in. The funds for the conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma in electoral precincts formed in accordance with Clauses 5 and 6, Article 14 of this Federal Law shall be distributed by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation to state bodies in charge of the registration of voters in these electoral precincts not later than 30 days before voting day. 6. Chairmen of election commissions shall manage the funds allocated for the preparation and conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma and shall be responsible for proper compliance of financial documents with the decisions taken by election commissions on financial matters and also shall ensure that the reports on the expenditure of these funds are submitted in the procedure and at the time established by this Federal Law. 7. After the end of the election of deputies of the State Duma the sums which were received from the federal budget but were not expended by election commissions shall remain in the accounts of election commissions acting on a permanent basis (with the exception of territorial and district election commissions) and shall be used for the purposes established by this Federal Law. 8. The unexpended credits shall be returned by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation to the bank from which they were obtained not later than three months from the date on which the general election results were officially published.

Article 66. . Electoral Funds of Candidates, Political Parties, Electoral Blocs

1. A candidate nominated in a single-seat electoral district, a political party and an electoral bloc which nominated a federal list (federal lists) of candidates shall establish their own electoral funds. A candidate nominated only on a federal list of candidates, a politcal party and an i electoral bloc which nominated candidates only in single-seat electoral districts shall not establish their own electoral funds. 2. Electoral funds of candidates nominated in single-seat electoral districts may be formed only from the following sources: (1) the own money of a candidate in an amount not exceeding 50 percent of the maximum limit of all expenditures from a candidate's electoral fund established in accordance with this Federal Law; (2) sums allocated to a candidate by the political party which nominated the candidate (from sources other than the electoral fund of the political party), by political parties, other all-Russia public associations comprised in the electoral bloc which nominated the candidate (from sources other than the electoral fund of the electoral bloc), in an amount not exceeding 50 percent of the maximum level of all expenditures from a candidate's electoral fund established in accordance with this Federal Law; (3) voluntary donations of citizens and legal entities in an amount not exceeding, respectively 5 percent and 50 percent of the maximum level of all

expenditures from a candidate's electoral fund established in accordance with this Federal Law, for each citizen, each legal entity. 3. The maximum limit of all expenditures from an electoral fund of a candidate shall not exceed six million rubles. 4. Electoral funds of political parties, electoral blocs may be formed only from the following sources: (1) the own money of a political party, an electoral bloc in an amount not exceeding 50 percent of the maximum level of all expenditures from the electoral fund of a political party, an electoral bloc established in accordance with this Federal Law. The own money of an electoral bloc shall be formed by the sum total of the money transferred to the electoral bloc by political parties, other all-Russia public associations which formed this electoral bloc; (2) voluntary donations of citizens and legal entities. The amount of a voluntary donation shall not exceed, respectively, 0.07 percent and 3.5 percent of the maximum level of all expenditures from the electoral fund of a political party, an electoral bloc established in accordance with this Federal Law, for each citizen, each legal entity. 5. The maximum limit of all expenditures from an electoral fund of a political party, an electoral bloc shall not exceed 250 million rubles. 6. Every year, beginning with January 1, 2004, the maximum level of all expenditures from the electoral fund of a candidate, political party, electoral bloc established by Clauses 3 and 5 of this article as well as the sums indicated in Clause 7, Article 70 of this Federal Law shall be indexed to the inflation rate as established by the federal budget law for the coming fiscal year. The provisions of the federal budget law for the coming year, which establish the inflation rate and come into force during the period of an election campaign, shall not be used for indexation of this maximum limit in the course of the given election campaign. 7. No donations to electoral funds of candidates, political parties, electoral blocs shall be allowed from: (1) foreign states and foreign legal entities; (2) foreign nationals; (3) stateless persons; (4) citizens of the Russian Federation who have not attained to the age of 18 years on voting day; (5) Russian legal entities with foreign participation if the foreign stake in their charter capital exceeds 30 percent as of the day of the official publication of the decision to call the election (for open joint-stock companies - as of the date of the list of shareholders for the previous year); (6) international organizations and international public movements; (7) bodies of state power and local self-government; (8) state and municipal institutions and organizations;

(9) legal entities with a charter capital where the state or a municipality has a stake exceeding 30 per cent as of the day of the official publication of the decision to call the election; (10) organizations established by state and municipal bodies and by organizations indicated in Sub-clauses 5 and 9 of this clause; (11) military units, military institutions and organizations and law enforcement authorities; (12) charity organizations and religious associations as well as organizations established by them; (13) anonymous donors. Anonymous donor means a citizen who has not indicated or indicated incorrectly any of the following data: the surname, first name and patronymic, the address of the place of residence; a legal entity which has not indicated or indicated incorrectly any of the following data: the taxpayer's identification number, the name, the bank details; (14) legal entities registered less than a year before voting day. 8. The electoral funds shall be managed by a candidate, political p arty, electoral bloc that formed the fund. The resources of an electoral fund shall be used only for the purposes for which the electoral fund is established, namely: (1) funding of organizational-technical arrangements for the collection of signatures in support of the nomination of a candidate, federal list of candidate, including remuneration of persons who were engaged for collection of voter signatures; (2) election campaigning and payment for information and consulting services; (3) payment for other services rendered by legal entities or citizens of the Russian Federation and payment of other expenses directly related to the conduct of an election campaign by candidates, political parties, electoral blocs; (4) payment of an electoral deposit. 9. Candidates, political parties, electoral blocs shall not use any sums of money to make payments for collection of voter signatures, conduct of an election campaign, organization of other election-related events other than the sums contributed to their electoral funds. Candidates, political parties, electoral blocs may use only the sums which were remitted by contributors to special electoral accounts of their electoral funds prior to voting day in accordance with the procedure established by this Federal Law. 10. In the event of additional nomination of candidates, lists of candidates under the circumstances indicated in Clause 16, Article 47 and Clause 11, Article 52 of this Federal Law the maximum limit of all expenditures from an electoral fund of a previously registered candidate, a political party and an electoral bloc which previously registered federal lists of candidates shall be increased 1.5 times. 11. If a candidate nominated in a single-seat electoral district was simultaneously nominated at some other election held on the territory of this single-seat electoral district or on a territory which includes the territory of this single-seat electoral district and has to form other electoral funds in addition to that indicated in Clause 1 of this article, the maximum limit of all expenditures from all these funds shall be the largest maximum limit indicated in this Federal Law, other federal laws, a law of a Russian Federation subject.

Article 67. Special Electoral Accounts

1. A candidate nominated in a single-seat electoral district shall open a special electoral account of his electoral fund in the given electoral district after notifying a relevant election commission of his nomination. In the case indicated in Clause 11, Article 66 of this Federal Law a candidate nominated in a single-seat electoral district shall open a special electoral account after notifying in writing the election commission of a Russian Federation subject of his simultaneous nomination in several electoral districts at different elections. 2. A political party, an electoral bloc shall open a special electoral account for the formation of their electoral funds after receiving a copy of a federal list of candidates certified by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. 3. A special electoral account for the formation of an electoral fund shall be opened with a branch of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation. A candidate, political party, electoral bloc may open only one special electoral account. Upon presentation o documents required by f and executed in accordance with this Federal Law a branch of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation shall, without any delay, open a special electoral account for a candidate, political party, electoral bloc. The bank shall not charge any fee for opening and servicing a special electoral account and shall not pay any interest on the funds kept therein. All sums shall be deposited in special electoral accounts in the Russian Federation currency. 4. A candidate shall open a special electoral account in the single-seat electoral district where he was nominated, on the basis of a document to be issued by a relevant district election commission within three days of receipt of a notice of the nomination of the candidate as provided in Article 38 or 41 of this Federal Law or, if a district election commission was not yet formed, by the election commission of a Russian Federation subject. A candidate may, in the established procedure, ask his authorized representative for financial matters registered by a , relevant district election commission, to open a special electoral account and authorize this representative to manage funds in this account. A political party, an electoral bloc shall open a special electoral account on the basis of a document to be issued by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation after it certifies a copy of a federal list of candidates, simultaneously with the registration of authorized representatives for financial matters of a political party, an electoral bloc. If the rules established by this Federal Law for a candidate, political party, electoral bloc funding their election campaigns are violated, the responsibility for such violation shall be borne personally by the candidate, political party, electoral bloc. 5. If, after opening a special electoral account, a candidate changes the electoral district by a decision of a political party, an electoral bloc in the procedure established by Clause 9, Article 39 of this Federal Law, this candidate shall return the money remaining on this account to legal entities and natural persons that made donations (transfers) to his electoral fund in proportion to the sums contributed by them less postal charges as well as the money paid as an electoral deposit (if the electoral deposit was paid) in the procedure established by Article 68 of this Federal Law. After that the candidate shall submit the final financial report to the district election commission of the given electoral district and a copy of the financial report to the district election commission of the new electoral district. A special electoral account shall be opened in the new electoral district in the procedure established by this Federal Law. 6. All financial operations in relation to the payment of expenses from special electoral accounts of registered candidates, political parties and electoral blocs which registered a federal list of candidates shall be discontinued on voting day. Financial operations in relation to the payment of expenses from special electoral accounts of candidates, political parties, electoral blocs that did not submit registration documents to a relevant election commission in the procedure established by this Federal Law, or were denied registration, or withdrew the statement of consent to stand for election, or withdrew their candidatures, or were recalled by a political party, an electoral bloc, or recalled a federal list of candidates, or whose registration was cancelled or annulled shall be discontinued by the branches of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation on the instruction of a relevant election commission.

7. Based on an application of a candidate, a candidate nominated simultaneously in electoral districts at different elections, a political party, an electoral bloc a relevant election commission, the election commission of a Russian Federation subject, the Election Commission of the Russian Federation, respectively, may extend the period performance of the following financial operations:

several district Central for the

(1) for a candidate, a political party, an electoral bloc - payment for work (services, goods) performed (rendered, acquired) prior to the date when they were denied registration, the candidate withdrew his statement of consent to stand for election, the political party, electoral bloc recalled the candidate, the political party, electoral bloc recalled the federal list of candidates before the deadline established by this Federal Law for submission of signature sheets and other documents required for registration, respectively; (2) for a registered candidate who withdrew his candidature, was recalled by a political party, an electoral bloc, for a political party, an electoral bloc which recalled a registered federal list of candidates, for a registered candidate whose registration was annulled or cancelled, for a political party, an electoral bloc the registration of whose federal list was annulled or cancelled - payment for work (services, goods) performed (rendered, acquired) before the date of the decision to annul or cancel the registration, withdrawal of the candidature, recalling of the federal list of candidates, respectively; (3) for other registered candidates, political parties, electoral blocs - payment for work (services, goods) performed (rendered, acquired) before voting day.

Article 68. Electoral Deposit

1. Within five days of the official publication of the decision to call the election the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, election commission of a Russian Federation subject shall request branches of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation to open a special account to accept electoral deposits from candidates, political parties and electoral blocs. Within five days of receipt of the request of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, election commission of a Russian Federation subject branches of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation shall open a special account for a relevant election commission to accept electoral deposits. The bank shall charge no fee for opening and servicing the account and shall pay no interest on the funds kept therein. Branches of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation shall remit funds paid as electoral deposits not later than the next banking day after receipt of an appropriate payment order. The time for processing a non-cash payment shall not exceed two banking days. 2. A relevant district election commission, or, if it was not yet formed, the election commission of a Russian Federation subject shall advise a candidate, nominated in a single-seat electoral district, of the number of the special account opened by the election commission of the given Russian Federation subject at a branch of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation for the payment of an electoral deposit when it receives the candidate's statement of consent to stand for election or, if the account was not yet opened at that time, immediately after its opening. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall advise a political party, an electoral bloc of the number of the commission's special account at a branch of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation for the payment of electoral deposits when the it certifies a federal list of candidates of the political party, electoral bloc but not earlier than the date when this account is opened or, if the account was not yet opened at that time, immediately after its opening. 3. Within three days of the formation of a district election commission, the election commission of a Russian Federation subject shall advise the district election commission of the number of the special account for the payment of electoral deposits and shall keep it informed about electoral deposits paid by candidates into the special account of the election commission of this

Russian Federation subject for the payment of electoral deposits as such deposits are paid by candidates nominated in single-seat electoral districts. 4. An electoral deposit for a candidate shall be equal to 15 percent of the maximum limit of all expenditures from a candidate's electoral fund established by Clause 3, Article 66 of this Federal Law. An electoral deposit for a political party, an electoral bloc be equal to 15 percent of the maximum limit of all expenditures from the electoral fund of a political party, an electoral bloc established by Clause 5, Article 66 of this Federal Law. 5. A candidate, political party, electoral bloc shall pay the full amount of the electoral deposit in a lump sum out of their electoral funds into the special account of a relevant election commission for the payment of electoral deposits not earlier than 75 and not later than 45 days before voting day. An electoral deposit may be paid for a second time only if the documents required for the registration of a candidate, federal list of candidates are submitted for a second time. A candidate, political party, electoral bloc may pay the electoral deposit out of the money which was contributed to their electoral funds with and without a proviso that the money was to be used for the payment of an electoral deposit. When paying an electoral deposit a candidate, political party, electoral bloc shall indicate the purpose of the payment and the following data: a candidate - his surname, first name and patronymic, date of birth, number of the electoral district; a political party, an electoral bloc - their name. If a candidate, political party, electoral bloc pay an electoral deposit out of the money contributed to their electoral fund with a proviso that the money was intended for the payment of an electoral deposit, such candidate, political party, electoral bloc shall, when remitting the electoral deposit to the special account of a relevant election commission, inform in writing the election commission which is to register the candidates, federal list of candidates about the source (sources) from which this money was received to the special electoral account of the candidate, political party, electoral bloc: if from a citizen - his surname, first name and patronymic, place of residence, date of birth; if from a legal entity - its name, bank details. 6. Citizens and/or legal entities contributing money to the electoral fund of a candidate, political party, electoral bloc may indicate that this money or a part thereof is intended for the payment of an electoral deposit. In this case, the candidate, political party, electoral bloc shall not use this money for purposes other than the payment of an electoral deposit. If this money or a part thereof was not used for the payment of an electoral deposit, the candidate, political party, electoral bloc shall return it (less postal charges) to citizens and legal entities, who/which contributed (remitted) this money, not later than ten days after the expiry of the period for submission of documents for the registration of candidates, federal lists of candidates. 7. If a candidate, political party, electoral bloc paid an electoral deposit into the special account of a relevant election commission in a larger amount than established by Clause 4 of this article, the excess amount shall be returned to his/its electoral fund by the election commission within ten days of the day when the electoral deposit was received to the special account. 8. The received sums shall be returned by an election commission to the corresponding electoral funds within 20 days of the day when these sums were received to the special account in the following cases: (1) a candidate, political party, electoral bloc paid an electoral deposit into the special account of the election commission in a smaller amount than established by Clause 4 of this article; (2) an electoral deposit was paid after the expiry of the period for the submission of documents for the registration of candidates, federal lists of candidates; (3) an electoral deposit was paid out of an electoral fund formed in violation of this Federal Law.

9. If a political party, an electoral bloc recall a candidate, federal list of candidates (save the cases provided by Clause 12, Article 52 of this Federal Law) or if the electoral district where a candidate is nominated was changed in accordance with Clause 9, Article 39 of this Federal Law, the paid electoral deposit shall be returned by the election commission to the corresponding electoral fund within ten days of the day when the political party, electoral bloc, candidate submit an appropriate application (notification) to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, election commission of a Russian Federation subject, district election commission. 10. If a candidate, federal list of candidates was registered on the basis of submitted voter signatures, an electoral deposit paid into the special account of an election commission by this candidate, the political party or electoral bloc which nominated the federal list of candidates shall be returned to the corresponding electoral fund within ten days of the day of the registration of the candidate, federal list of candidates. 11. If, according to vote returns, a registered candidate received not less than five percent of the total vote in a single-seat electoral district or was elected and if, according to vote returns, a federal list of candidates received not less than three percent of the total vote in the federal electoral district or if a federal list of candidates was included in the distribution of deputy seats, the electoral deposit paid by the candidate, political party, electoral bloc shall be returned by the election commission to the electoral fund of such candidate, political party, electoral bloc within five days of the day of the official publication of the election results. 12. An electoral deposit that is not to be returned in accordance with C lauses 8 to 11 of this article shall be remitted by the election commission to the federal budget within 60 days of voting day. 13. Within ten working days of the day when an electoral deposit was returned to their special electoral accounts by a relevant election commission, a candidate, political party, electoral bloc shall return to citizens and legal entities the money (less postal charges) which was contributed by them to the electoral fund with a proviso that it was to be used for the payment of an electoral deposit. The remainder, if any, of the electoral deposit returned by an election commission shall be included in the balance of the unexpended money of the electoral fund of the candidate, political party, electoral bloc. 14. The money paid as an electoral deposit shall be remitted to the federal budget or returned to electoral funds by branches of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation on the basis of a decision of a relevant election commission. An election commission shall not use the money paid as an electoral deposit in any manner other than that established by this article.

Article 69. Voluntary Donations to the Electoral Fund of a Candidate, Political Party, Electoral Bloc
1. Voluntary donations to an electoral fund of a candidate, political party, electoral blocs shall be accepted personally from Russian Federation citizens by post offices or credit institutions only upon production of a passport or an equivalent identity document. In the payment order a citizen making a donation shall indicate the following information about himself: the surname, first name and patronymic, date of birth and address of the place of residence, series and number of the passport or an equivalent identity document, citizenship. 2. Voluntary donations of legal entities to an electoral fund of a candidate, political party, electoral bloc shall be made by means of non-cash transfers to a special electoral account. In the payment order a legal entity making a donation shall indicate the following information about itself: the taxpayers identification number; name; date of registration; bank details; absence of a state or municipal stake in its charter capital or presence and size of such stake; absence of a foreign stake in its charter capital or presence and size of such stake; absence among its founders of state and municipal bodies and legal entities indicated in Sub -clauses 5 and 9, Clause 7, Article 66 of this Federal Law.

3. Voluntary donations of citizens and legal entities shall be remitted and credited to a special electoral account by post offices and credit institutions not later than the next banking day after receipt of the payment order. The time for processing a non-cash payment shall not exceed two banking days within a Russian Federation subject and five banking days within the Russian Federation. 4. A candidate, political party, electoral bloc may return any donation, with the exception of anonymous ones, to donors. If a voluntary donaton was made to an electoral fund of a i candidate or to an electoral fund of a political party, an electoral bloc from citizens or legal entities that have no right to make such donations, or in violation of the provisions of Clauses 1 and 2 of this article, or in an amount exceeding that established by Article 66 of this Federal Law, the candidate, political party, electoral bloc shall, within ten days of receipt of the donation to the special electoral account, return it to the donor fully or in an amount exceeding the maximum limit of donations (less postal charges), as the case may be, indicating the reasons for the return. A candidate, political party, electoral bloc shall not be held responsible for acceptance of donations whose donors indicated wrong data required under Clauses 1 and 2 of this article, if they were not informed of the inadmissibility of these donations in the due time. 5. Within ten days after anonymous donations are received to the special electoral account a candidate, political party, electoral bloc shall remit these donations to the federal budget. 6. Citizens and legal entities may render financial assistance to a candidate, political party, electoral bloc only through appropriate electoral funds. No paid work shall be performed, goods sold, paid services rendered if they are directly or indirectly related to, and used for achieving a definite result at, the election, without a written consent of a candidate or his authorized representatives for financial matters, an authorized representatives for financial matters of a political party, an electoral bloc and without payment therefor from a relevant electoral fund. Legal entities, their branches, representative offices and other divisions shall not perform any work, sell goods, render any services directly or indirectly related to, and used for achieving a definite result at, the election, free of charge or at unreasonably low (high) rates. Material support may be rendered to a candidate, political party, electoral bloc only if it is paid for from an electoral fund of the candidate, political party, electoral bloc. In the course of an election campaign a citizen may perform work for and render services to a candidate, political party, electoral bloc voluntarily, personally and free of charge, without involvement of third persons.

Article 70. Electoral Fund Reporting. Publication of Information About Consolidated Financial Reports of Political Parties
1. The procedure for opening and maintaining special electoral accounts, the accounting and reporting requirements as well as the forms of reports of candidates, political parties, electoral blocs with regard to the money contributed to and expended from their electoral funds shall be determined by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and agreed upon with the Central Bank of the Russian Federation. A candidate, political party, electoral bloc shall keep records of the money contributed to and expended from their electoral funds. 2. Candidates, political parties, electoral blocs shall file financial reports with relevant election commissions within the following periods: (1) the first financial report - when the documents required for registration are submitted to a relevant election commission as prescribed by this Federal Law; the report shall be drawn up as of the date not more than five days before the date when the report is submitted; (2) the second financial report - not earlier than 12 days and not later than 10 days before voting day; the report shall be drawn up as of the date five days before the date when the is submitted;

(3) the final financial report - not later than 30 days after the official publication of election results. The final financial report shall be submitted together with the primary financial documents confirming receipts to and expenditures from an electoral fund as well as the materials indicated in Clause 5, Article 63 of this Federal Law. 3. If a candidate lost his status, the obligation to submit the financial report shall be borne by a citizen who was a candidate. The financial report of a political party, an electoral bloc shall be submitted by an authorized representative for financial matters of the political party, electoral bloc. 4. Copies of financial reports of registered candidates, political parties and electoral blocs which registered federal lists of candidates shall be made available to the mass media by a relevant election commission within five days of their receipt. 5. At least once a week and, less than ten days before voting day at least once every three , banking days the branches of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation shall furnish to a relevant district election commissions, the election commission of a Russian Federation subject, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation the information concerning the sums received to and expended from special electoral accounts of candidates, political parties, electoral blocs according to the forms established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. For this purpose use may be made of the state automated information system. Periodically, but at least once every two weeks before voting day, a relevant district election commission, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall furnish the information about sums received to and expended from electoral funds to the mass media. for publication. Election commissions shall disclose the information supplied by the branches of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation about sums received to and expended from electoral funds to registered candidates, political parties and electoral blocs which registered federal lists of candidates and to the mass media at their official request. At the request of a relevant election commission and, with regard to a electoral fund, also at the request of a candidate, political party, electoral bloc branches of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation shall, within three days or, three days before voting day - immediately, furnish certified copies of primary financial documents confirming receipt of sums to and their expenditure from electoral funds. 6. Within ten days of a request made by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation the tax authorities of the Russian Federation shall submit the following documents to this commission: (1) copies of consolidated financial reports of political parties which nominated registered federal lists of candidates and political parties, other all-Russia public associations comprised in electoral blocs which nominated registered federal lists of candidates for four accounting years preceding the year of the election. If a political party, other all-Russia public associations were registered less than four years before the year of the election such reports shall be submitted for the period which commences from the year of the registration of the political party, other all-Russia public association and ends in the year preceding the year of the election; (2) information at the disposal of the tax authorities about audits of the consolidated financial reports of political parties which nominated federal lists of candidates, political parties, other all-Russia public associations comprised in electoral blocs, including information about infractions in the financial activity of these political parties, other all-Russia public associations. 7. The national and regional state print media shall publish the information furnished by election commissions about sums received to and expended from electoral funds as well the in formation from the consolidated financial reports of political parties, other all-Russia public associations

indicated in Clause 6 of this article. The following information shall be subject to mandatory publication: (1) information about financial operations which involve expenditure of money from an electoral fund (of a political party, other all-Russia public associations) in an amount exceeding 800 thousand rubles for a political party, other all Russia public associations, an electoral bloc and 200 tho usand rubles for a candidate; (2) information about legal entities which contributed sums to an electoral fund (to the account of a political party, other all-Russia public associations) in the form of a voluntary donation exceeding 400 thousand rubles for a political party, other all-Russia public associations, an electoral bloc and 100 thousand rubles for a candidate; (3) information about the number of people who contributed sums to an electoral fund (to the account of a political party, other all-Russia public associations) in the form of a voluntary donation exceeding 20 thousand rubbles; (4) information about the sums returned to donors and the reasons therefor; (5) information about the total amount of money received to an electoral fund (to the account of a political party, other all-Russia public associations) and the total amount of money expended therefrom. 8. Within five days of receipt of a request from an election commission the federal bodies of state power of the Russian Federation, bodies of state power of Russian Federation subjects and the bodies authorized by them, which are in charge of registration of citizens and legal entities shall, free of charge, verify the information indicated by the citizens and legal entities when they were making voluntary donations to electoral funds of candidates, political parties, electoral blocs and shall inform the election commission of the results of such verification. This information shall be submitted to election commissions according to the forms established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. In this case, use may be made of the state automated information system. At the request of candidates, political parties, electoral blocs a relevant election commission shall, without any delay, present to them the information which it has at its disposal as of the date of the request. If an election commission receives information about donations made in violation of Clause 7, Article 66 of this Federal Law, this information shall be promptly made known to candidates, political parties, electoral blocs concerned. 9. A candidate simultaneously nominated in several electoral districts at different elections shall submit copies of his financial reports for each electoral district, in which he is nominated, to the election commission of a Russian Federation subject at intervals established for submission of financial reports by this Federal Law, other federal laws, the law of the Russian Federation subject.

Article 71. Return of Money by Cand idates, Political Parties, Electoral Blocs
1. After voting day, prior to submission of the final financial report but not before an election commission returns the electoral deposit (if such a deposit was paid), a candidate, a political party and an electoral bloc which did not register a federal list of candidates, a political party and an electoral bloc which registered a federal list of candidates which, according to vote returns, received not less than two percent of the vote in the federal electoral district or which was included in the distribution of deputy seats, as well as a political party, an electoral bloc which recalled a federal list of candidates because of compelling circumstances shall return unexpended sums remaining in their special electoral account to citizens and legal entities that

made voluntary donations or transfers to their electoral funds, in proportion to the contributed amounts, less postal charges. An electoral deposit shall be returned in accordance with the procedure set forth in Article 68 of this Federal Law. 2. A political party, an electoral bloc which do not fall within Clause 1 of this article shall fully compensate state TV and radio broadcasting organizations and the editorial offices of state print media for the cost of free air time and free space in print media provided to them. Such compensation shall be paid by political parties, electoral blocs out of their electoral funds before the day of the submission of the final financial report. 3. Within three days of the official publication of the general election results, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall deliver to state TV and radio broadcasting organizations and the editorial offices of state print media the list of political parties, electoral blocs falling within Clause 2 of this article and political parties, other all-Russia public associations which were comprised at the relevant time in the electoral blocs falling within Clause 2 of this article, along with their legal addresses and certified copies of excerpts from joint decisions of electoral blocs on the procedure for compensation of the cost of free air time and space in print media provided to them. 4. Within ten days of the official publication of the general election results, state TV and radio broadcasting organizations and the editorial offices of state print media shall advise each political party, each electoral bloc falling within Clause 2 of this article, each political party and each other all-Russia public association, which were comprised in an electoral bloc falling within Clause 2 of this article, of the amount and cost of the free air time and free space in print media which were provided to them as well as their own legal addresses and bank details. 5. The cost of free air time and free space in print media shall be determined by multiplying the amount of air time and space, provided to political parties, electoral blocs in accordance with Clauses 1 to 3, Article 60 and Clauses 1 to 3, Article 61 of this Federal Law, by the rates charged for air time and space in print media, as fixed and published by TV and radio broadcasting organizations and the editorial offices of print media in accordance with Clause 9, Article 59 of this Federal Law. If a political party, an electoral bloc which registered a federal list of candidates used free air time for joint campaigning events indicated in Clause 4, Article 60 of this Federal Law, the sums to be paid by each political party, each electoral bloc shall be determined by TV and radio broadcasting organizations by dividing the total amount due into equal parts depending on the total number of the participants (political parties, electoral blocs) in each of these joint campaigning events. No compensation shall be paid for the provided free air time and space in print media if a political party, an electoral bloc officially refused to use such air time and space as and when established by Clause 16, Article 60 and Clause 10, Article 61 of this Federal Law 6. A political party, an electoral bloc which do not fall within Clause 1 of this article shall not return unexpended sums from their electoral funds to citizens and legal entities who/which made voluntary donations and transfers to these electoral funds before the political party, electoral bloc pay compensation for free air time and free space in print media to TV and radio broadcasting organizations and the editorial offices of print media. After paying the cost of free air time and free space to TV and radio broadcasting organizations and the editorial offices of print media a political party, an electoral bloc which do not fall within Clause 1 of this article shall remit money from the remainder of their electoral funds to the accounts of citizens and legal entities who/which made donations and transfers in proportion to the amounts thereof. 7. Upon the elapse of 60 days after voting day branches of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation shall transfer the sums remaining on special electoral accounts of candidates, political parties, electoral blocs to the federal budget on the basis of written instructions of relevant election commissions. 8. If an electoral fund has no money left or its financial resources are insufficient, political parties, electoral blocs shall pay the cost of free air time and free space in print media provided to them out of their own funds. If the cost of the provided free air time and free space in print

media has to be paid by an electoral bloc, then the amount to be paid shall be distributed in equal parts between the electoral parties, other all-Russia public associations which were comprised this electoral bloc as of voting day, unless some other manner of distribution is provided for in the joint decision on the establishment of the electoral bloc which was earlier submitted to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. 9. A political party, an electoral bloc, which do not fall within Clause 1 of this article and which did not comply with the requirements of Clause 2 of this article before submission of the final financial report, may make a payment for the provided free air time and free space to TV and radio broadcasting organizations and the editorial offices of print media within 12 months of voting day, if a contract for the provision of free air time, free space concluded with the TV and radio broadcasting organizations, the editorial offices of the print media does not specify otherwise. 10. If the obligations assumed under a contract for the provision of free air time, free space in print media were not fulfilled, a relevant TV and radio broadcasting organization, the editorial office of a relevant print media outlet may apply to a court for collection of the sums due to them after the payment period specified in the contract expires. 11. After the end of an election campaign the obligations imposed by this article on electoral blocs shall be borne by the political parties, other all-Russia public associations which participated in the election campaign as members of this electoral bloc. 12. Not later than 13 months after voting day, state TV and radio broadcasting organizations and the editorial offices of state print media shall inform the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation about political parties, other all-Russia public associations falling within Clause 2 of this article, which did not pay full compensation for the cost of the provided free air time and free space in print media and about the progress of collection, through courts, of debts arising out of non-fulfillment of the obligations under a contract indicated in Clause 10 of this article. 13. Within ten days of the official publication of the decision to call the election (with the exception of a repeat election or a by-election in single-seat electoral districts), state TV and radio broadcasting organizations and the editorial offices of state pint media shall furnish to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation the information about the sums owed them by political parties, other all-Russia public associations falling within Clause 2 of this article, which did not pay full compensation for the cost of the provided free air time and free space in print media as of the day of the official publication of the decision to call the election, as well as the information about such debts collected through courts. 14. Political parties, other all-Russia public associations which acted independently or within electoral blocs at the previous election of deputies of the State Duma and which fall within Clause 2 of this article and owe debts to state TV and radio broadcasting organizations and the editorial offices of state print media as of the day of the official publication of the decision to call the election as well as their legal successors shall not be entitled to free air time and free space in print media at the election. This provision shall also apply to electoral blocs formed with the participation of such political parties and other all-Russia public associations. 15. Based on the information submitted in accordance with Clause 13 of this article the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall make up a list of political parties, other allRussia public associations which fall within Clause 14 of this article. This list shall be delivered to the mass media.

Article 72. Funding of Election Commissions

1. The funds allocated for the preparation and conduct of the election, financial support of the activity of election commissions, operation and development of automation facilities, training of

election officials and education of voters shall be used by election commissions at their discretion for the purposes defined by this Federal Law. 2. The allocations from the federal budget, including the funds remaining from previous periods, shall be used to finance the expenditures of election commissions incidental to: (1) payment of travel expenses (with the exception of taxi trips and chartered transport) to candidates registered in single-seat electoral districts and candidates included in registered federal lists of candidates in accordance with Article 50 of this Federal Law; (2) additional remuneration of voting members and the staff of election commissions, payment of compensations to voting members of election commissions relieved fr m o their main job for the period of the preparation and conduct of the election and payments to citizens who work in commissions on the basis of civil-law contracts; (3) production of printed materials and publishing activity; (4) acquisition, delivery and installation of equipment (including technological equipment), other tangible assets required for the conduct of the election and exercise of the powers of election commissions; (5) payment of travel expenses, including expenses on the organization of votng in i remote and hard-to-reach areas; (6) delivery and safekeeping of electoral documents, their preparation for the transfer to archives and their disposal; (7) development of the electoral system, including introduction of new electoral technologies, automation facilities, training of election officials and education of voters, implementation of purpose-oriented programs; (8) business trips and other purposes connected with the conduct of the election, the exercise of the powers of election commissions and their activity. 3. Additional remuneration may be paid to voting members of an election commission for the service on the election commission during the period of the prep aration and conduct of the election of deputies of State Duma. A voting member of an election commission relieved from his main job for this period at a commission's request shall retain his main job (position) and shall be paid compensation for the period during which he was relieved from the main job. The compensation and additional labor remuneration shall be paid from and within the limits of the funds allocated from the federal budget for the conduct of the election, in the amount and procedure established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. 4. Labor remuneration of voting members of an election commission working on a permanent (staff) basis and of members of the staff of an election commission shall be paid within the limits of funds allocated from the federal budget to the election commission, in the amount and procedure established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. 5. The procedure for opening and servicing bank accounts, accounting and reporting procedures and the procedure for transferring federal budget funds to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, other election commissions for the preparation and conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma shall be established in accordance with the Federal Law On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum. The banks shall not charge any fee for opening and servicing accounts of election commissions and shall not pay any interest on the funds kept therein. Election commissions shall keep accounting records for the funds allocated from the federal budget.

6. The forms of reports of election commissions on receipt and expenditure of funds allocated for the preparation and conduct of the election and the forms to be used for presenting information about the sums received to and expended from electoral funds of candidates, political parties, electoral blocs shall be established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and agreed with the Central Bank of the Russian Federation. 7. A precinct election commission shall submit a report on the receipt and expenditure of federal budget funds allocated to the given precinct election commission fo the preparation and r conduct of the election to a territorial election commission not later than ten days after voting day. A territorial election commission shall submit a report on the receipt and expenditure of federal budget funds allocated to the given territorial election commission for the preparation and conduct of the election to the election commission of a Russian Federation subject not later than 20 days after voting day. 8. A district election commission shall submit a report on the receipt and expenditure of federal budget funds allocated to the given district election commission for the preparation and conduct of the election and the information about the sums received to and expended from electoral funds of candidates to the election commission of a Russian Federation subject not later than 35 days after the day of the official publication of the election results in the single-seat electoral district. 9. The election commission of a Russian Federation subject shall submit a report on the receipt and expenditure of federal budget funds allocated to the given election commission of a Russian Federation subject for the preparation and conduct of the election and the information about the sums received to and expended from electoral funds of candi ates in each singled seat electoral district to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation not later than 50 days after the day of the official publication of the general election results. 10. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall submit a report on the expenditure of federal budget funds and the information about the sums received to and expended from electoral funds of candidates, political parties, electoral blocs to the chambers of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation and to the mass media not later than three months after the day of the official publication of the general election results. This report and this information shall be published by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation in its official bulletin not later than one month after their submission to the chambers of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation.

Article 73. Supervisory-Auditing Service of Election Commissions

1. The following supervisory-auditing services shall be organized in election commissions to exercise control over correct use of funds allocated to election commissions; monitor the sources, recording and use of the financial resources of electoral funds; audit financial reports of candidates, political parties, electoral blocs; verify the information submitted by candidates about their property, income and sources of the income: (1) the supervisory-auditing service of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation; (2) the supervisory-auditing service of the election commission of a Russian Federation subject; (3) supervisory-auditing services of district election commissions. 2. The supervisory-auditing service shall include the head and the deputy head (deputy heads) of the supervisory-auditing service, members of a relevant election commission appointed to the supervisory-auditing service and specialists of the supervisory-auditing service from among the executives and specialists of state (law-enforcement, fiscal, tax and other) bodies, organizations and institutions, including the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, the Savings Bank of the

Russian Federation, the chief department (national bank) of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation in a Russian Federation subject. At the request of a relevant election commission these bodies shall, not later than a month after the day of the official publication of the decision to call the election, assign specialists to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and the election commission of a Russian Federation subject for a period of not less than five months and to a district election commission for a period of not less than three months. 3. For the period of their work in the supervisory-auditing service specialists indicated in Clause 2 of this article shall be relieved from their main job but shall keep this job (position) and continue to receive the salary and other allowances thereat. These specialists may also receive a remuneration from the funds allocated for the preparation and conduct of the election. 4. The statute of the supervisory-auditing service shall be approved by a relevant election commission. The organizational, legal and logistical support of the supervisory-auditing service of an election commission shall be provided by the election commission. 5. At the request of a relevant election commission the supervisory-auditing service shall: (1) audit financial reports of candidates, political parties, electoral blocs, lower election commissions; (2) organize verification of the information submitted by candidates, authorized representatives of political parties, electoral blocs about the property, income and its sources, monetary deposits, securities, shares of stock and other forms of participation in the capital of commercial organizations, property located outside the territory of the Russian Federation, including such property under trust management; (3) monitor compliance of candidates, political parties, electoral blocs with the rules established for funding election campaigning, other activities directly related to an election campaign; (4) request information concerning all matters within its scope of competence and receive such information from candidates, political parties, electoral blocs, election commissions; (5) make applications to the federal bodies of executive power, other state bodies, organizations of all forms of ownership and to citizens on all matters within the scope of its competence, request the necessary informaton and i documents relating to election funding. Responses to applications of the supervisory-auditing service and the requested materials shall be provided within ten days or, during five and less days before voting day and on voting day - immediately; (6) prepare documents recording financial irregularities in election funding; (7) ask a relevant election commission to call to account candidates, political parties, electoral blocs as well as citizens and legal entities for the infractions committed by them in the funding of the election campaign; (8) involve experts in audits and in the preparation of reports and expert assessments. 6. When exercising its powers the supervisory-auditing service may use the state automated information system.

Chapter X. Voting and Establishment of Election Results

Article 74. Polling Station
1. The polling station shall be placed at the disposal of a precinct election commission free of charge by the head of a municipality (if the charter of the municipality does not provide for an office of head of a municipality, by a person authorized to do so by the representative body of local self-government), and, in the cases provided by this Federal Law, by the commanding officer of a military unit, ship captain, head of a polar station, head of a diplomatic or consular mission of the Russian Federation. 2. The polling station shall have a hall with booths or other special places for secret voting, provided with a lighting system and writing utensils other than pencils. 3. Inside or directly in front of the polling station a precinct election commission shall set up a notice-board for displaying the following information about all candidates, federal lists of candidates and about all political parties, electoral blocs entered in the ballot: (1) the biographical data of candidates in the scope established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation but not less detailed than the data indicated in the ballot; (2) if a candidate, federal list of candidates were nominated by a political party, an electoral bloc, the words nominated by the political party (electoral bloc) and the name of the given political party, electoral bloc; (3) if a candidate nominated his candidature himself, the wordself-nominated; (4) information about the method of the registration of a candidate, federal list of candidates (on the basis of voter signatures, electoral deposit). This information need not be indicated in the cases provided by Clauses 6 to 8, Article 45 of this Federal Law; (5) information about the income and property of candidates within the scope established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation; (6) information from the financial reports of political parties (including political parties comprised in electoral blocs), which registered federal lists of candidates, about verification of these reports by tax authorities of the Russian Federation, within the scope established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation; (7) information, if any, about the inaccuracy of the data submitted by candidates in accordance with Clause 7, Article 38, Clauses 4 and 11, Article 41 of this Federal Law. 4. If a registered candidate, including a candidate on a federal list of candidates, has a conviction that has not been cancelled and annulled, this fact shall be indicated in the information materials; 5. If, apart from Russian citizenship a registered candidate, including a candidate on a federal list of candidates, has foreign citizenship, the information materials shall indicate this fact and the name of the corresponding foreign state.

6. The notice-board shall display samples of marked ballots which must not contain names of candidates registered in the given single-seat electoral district, names of candidates on registered federal lists of candidates, names of political parties, electoral blocs participating in this election. 7. Information about registered candidates, political parties, electoral blocs shall be arranged in the information materials in the order which was determined when the form and the text of ballots were approved. 8. The materials displayed on the notice-board shall be free from any election propaganda. 9. The notice-board shall display excerpts from the criminal and administrative legislation of the Russian Federation establishing responsibility for the violation of electoral rights of Russian Federation citizens. A precinct election commission shall arrange these materials so that voters could easily read them. 10. At the polling station there shall be federal lists of candidates registered by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. 11. Enlarged forms of the protocols of vote returns shall be provided at the polling station to record vote returns as they are determined. The enlarged form of the protocol of vote returns shall be posted before the commencement of voting so that it is within the field of vision of members of a precinct election commission, observers, at a distance at which they can read the information contained therein. 12. Inside the polling station there shall be stationary ballot boxes. The functions of stationary ballot boxes may be performed by vote-counting machines, including programmed technical complexes for processing of ballots. Vote-counting machines shall be used in the procedure established by the Federal Law On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum, in accordance with the Instructions approved by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. 13. The polling station shall be fitted out so that the places where ballots are issued, as well as the voting booths and the ballot boxes are all located within the field of vision of members of a precinct election commission, observers.

Article 75. Ballots

1. Ballots shall be documents subject to strict accountability. Numbering of ballots shall not be allowed. The procedure for controlling the production of ballots and their quantity shall be approved by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation not later than 45 days before voting day. 2. Ballots shall be produced with the use of special paper (paper with water marks or colored paper) or special paint. A ballot blank shall be provided with a micro-inscription or a protective grid printed thereon. 3. At the election of deputies of the State Duma printed ballots shall be produced for the federal electoral district and for single-seat electoral districts. Ballots for voting in the federal electoral district and in single-seat electoral district shall differ in form. The form and the Russian text of the ballot for the federal electoral district and the form of the ballot for a single-seat electoral district shall be approved by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation not later than 32 days before voting day. The Russian text of the ballot for a single-seat electoral district shall be approved by a district election commission not later than 29 days before voting day. The text shall be printed only on one side of the ballot. 4. A ballot for the federal electoral district shall contain the abbreviated names of political parties, electoral blocs, which registered federal lists of candidates, and their emblems (if the

emblems were submitted to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation in accordance with Clause 4, Article 35 of this Federal Law) printed in black and white. Under the name of each electoral bloc there shall be abbreviated names of political parties, other allRussia public associations comprised in this electoral bloc. Lot-drawing shall be organized by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation with participation of authorized representatives of political parties, electoral blocs not later than 36 days before voting day. The number drawn by a political party, an electoral bloc shall be retained by them until the end of the election campaign. Placed under the name of a political party, an electoral bloc shall be the surname, first name and patronymic of each of the first three candidates from the federal part of a federal list of candidates nominated by this political party, electoral bloc. In each Russian Federation subject, after the aforementioned information the ballot shall also indicate the name of the regional group of candidates on the federal list of candidates of the given political party, electoral bloc, corresponding to the given Russian Federation subject, and the surname, first name and patronymic of each of the first three candidates from this regional group of candidates. If a federal list of candidates does not have a federal part, the ballot shall indicate the name of the regional group of candidates and the surname, first name and patronymic of each of the first three candidates from this regional group of candidates. 5. A blank box shall be placed to the right of the name of each political party, each electoral bloc. A line reading Against all federal lists of candidates with a blank box to the right thereof shall be placed at the end of the list of political parties, electoral blocs. 6. In the ballot for a single-seat electoral district surnames of registered candidates shall be arranged in the alphabetical order. The ballot shall contain the following information about each candidate: (1) the surname, first name, patronymic; (2) the year of birth; (3) the place of residence (name of a Russian Federation subject, raion, city, other populated center); (4) the main place of work or service, official position (occupation if there is no main place of work or service). If a candidate is a deputy and exercises his powers on a non-permanent basis, this fact and the name of the representative body; (5) if a candidate was nominated by a political party, an electoral bloc, the words Nominated by the political party (electoral bloc)and the abbreviated name of the political party, electoral bloc; (6) if a candidate nominated his candidature himself, the wordself-nominated; (7) information about the method of registration (on the basis of voter signatures, electoral deposit). This information need not be indicated in the cases provided by Clauses 6 and 7, Article 45 of this Federal Law. If a registered candidate indicated his membership in some public association in accordance with Clause 8, Article 38 or Clause 4, Article 41 of this Federal Law, the ballot shall also indicate the abbreviated name of this public association and the status of the registered candidate in this public association. If a registered candidate is also nominated on a federal list of candidates, this fact shall be indicated in the ballot.

A blank box shall be placed to the right of the data of each registered candidate. A line reading Against all candidates with a blank box to the right thereof shall be placed at the end of the list of registered candidates. 7. If a registered candidate whose surname, first name and patronymic is indicated in the ballot has a conviction that has not been cancelled and annulled, the ballot shall indicate the information about the candidate's conviction. If a registered candidate whose data is indicated in the ballot has Russian Federation citizenship and foreign citizenship, the ballot shall indicate the information about the foreign citizenship of the registered candidate. The information about convictions and foreign citizenship shall be indicated in the ballot on the basis of the appropriate documents submitted to an election commission before approval of the text of the ballot. 8. Each ballot shall contain marking instructions. 9. Ballots shall be printed in the Russian language. Subject to a decision of the election commission of a Russian Federation subjects, ballots shall be printed in the Russian language and in the official language of the given republic comprised in the Russian Federation and, in the necessary cases, in the languages of the peoples of the Russian Federation on the territories where they are concentrated. If ballots for an electoral precinct are printed in two or more languages, the Russian text shall be printed on each ballot. The text of the ballot in the official languages of a Russian Federation subject and in the languages of the peoples of the Russian Federation shall be approved by the election commission of a Russian Federation subject not later than 27 days before voting day. 10. Ballots for voting in the federal electoral district shall be printed only by a decision of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation in printshops adequately equipped for production of electoral documents, not later than 22 days before voting day. Ballots for voting in single-seat electoral districts shall be printed not later than 22 days before voting day only by a decision of the election commissions of Russian Federation subjects or, subject to a resolution of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, by a decision of district election commissions, in printshops adequately equipped for production of electoral documents. The quantity of ballots produced for the election of deputies of the State Duma shall not exceed by more than three percent the number of voters registered in the federal electoral district and in each single-seat electoral district. 11. Ballots produced by a printshop shall be inspected and defective ballots rejected by the personnel of the printshop under the supervision of voting members of the election commission which placed an order for the ballots and then ballots shall be handed over to the members of this election commission on the basis of a certificate. The certificate must indicate the date and time when it was drawn up and the quantity of ballots being handed over. After the ballots packed in bundles are handed over in the quantity corresponding to the order, the perso nnel of the printshop shall destroy rejected and surplus ballots (if any) and shall draw up a certificate to this effect. A relevant election commission shall notify all members of the election commission, candidates, political parties, electoral blocs (their representatives) of the time when and the place where ballots are to be inspected and handed over to the election commission. The printshop shall allow at least one representative from each candidate, political party, electoral bloc to be present when all these actions are performed and each of these persons may put his signature on the certificates mentioned in this clause. 12. After receiving ballots from a printshop an election commission which placed an order for the ballots shall, not later than 20 days before voting day, deliver the ballots to territorial election commissions in the presence of members of a district election commission, on the basis of a certificate indicating the date and time when it was drawn up and the quantity of the ballots being delivered. The quantity of ballots to be delivered to each territorial election commission shall be determined by a decision of a district election commission but it shall not exceed by more than 2.5 percent the number of voters registered on the territory of a relevant single-seat electoral district. The ballots remaining after the delivery of ballots to territorial election commissions shall be handed over to a district election commission. Proceeding in the same manner a territorial election commission shall deliver ballots to precinct election commissions

not later than four days before voting day. The quantity of ballots to be delivered to each precinct election commission shall not be less than 90 percent of the number of voters included in the voters list for the given electoral precinct as of the day of the delivery of ballots and shall not exceed this number by more than 0.5 percent. If the number of voters included in the voters list is less than 200, two extra ballots shall be supplied to a pr ecinct election commission. Precinct election commissions formed outside the territory of the Russian Federation or territorial election commissions formed in accordance with Clause 3, Article 21 of this Federal Law may be supplied with ballots directly by an election commission which placed an order for ballots, in the procedure established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. 13. Signatures of two voting members of a precinct election commission certified by the commission's seal shall be put at the upper right on the face of all ballots received by the precinct election commission. 14. The responsibility for the delivery and safekeeping of ballots shall be borne by chairmen of election commissions which deliver, accept and keep the ballots. 15. If any candidates withdraw from the election, or if the registration of federal lists of candidates of any political parties, electoral blocs is cancelled or the lists are recalled after ballots have been produced, territorial and precinct election commissions shall, on the instruction of the election commissions which registered these candidates, federal lists of candidates, cross out the data of these candidates, political parties, electoral blocs on ballots. If additional data of a political party, an electoral bloc, registered candidate is to be entered in printed ballots or if such data is to be changed then, subject to a decision of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, the required changes or additions may be introduced in ballots by members of a district election commission, territorial election commission, precinct election commission by hand or with the use of a stamp. 16. Should a decision to register a candidates, federal list of candidates be taken less than seven days before voting day, after ballots have been produced, an election commission which registered such candidate, federal list of candidates may resolve that the data of this registered candidate, federal list of candidates be entered in printed ballots by hand or with the use of technical facilities. 17. In exceptional cases, in electoral precincts formed in remote and hard-to-reach regions, on ships at sea on voting day, at polar stations, at electoral precincts established outside the territory of the Russian Federation electoral documents, including ballots, may be printed by a precinct election commission itself. A decision to produce electoral documents, indicating the required quantity of ballots and the deadline for their production, shall be taken by this precinct election commission with the concurrence of a relevant territorial election commission. 18. On voting day, after the voting time ends, district, territorial election commissions shall count and cancel unused ballot and draw up a certificate to this effect. The persons indicated in Clause 5, Article 31 of this Federal Law may be present when ballots are being cancelled. Cancelled ballots shall be sealed and handed over for safekeeping to the secretary of an election commission.

Article 76. Absentee Certificate

1. An absentee certificate shall be a document subject to strict accountability. The form of an absentee certificate and the procedure for its production, the quantity of absentee certificates and the form of a register of issued absentee certificates as well as the requirements to the production of absentee certificates shall be approved by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation not later than 60 days before voting day. The form of an absentee certificate shall be such as to allow the following to be entered in the absentee certificate: the surname, first name and patronymic of the voter; the number of the electoral district and the number of electoral precinct where the voter is included in the voters list at the p lace of

residence. Absentee certificates shall be delivered from the higher election commission to a lower election commission in the same manner as ballots. The responsibility for the delivery and safekeeping of absentee certificates shall be borne by the chairmen of election commissions which deliver, accept and keep absentee certificates. 2. A voter unable, on voting day, to come to the polling station of an electoral precinct where he is included in the voters list may receive an absentee certificate fr om a relevant territorial election commission (45 to 25 days before voting day), precinct election commission (24 and less days before voting day) of the given precinct and take part in the voting within the electoral district where the given voter is entitled to an active electoral right in accordance with Clauses 1 and 2, Article 4 of this Federal Law, in the electoral precinct where he will be on voting day 3. Based on a written application of a voter indicating the reasons why the voter needs an absentee certificate a relevant election commission shall issue an absentee certificate either to the voter personally or to his representative provided with a notarized power of attorney. A power of attorney may also be certified by the administration of a hospial (if a voter is t undergoing medical treatment at this hospital), by the administration of an institution where suspects or defendants are confined (if a voter is held in this institution as a suspect or defendant). 4. A territorial election commission shall issue absentee certificates to voters on the basis of the information about the voters submitted to the commission by the head of a municipality (if the charter of the municipality does not provide for an office of head of a municipality, by a person authorized to do so by the representative body of local self-government) in accordance with the regulation on the State System for Registration of Voters, Referendum Participants. A territorial election commission shall keep a register of issued absentee certificates indicating the surname, first name and patronymic of the voter, year of birth (for voters 18 years old - also the day and month of birth), address of the place of residence. Twenty five days before voting day, together with the first copy of the voters list a territorial election commission shall furnish to precinct election commissions certified excerpts from the register of issued absentee certificates indicating the data of voters registered in the territory of these electoral precincts, who received absentee certificates. Based on such excerpt a precinct election commission shall make appropriate notes in the voters list. 5. A voter or his representative shall sign for receipt of an absentee certificate in the register of issued absentee certificates (in a territorial election commission) or in the voters list (in a precinct election commission), indicating the series and number of his passport or an equivalent identity document. In this case, this voter shall be removed from the voters list of the given electoral precinct at the given election and shall not be reckoned in when a precinct election commission counts the number of registered voters to prepare its protocol. 6. An absentee certificate shall be valid if it bears the seal of a territorial or precinct election commission and is signed by a member of a territorial or precinct election commission who issued the absentee certificate. 7. On voting day, upon production of an absentee certificate, a voter shall be put on the voters list in any other electoral precinct within the electoral district where the voter is entitled to an active electoral right, after which the absentee certificate shall be withdrawn. When signing for a ballot (ballots) in the voters list this voter shall additionally indicate his place of residence. 8. On voting day, before the voting time begins, unused absentee certificates shall be cancelled and a corresponding certificate shall be executed by a territorial or precinct election commission.

Article 77. Voting Procedure

1. Voting shall be conducted from 8.00 to 20.00, local time.

2. Territorial and precinct election commissions shall inform voters about the time and place of voting not later than 20 days before voting day through the mass media or by oth methods er and, when early voting is to be conducted in accordance with Article 78 of this Federal Law, not later than five days before early voting day. 3. A precinct election commission formed on ships at sea, in military units, at polar stations, in remote and hard-to-reach regions may declare voting to be completed ahead of the time specified in Clause 1 of this Article if all voters on the voters list have voted. 4. At 8.00 on voting day, the chairman of a precinct election commission shall declare the polling station open and shall invite the members of a precinct election commission, voters and persons indicated in Clause 5, Article 31 of this Federal Law, who are present at the polling station, to examine empty stationary and mobile ballot boxes. Then the ballot boxes shall be sealed by the seal of a precinct election commission. The chairman of a precinct election commission shall also show to the said persons sealed mobile ballot boxes containing ballots marked in accordance with Clauses 2 to 9, Article 78 of this Federal Law by early voters (if any). 5. Voting members of a precinct election commission shall receive ballots from the chairman of a precinct election commission for issuance to voters and shall sign for their receipt. After that the chairman of a precinct election commission shall invite voters to start voting. 6. Ballots shall be issued to voters included in the voters lists upon production of a passport or an equivalent identity document and also an absentee certificate, if a voter votes on the basis of an absentee certificate. Each voter may receive two ballots: one ballot for voting in the federal electoral district and one ballot for voting in the given single-seat electoral district, save the cases provided by Clause 11 of this article. If a voter votes on the basis of an absentee certificate at the place of his temporary stay outside the single-seat electoral district where the voter is entitled to an active electoral right in accordance with Clauses 1 and 2, Article 4 of this Federal Law, he shall receive only one ballot - the ballot for voting in the federal electoral district. Before issuing ballots to a voter a member of the election commission shall check to make sure that the voter has not voted early, no written or oral application of the voter for voting outside the polling station has been recorded in the register indicated in Clause 2, Article 79 of this Federal Law, no voting members of the election commission have been sent to the voter to conduct voting outside the polling station. 7. When receiving ballots, a voter shall write the series and number of his passport or an equivalent identity document in the voters list. With the consent or at the request of a voter the series and number of his passport or an equivalent identfy document may be entered in the i voters list by a voting member of a precinct election commission. A voter shall check the correctness of the entry and shall sign for receipt of each ballot. The member of the election commission who issued ballots to a voter shall also put his signature in the corresponding column of the voters list. If a voter votes on the basis of an absentee certificate, a note to this effect shall be made in the voters list. 8. A voter shall vote by putting any mark in the box to the right of the candidate or the federal list of candidates chosen by the voter or the box to the right of the words Against all candidates (Against all federal lists of candidates). 9. Each voter shall vote in person. Voting for other voters shall not be allowed, save as otherwise provided by Clause 10 of this article. Ballots shall be marked in a booth or some other place specially prepared for secret voting, where the presence of other persons shall not be allowed, save as otherwise provided by Clause 10 of this article. 10. A voter who is not able to sign for receipt of ballots or mark the ballots by himself may be assisted by another voter who is not a member of the election commission, or a registered candidate, or an authorized representative or agen of a political party, an electoral bloc, t registered candidate, or an observer. In this case, a voter shall orally inform the election commission of his intention to ask for assistance in marking the ballot. The surname, first name and patronymic, series and number of the passport or an equivalent identity document of the

person assisting such voter shall be indicated in the appropriate column (columns) of the voters list. 11. If a voter thinks that he has made a mistake when marking a ballot, he may ask the election commission member who had issued the ballot to give him a new ballot in place of the spoilt one. The election commission member shall issue a new ballot to the voter, note this fact in the voters list against the name of this voter and sign the note. The spoilt ballot bearing an appropriate note and a signature of a voting member of the election commission shall be immediately cancelled. 12. Voters shall drop marked ballots into a sealed stationary ballot box. 13. The chairman of a precinct election commission shall maintain order at the polling station. Instructions of the chairman issued within the scope of his competence shall be mandatory for all persons present in the polling station. In the absence of the chairman of a precinct election commission his functions shall be performed by the deputy chairman of a precinct election commission, and, in the absence of the deputy chairman, by the secretary of the commission or some other voting member of the given election commission authorized thereby. 14. Persons indicated in Clause 5, Article 31 of this Federal Law may be present at the polling station during the voting, when votes are being counted and when a precinct election commission is preparing the protocol of vote returns. Based on their cre dentials a precinct election commission shall make up a list of persons who observed the progress of voting and tabulation of votes. 15. A member of a precinct election commission shall be immediately barred from participation in its work and an observer and other persons shall be expelled from the polling station if they commit a violation of the electoral laws of the Russian Federation. In such cases a reasoned decision shall be taken by a precinct election commission or a higher election commission. The decision shall be taken in writing. The law enforcement authorities shall enforce the decision and take steps to bring the barred member of a precinct election commission, expelled observer and other persons to responsibility under Russian Federation laws. 16. Registered candidates and their agents, political parties, electoral blocs and their agents and authorized representatives as well as the organizations, which are founded, owned, possessed by the said persons and organizations and/or which have govern bodies where ing the said persons and organizations are represented, other natural persons and legal entities acting at the request or on the instructions of the said persons and organizations shall not take any actions to arrange for transportation of voters for participation in voting.

Article 78. Early Voting

1. A district election commission may allow all voters in one of or several electoral precincts on ships at sea on voting day, at polar stations, in other remote and hard-to-reach areas to vote early but not earlier than 15 days prior to voting day. In this case, early voting shall be conducted in accordance with the rules established by Article 77 of this Federal Law. Immediately after the end of early voting votes cast by voters shall be counted and vote returns shall be determined in accordance with the requirements of Clauses 80 and 81 of this Federal Law. 2. If separate groups of voters included in the voters list of an electoral precinct remain at places which are far away from the polling station and are inaccessible or hard to reach by any means of transport (at polar stations and in other remote and hard-to-reach areas) and, therefore, early voting cannot be conducted in the whole electoral precinct in accordance with Clause 1 of this article, a district election commission may, with the concurrence of the election commission of a Russian Federation subject, allow these groups of voters to vote early, but not earlier than 15 days before voting day, in the course of several days, in the procedur established by Clauses e 3 to 9 of this article.

3. Early voting indicated in Clause 2 of this article shall be conducted with the use of mobile ballot boxes, the quantity of such boxes being determined by a relevant precinct election commission. Before early voting starts, at the premises of a precinct election commission empty mobile ballot boxes shall be shown to and examined by the majority of the commission's members and the persons indicated in Clause 5, Article 31 of this Federal Law, and an appropriate certificate shall be executed to record this fact. After that, empty mobile ballot boxes shall be sealed (seals shall be affixed to the ballot boxes). 4. Two voting members of a precinct election commission shall put their signatures at the upper right on the face of each ballot issued to an early voter and their signatures shall be certified by a seal of a precinct election commission. 5. Early voting outside the polling station shall be conducted by not less than two voting members of a precinct election commission. They shall be provided with a mobile ballot box sealed beforehand in a precinct election commission; the required number of ballots of a standard form; an excerpt from the voters list containing the data of the voters whom they are going to visit to conduct early voting, or the voters list; the necessary writing utensils (excepting pencils) for voters to mark ballots. 6. An early voter shall sign for each ballot issued to him in the excerpt from the voters list or in the voters list. Members of a precinct election commission who conduct early voting shall make a note in the said excerpt or in the said voters list to indicate that the voter voted early and shall indicate the date and time of voting. If a voter put his signature in the excerpt from the voters list, these notes as well as the series and number of the passport or an equivalent identity document shall be entered in the voters list after the end of early voting. The said excerpt from the voters list shall be kept together with the voters list. The entries made in the voters list shall be signed by members of a precinct election commission who conducted early voting. 7. A voter shall mark the ballot and drop it into a mobile ballot box as provided in Article 77 of this Federal Law. 8. A certificate shall be drawn up to record the fact of early voting, indicating the day and time of voting, the number of voters who received ballots for participation in early voting, the names of the election commission members and other persons present at the voting. This certificate shall be kept together with the mobile ballot box. 9. After the end of early voting the slots for ballots in mobile ballot boxes shall be sealed by the chairman of a precinct election commission. Arrangements for safeke eping of mobile ballot boxes shall be made by the secretary of a precinct election commission. Mobile ballot boxes shall not be opened till the beginning of vote counting at the polling station. Mobile ballot boxes containing ballots dropped there by early voters shall not be used for voting on voting day. 10. Early voting may be witnessed by persons indicated in Clause 5, Article 31 of this Federal Law. When early voting is to be conducted with the use of mobile ballot boxes, a precinct election commission shall make arrangements for at least two persons from among non-voting members of the election commission, observers appointed by different registered candidates, political parties, electoral blocs to have the same possibilities to go to the place where early voting is to be conducted as the voting members of a precinct election commission who are to conduct early voting . 11. Early voting shall be conducted only at the time established by the decision of a relevant precinct election commission. This time shall be made known to voters and persons indicated in Clause 5, Article 31 of this Federal Law through the mass media and/or by other means. 12. When conducting early voting an election commission shall ensure the secrecy of voting, prevent any possibility of the expression of the voters' will being distorted, make arrangements for safekeeping of ballots and ensure that the votes of voters are reckoned in when the vote returns are determined and election results are established.

Article 79. Voting Outside the Polling Station On Voting Day

1. A precinct election commission shall make arrangements to enable voters to vote if they are entitled to be on, or are included in, the voters list in the given electoral precinct but are unable to come to the polling station for valid reasons (poor health, physical disability). A precinct election commission may determine that the reason why election commission members are called out is untenable and refuse to conduct voting outside the polling station. 2. Save as otherwise provided by Article 78 of this Federal Law, voting outside the polling station shall be conducted only on voting day and only on the basis of a written or oral application of a voter (which may be relayed through other persons) for voting outside the polling station. Such application may be made by a voter at any time after the formation of a precinct election commission but not later than four hours before the end of the voting time on voting day. A precinct election commission shall record all received applications in a special register and, after the end of voting, shall keep this register together with the voters list. 3. An entry in the register mentioned in Clause 2 of this article recording an oral application shall indicate the time when the application was received; the surname, first name and patronymic of the voter who stated his intention to vote outside the polling station; the voter's place of residence. The entry shall be signed by a member of a precinct election commission who received the application (telephone call, message, etc.). If such application was relayed by another person, the register shall also indicate the surname, first name and patronymic of this person. Upon the arrival of members of a precinct election commission to the voter, the voter shall confirm his oral application by a written application which shall be registered with the indication of the time when it was received. 4. A written or oral application of a voter for voting outside the polling station must state the reason why the voter is unable to come to the polling station and must indicate the same data of the voter as is contained in the voters list. A precinct election commission may determine that the reason why a voter is unable to come to the polling station unaided is untenable and, on this basis, refuse to allow the voter to vote outside the polling station. 5. At least 30 minutes before the departure of members of a precinct election commission, the chairman of the precinct election commission shall announce that commission members are going to conduct voting outside the polling station. 6. A precinct election commission shall have the necessary number (but not more than three) of mobile ballot boxes to conduct voting in accordance with this article, the number of such boxes being determined by a decision of the precinct election commission. 7. Voting members of a precinct election commission who conduct voting outside the polling station on the basis of written or oral applications of voters shall receive ballots and sign for their receipt. Voting outside the polling station shall be conducted by not less than two voting members of a precinct election commission who shall bring with them a mobile ballot box sealed beforehand at the precinct election commission; the required number of ballots of the standard form; a certified excerpt from the register indicated in Clause 2 of this article, containing the necessary data of the voters and the information about the received written and oral applications of voters for voting outside the polling station (an appropriate note shall be made in the register when this extract is issued); the written applications for voting outside the polling station; the necessary writing utensils (excepting pencils) for voters to mark the ballots. Voting outside the polling station may be conducted by one voting member of a precinct election commission, provided that not less than two persons indicated in Clause 12 of this article are present at the voting. 8. Voting outside the polling station shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of Article 77 of this Federal Law.

9. In the written application for voting outside the polling station the voter shall indicate the series and number of his passport or an equivalent identity document and the address of the place of residence and shall sign for receipt of each ballot. With the consent or at the request of the voter the series and number of his passport or an equivalent identify document may be entered in the application by a voting member of a precinct election commission. Voting members of a precinct election commission shall confirm the issuance of ballots by putting their signatures on the written application of the voter. A corresponding note shall be made on the application when a new ballot is issued in place of a spoilt one. 10. The voting members of a precinct election commission who conduct voting outside the polling station on the basis of written or oral applications of voters shall issue ballots only to those voters whose written or oral applications were recorded in the register as provided by Clause 2 of this Article. 11. The series and number of the passport or an equivalent identity document of a voter who voted outside the polling station shall be entered in the voters list by the voting members of a precinct election commission who conducted voting outside the polling station on the basis of written or oral applications of voters. At the same time, the words Voted outside the polling station, signed by the commission members indicated above, shall be written in the appropriate column (columns) of the voters list. 12. When voting is carried out outside the polling station, non-voting members of an election commission, observers may be present at the voting. In this case, a precinct election commission shall provide the same possibilities to come to the place of voting both for voting members of the precinct election commission who conduct voting outside the polling station and for not less than two non-voting members of the election commission, observers appointed by different candidates, political parties, electoral blocs. Voting outside the polling station shall be organized so as to prevent any violations of electoral rights of citizens and distortion of the expression of a voter's will. 13. If a voter who made a written or oral application for voting outside the polling station comes to the polling station to vote after voting members of a precinct election commission were sent to him to conduct voting outside the polling station, a member of a precinct election commission shall not issue a ballot to this voter at the polling station until the commission members who organize voting outside the polling station in response to a written or oral application of th is voter come back and it has been established that the voter has not voted outside the polling station. 14. A separate certificate shall be drawn up to record the number of written and oral applications of voters for voting outside the polling station and the number of issued, used and returned ballots. The certificate shall also indicate the non-voting members of a precinct election commission and observers who were present when voting outside the polling station was conducted with the use of each mobile ballot box.

Article 80. Protocols of Vote Returns of a Precinct Election Commission

1. A precinct election commission shall prepare two protocols of vote returns in the given electoral precinct: Protocol No. 1 of Vote Returns for the single-mandate electoral district and Protocol No. 2 of Vote Returns for the federal electoral district. 2. The protocol of vote returns of a precinct election commission shall be drawn up on one sheet. In exceptional cases the protocol may consist of more sheets than one and each sheet of such protocols shall be numbered, signed by all present voting members of a precinct election commission and sealed with the commission's seal. Each of the protocols of a precinct election commission indicated in Clause 1 of this article shall contain the following: (1) copy No.;

(2) the name of the election, date of voting, name and number of the electoral district; (3) the word Protocol ; (4) the name of the election commission and the number of the electoral precinct; (5) the following lines of the protocol: line 1: number of voters on the voters list as of the end of voting, who are entitled to an active electoral right in the given electoral district; line 2: number of ballots received by the precinct election commission; line 3: number of ballots issued to early voters; line 4: number of ballots issued by the precinct election commission to voters at the polling station on voting day; line 5: number of ballots issued to voters who voted outside the polling station on voting day; line 6: number of canceled ballots; line 7: number of ballots in the mobile ballot boxes; line 8: number of ballots in the stationary ballot boxes; line 9: number of invalid ballots; line 10: number of valid ballots; line 11: number of absentee certificates received by the precinct election commission; line 12: number of absentee certificates issued by the precinct election commission at the polling station before voting day; line 13: number of voters who voted at the polling station on the basis of absentee certificates; line 14: number of absentee certificates cancelled at the polling station; line 15: number of absentee certificates issued to voters by a territorial election commission. 3. The following data shall be additionally entered in line 18 and the subsequent lines of Protocol No. 1 of Vote Returns for the single-seat electoral district: the surnames, first names and patronymics of registered candidates put on the ballot, in the alphabetical order, and, if these names coincide, other data of the candidates, and the number of votes cast for each registered candidate; the number of votes cast against all candidates.

4. The following data shall be additionally entered in line 18 and the subsequent lines of Protocol No. 2 of Vote Returns for the federal electoral district: the names of political parties, electoral blocs which registered federal lists of candidates, in the order of their arrangement on the ballot, and the number of votes cast for each federal list of candidates; the number of votes cast against all federal lists of candidates. 5. The protocol of vote returns shall contain special lines 16 and 17 to be used for entering the information received in the case provided by Clause 20, Article 81 of this Federal Law. 6. The numbers indicated in Clauses 2 to 5 of this article shall be entered in the protocol in numerals and words. 7. Each of the protocols of vote returns indicated in Clause 1 of this article shall contain: (1) information about the number of complaints (statements) and other documents attached to the protocol, which were received by the precinct election commission on voting day and before the end of vote counting; (3) the surnames and initials of the chairman, the deputy chairman, the secretary and the other voting members of the election commission and their signatures; (3) the date and time when the protocol was signed; (4) the seal of the election commission.

Article 81. Counting of Votes and Preparation of Protocols of Vote Returns of a Precinct Election Co mmission
1. Votes cast by voters shall be counted openly and publicly, with the results of ballot and vote counting carried out by voting members of a precinct election commission being consecutively announced and entered in the enlarged form of the protoc of vote returns. The persons ol indicated in Clause 5, Article 31 of this Federal Law shall be allowed to be present at and observe vote counting. 2. After the voting time expires, the chairman of a precinct election commission shall announce that only those voters who are already inside the polling station may receive ballots and vote. Counting of votes cast by voters shall begin immediately after the voting time expires and shall be continued without interruption until the vote returns are determined. The said vote returns shall be made known to all members of a precinct election commission and to persons present at vote counting in accordance with this Federal Law. 3. After the end of voting, voting members of a precinct election commission in the presence of persons indicated in Clause 5, Article 31 of this Federal Law shall count unused ballots, cancel them by cutting off the lower left corner (care shall be taken to avoid damaging the boxes located on the ballots to the right of the data of registered candidates, names of political parties, electoral blocs and to the right of the lines Against all candidates, Against all federal lists of candidates), announce the number of cancelled ballots obtained by summing up the number of unused ballots and the number of ballots spoilt by voters in the course of voting and enter the number of cancelled ballots in lines 6 of the protocols of vote returns and enlarged forms of these protocols. After that members of a precinct election commission shall announce the number of unused absentee certificates according to the certificate indicated in Clause 8, Article 76 of this Federal Law and enter this number in lines 14 of the protocols of vote returns and their enlarged forms. The cancelled ballots and absentee certificates may be examined by non-

voting members of the election commission, observers, foreign (international) observers under the supervision of voting members of the election commission. 4. The chairman, the deputy chairman or the secretary of a precinct election commission shall ascertain and announce the number of ballots received by the precinct election commission and enter this number in lines 2 of the protocols of vote returns and their enlarged forms. 5. Before starting to count votes voting members of a precinct election commission shall enter the following data in each page of the voters list, summarized for this page separately for the single-seat electoral district and the federal electoral district: (1) the number of voters on the list as of the end of voting (minus the voters issued absentee certificates by a territorial election commission and precinct election commission and voters removed from the voters list for other reasons). The number of voters on the voters list for a single-seat electoral district shall not include voters entered in the list on the basis of absentee certificates if these voters received ballots only for the federal electoral district; (2) the number of ballots issued to voters at the polling station on voting day (as established on the basis of the number of voter signatures in the voters list); (3) the number of ballots issued to voters who voted outside the polling station (as established on the basis of the number of appropriate entries in the voters list); (4) the number of early voters (as established on the basis of the number of appropriate entries in the voters list); (5) the number of absentee certificates issued by the precinct election commission at the polling station of the electoral precinct before voting day; (6) the number of voters who voted at the polling station of the electoral precinct on the basis of absentee certificates; (7) the number of absentee certificates issued to voters by a territorial election commission. 6. After entering the data indicated in Clause 5 of this article the voting member of a precinct election commission who entered this data shall sign each page of the voters list, sum up this data for the pages of the voters list which he signed and announce this data to the chairma n, the deputy chairman or the secretary of a precinct election commission and to persons present at vote counting. The chairman, the deputy chairman or the secretary of a precinct election commission shall announce the summarized data obtained by summing up the data established in accordance with Clause 5 of this article for all pages of the voters list, write this data on the last page of the voters list and certify it with his signature and the seal of a precinct election commission. The announced data shall be entered in the corresponding lines of the protocols of vote returns and their enlarged forms: (1) the number of voters on the voters list as of the end of voting, who are entitled to an active electoral right in the given electoral district - in lines 1; (2) the number of ballots issued to early voters in accordance with Clauses 2 to 9 of Article 78 of this Federal Law - in lines 3; (3) the number of ballots issued to voters at the polling station on voting day - in lines 4;

(4) the number of ballots issued to voters who voted outside the polling station on voting day - in lines 5; (5) the number of absentee certificates received by a precinct election commission - in lines 11 (6) the number of absentee certificates issued by a precinct election commission to voters of this electoral precinct before voting day - in lines 12; (7) the number of voters who voted in this electoral precinct on the basis of absentee certificates - in lines 13; (8) the number of absentee certificates issued to voters by a territorial election commission - in lines 15. After that, the voters list shall be made available for examination to persons indicated in Clause 5, Article 31 of this Federal Law, and non-voting members of a precinct election commission may make sure that the counting was carried out correctly. 7. No further work shall be carried out on the voters list until the control relationships of the data entered in the protocols of vote returns are checked as provided by Clause 20 of this article. In the meantime, the voters list shall be kept in a safe or at a place specially equipped for safekeeping of documents. The chairman or the secretary of a precinct election commission shall make arrangements for the safekeeping of the voters list so as to make it inaccessible to persons present at the polling station. 8. Votes shall be counted by voting members of a precinct election commission from ballots in the ballot boxes. 9. Non-voting members of a precinct election commission, other persons listed in Clause 5, Article 31 of this Federal Law may be present when votes are being counted. 10. Votes shall be counted at the polling station, at special places fitted out so as to allow access to them for voting and non-voting members of a precinct election commission. Voting members of a precinct election commission, with the exception of the chairman (deputy chairman) and the secretary of a precinct election commission, shall not use any writing utensils during vote counting, save as otherwise provided by Clause 15 of this artic The actions of le. members of a precinct election commission shall be clearly visible to all persons present at vote counting. 11. When sorting out the ballots a precinct election commission shall separate ballots which do not conform to a standard format, i.e., which were not produced officially or are not certified by the election commission. Non-standard ballots shall not be reckoned in when votes are counted. Such ballots shall be packed separately and sealed. 12. First of all, ballots shall be counted in the mobile ballot boxes: first in the boxes containing ballots left by early voters, then in the boxes containing ballots left by voters who voted outside the polling station on voting day. Before each mobile ballot box is opened, the number of voters who voted with the use of the given mobile ballot box shall be announced, the integrity of the seals on the boxes shall be checked and at the request of the chairman of a precinct election commission shall be verified by commission members and other persons present at vote counting. Votes shall be counted so as to avoid violating the secrecy of voting, with non standard ballots to be put apart. The number of standard ballots taken out of the boxes shall be announced and entered in line 7 of the protocols of vote returns and their enlarged forms. If the number of standard ballots for voting in the federal electoral district or the single-seat electoral district found in the mobile ballot box exceeds the number of notes made in the voters list to indicate that the voter voted early or the number of applications of voters marked to indicate receipt of a ballot for voting in one or the other electoral district, all ballots for such electoral

district contained in the given mobile ballot box shall be declared invalid by the decision of a precinct election commission and this fact shall be recorded in a separate certificate which shall be appended to the corresponding protocol of vote returns. The certificate shall indicate the surnames and initials of the members of a precinct election commission who conducted early voting or voting outside the polling station using this mobile ballot box. The number of ballots thus invalidated shall be indicated in the aforementioned certificate and subsequently shall be added to the number of invalid ballots found when the ballots are sorted out. The reason why the ballot was invalidated shall be indicated on the face of all such ballots, on the boxes located to the right of the data of registered candidates, names of political parties, electoral blocs. The corresponding note shall be signed by two voting members of a precinct election commission and certified by the commission `s seal and, when votes are to be counted, such ballots shall be packed separately, sealed and disregarded in vote counting. 13. Stationary ballot boxes shall be opened after the integrity of their seals is verified. 14. Voting members of a precinct election commission shall sort out into separate bundles the ballots taken out of the mobile and stationary ballot boxes, according to the votes cast for each registered candidate, each federal list of candidates and against all candidates, all federal lists of candidates; at the same time, they shall put apart non-standard and invalid ballots for the single-seat electoral district and the federal electoral district. While sorting out the ballots, voting members of the precinct election commission shall read out the notes made by voters on ballots and show ballots for examination to all persons present at vote counting. The notes on two and more ballots shall not be read out simultaneously. 15. Invalid ballots shall be counted and summed up separately. Ballots shall be invalid if they do not contain any marks in the boxes to the right of the corresponding registered ca ndidates, names of political parties, electoral blocs, the words Against all candidates, Against all federal lists of candidates, or if more boxes than one are marked on a ballot. If any doubts arise with regard to the expression of a voter's will, the ballot shall be put apart in a separate bundle and, after the ballots are sorted out, a precinct election commission shall decide the question of the validity of each doubtful ballot by voting and a note explaining the reasons why the ballot was pronounced valid or invalid shall be made on the back of the ballot. This note shall be certified by signatures of not less than two voting members of the commission and the commission's seal. The ballot pronounced valid or invalid shall be put in the corresponding bundle of ballots. The total number of invalid ballots (including the ballots invalidated in accordance with Clause 12 of this article) shall be announced and entered in lines 9 of the protocols of vote returns and their enlarged forms. 16. After that the sorted out standard ballots shall be counted separately in each bundle, according to the votes cast for each registered candidate, each federal list of candidates and the votes cast against all candidates, against all federal lists of candidates. Ballots shall be counted by moving them from one part on the bundle to the other part so that the persons present at vote counting could see the mark made by the voter on each ballot. Ballots from different bundles shall not be counted simultaneously. The data thus obtained shall be announced and entered in lines 18 and subsequent lines of the protocols of vote returns and their enlarged forms. 17. Then voting members of a precinct election commission shall sum up the data of lines 18 and subsequent lines of the protocols of vote returns, announce the number of valid ballots and enter this number in lines 10 of the protocols of vote returns and their enlarge forms. 18. Voting members of a precinct election commission shall count the number of standard ballots for the federal electoral district and the single-seat electoral district in the stationary ballot boxes, announce this number and enter it in lines 8 of the protocols of vote returns and their enlarged forms. 19. After that observers, foreign (international) observers may examine the sorted out ballots under the supervision of voting members of a precinct election commission, and non -voting members of the commission may make sure that the counting was carried out correctly.

20. After non-voting members of a precinct election commission and observers examine the sorted out ballots the control relationships of the data entered in the protocols of vote returns shall be checked in accordance with Annex 5 to this Federal Law. If these control relationships are not complied with, a precinct election commission shall take a decision to carry out additional vote counting for all or some of the lines of the protocols of vote returns, including additional counting of ballots. If, after additional counting of the data in lines 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 of the protocol of vote returns the control relationships are not complied with again, a precinct election commission shall draw up a statement to this effect to be appended it to the protocol of vote returns and enter the discrepancies in the special lines of the protocol of vote returns: line 16 Number of lost ballots and line 17 Number of ballots unrecorded upon receipt. If the number indicated in line 2 of the protocol of vote returns is larger than the sum of the numbers indicated in lines 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the protocol of vote returns, the difference between the number indicated in line 2 and the sum of the numbers indicated in lines 3, 4, 5 and 6 shall be entered in line 16 and the numeral 0 shall be put in line 17. If the sum of the numbers indicated in lines 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the protocol of vote returns is larger than the number indicated in line 2 of the protocol of vote returns, the difference between the sum of the numbers indicated in lines 3, 4, 5 and 6 and the number indicated in line 2 shall be entered in line 17 and the numeral 0 shall be put in line 16. If changes have to be made in the protocol of vote returns on the basis of additional counting, a new blank form of the protocol shall be completed and appropriate alterations shall be made in the enlarged form of the protocol. If the control relationships are complied with, the numeral 0 shall be put in lines 16 and 17. 21. After the counting has been completed the ballots shall be packed in separate bundles according to registered candidates, federal list of candidates for whom/which votes are cast in the ballots. Ballots cast against all candidates and all federal lists of candidates as well as invalid and cancelled ballots for the federal electoral district and the single-seat electoral district shall be packed in separate bundles. The bundles shall indicate the number of ballots in the bundle, the surname of the registered candidate, the name of the political party, electoral bloc marked in the ballots or shall bear an inscription Invalid ballots for the federal electoral district, Invalid ballots for the single-seat electoral district, Against all candidates, Against all federal lists of candidates. The ballots packed as above as well as the ballot packed in s accordance with Clauses 11 and 12 of this article and packed absentee certificates shall be placed in bags or boxes which shall be marked with the number of the electoral precinct, the number (name) of the electoral district, the total number of all packed ballots, the total number of all packed absentee certificates. The bags or boxes shall be sealed and may be opened only by a decision of the higher election commission or a court. Voting and non-voting members of a precinct election commission, other persons indicated in Clause 5, Article 31 of this Federal Law may put their signatures on these bags or boxes. 22. After all necessary actions and counting operations are completed a precinct election commission shall hold a mandatory final meeting at which it shall consider complaints and statements about infractions committed during the voting and then sign the protocols of vote returns of the precinct election commission and issue copies of the protocols to persons indicated in Clause 5, Article 31 of this Federal Law, in accordance with Clause 25 of this article. The protocols of vote returns shall be made in duplicate and shall be signed by all voting members of a precinct election commission present at the meeting, with the indication of the date and time (hours and minutes) when they were signed. If vote returns were obtained by means of technical vote counting facilities, the protocols of vote returns shall become legally valid .after they are signed by the aforementioned persons. The protocols of vote returns shall not be completed with a pencil and no alterations shall be made therein. Signing of such protocol in violation of these rules may constitute a reason for invalidation of this protocol and for a vote recount. 23. If some voting members of a precinct election commission are absent when the protocols of vote returns are prepared, a note to this effect shall be made in the protocols indicating the reason for their absence. The protocols shall be valid if they are signed by the majority o the f established number of voting members of the given precinct election commission. If, when a protocol of vote returns is being signed, the signature of at least one voting member of a precinct election commission is put for this member by some other commission member or by

some other person, this shall constitute a reason for invalidation of this protocol and for a vote recount. 24 When the protocols of vote returns are being signed voting members of a precinct election commission who dissent from the contents of the protocols may attach their dissenting opinion to the protocols and this fact shall be noted in the protocols. 25. At the request of any member of a precinct election commission, persons indicated in Clause 5, Article 31 this Federal Law, immediately after signing the protocols of vote returns a precinct election commission shall issue a copy of the protocols of vote returns to these persons or allow them to copy the protocols and have these copies certified by the commission. The issuance of such copies shall be recorded by a precinct election commission in a special register and the person who receives a copy shall sign for its receipt in the register. The responsibility for completeness and accuracy of the data contained in a copy of the pro tocol of vote returns shall be borne by the person who certified this copy. 26. The first originals of the protocols of vote returns of a precinct election commission, after they were signed by all present voting members of a precinct election commission a their nd copies were issued to or certified for all persons entitled to receive them, shall be, without delay, forwarded to a relevant territorial election commission and shall not be returned to the precinct election commission. Attached to the first originals of the protocols shall be the dissenting opinions of voting members of a precinct election commission; the complaints (statements) about violations of this Federal Law received by an election commission on voting day and before the end of vote counting; the decisions taken by a precinct election commission in connection with these complaints (statements); certificates, statements and registers of the commission. Certified copies of these documents and decisions of a precinct election commission shall be attached to the second originals of the protocols. The first originals of the protocols of vote returns with the attached documents shall be delivered to a territorial election commission by the chairman or the secretary of a precinct election commission or some other voting member of a precinct election commission at the request of its chairman. Such delivery of the protocols may be witnessed by other members of a precinct election commission and by observers sent to the given precinct election commission. All electoral documents of precinct election commissions formed outside the territory of the Russian Federation, including ballots but excluding the first originals of the protocols of vote returns submitted to the higher election commission, shall be kept by diplomatic and consular missions of the Russian Federation for not less than one year from the day of the official publication of the general election results, after which they shall be destroyed on the basis of an appropriate certificate, in the procedure established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation 27. The second originals of the protocols of vote returns shall be made available for examination to persons indicated in Clause 5, Article 31 of this Federal Law and their certified copies shall be displayed to the general public at a place designated by a precinct election commission. After that the second originals of the protocols of vote returns together with the electoral documents stipulated by this Federal Law, including sealed ballots and the lists of the non-voting members of a precinct election commission and persons indicated in Clause 5, Article 31 of this Federal Law who were present at the determination of vote returns and preparation of the protocols, as well as the seal of a precinct election commission shall be handed over for safekeeping to a relevant territorial election commission. Two days before the expiry of the period of the powers of a precinct election commission the copies of the second originals of the protocols kept by a precinct election commission shall be destroyed in the basis of an appropriate certificate. 28. If appropriate equipment is available, immediately after the members of a precinct election commission formed in an electoral precinct on a ship at sea, at a polar station, in a remote or hard-to-reach area or outside the territory of the Russian Federation sign the protocol of vote returns its data shall be transmitted via technical communication channels to the higher election commission. It shall be mandatory that subsequently, at the earliest opportunity, the first originals of the protocols of vote returns and all electoral documents indicated in Clause 26 of this article be submitted to the higher election commission directly or through diplomatic and

consular missions of the Russian Federation abroad or in some other manner ensuring preservation of the electoral documents and their proper delivery. 29. The procedure for using a technical system for transmission of information about the election, the manner and periods of transmission, processing and utilization of this information, including the data of the protocols of vote returns transmitted over technical communication channels, shall be approved by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. 30. If, after the protocols of vote returns were signed and their first originals were sent by a precinct election commission to a territorial election commission, a precinct election commission finds any inaccuracy in the protocols (a slip of the pen, misprint or an error in data summation) or if such inaccuracy is found by a territorial election commission in the course of a preliminary verification of the protocols, such precinct election commission shall call a meeting to consider the question of making corrections in the protocols. In its announcement about this meeting to be made in accordance with Clause 2, Article 31 of this Federal Law a precinct election commission shall state that it is going to consider this matter at the meeting. A precinct election commission shall ensure that its decision is made known to non-voting members of the commission, observers and other persons who were present when the previously approved protocol was prepared, as well as to members of the press. In this case, a precinct election commission shall prepare a protocol of vote returns marked Repeat. This protocol shall be forthwith sent to a territorial election commission. The previous protocol of vote returns submitted by a precinct election commission to a territorial election commission shall be attached to the corrected protocol.

Article 82. Determination of Vote Returns by a Territorial Election Commission

1. After making sure that the protocols of vote returns of precinct election commissions are executed correctly a territorial election commission shall, not later than the third day after voting day, determine the vote returns for the given territory by summing up all data contained in these protocols, including such data transmitted over technical communication channels from precinct election commissions set up in the electoral precincts on ships at sea, at polar stations, in remote and hard-to-reach areas or outside the territory of the Russian Federation. The data contained in the protocols of vote returns of precinct election commissions shall be summed up directly by voting members of a territorial election commission. The protocols of precinct election commissions shall be accepted, the data of these protocols shall be summed up and the protocols of vote returns for the given territory shall be prepared in one room so that all actions of members of a territorial election commission when they accept the protocols of precinct election commissions, sum up the data of these protocols and prepare a protocol of vote returns shall be within the field of vision of members of a territorial election commission, observers and other persons indicated in Clause 5, Article 31 of this Federal Law. There shall be an enlarged form of the summary table for the given territory in this room, where the data of the protocols of vote returns of precinct election commission shall be entered and the time of its entry indicated as soon as the first original of the protocol of vote returns is delivered by the chairman, the secretary or some other voting member of a precinct election commission. The chairman, the secretary or some other voting member of a precinct election commission shall submit the first originals of the protocols of a precinct election commission together with the attached documents to a voting member of a territorial election commission, who shall make sure that the protocols are completed correctly and that all required documents are attached to the protocols. If a territorial election commission has a set of automation facilities of the state automated information system, the data of the protocols of a precinct election commission shall be immediately entered in this system and compliance with the control relationships shall be checked by the system. If the state automated information system is not used, compliance with the control relationships shall be checked by a member of a territorial election commission who checks correct completion of the protocol.

If the protocol of vote returns of a precinct election commission does not meet the requirements of this Federal Law to such protocols, a precinct election commission shall prepare a corrected protocol in accordance with the requirements of Clause 30, Article 81 of this Federal Law and the previously submitted protocol shall remain in a territorial election commission. If the protocol of vote returns of a precinct election commission meets the requirements of this Federal Law to such protocols, a member of a territorial election commission shall enter the data of this protocol in the summary table of the territorial election commission. The chairman, the secretary or some other voting member of a precinct election commission who submitted the protocol of vote returns to a member of a territorial election commission shall put his signature in the enlarged form of the summary table under the data of the protocol of vote returns of the given precinct election commission. 2. The election commissions of Russian Federation subjects shall publish t e data of the h protocols of vote returns of precinct election commissions in the public informationtelecommunications network Internet as this data is entered in the state automated information system, but not later than one day after voting day (for protocols marked Vote Recount not later than one day from the vote recount. 3. On the basis of the vote returns, a territorial election commission shall prepare Protocols of Vote Returns No. 1 and No. 2 indicating: (1) the number of precinct election commissions in the given territory; (2) the number of Protocols of Vote Returns No. 1 and No. 2 received from precinct election commissions, on the basis of which the protocols of vote returns are prepared by a territorial election commission; (3) the summary data for all lines of the protocols of vote returns of precinct election commissions established by Clauses 2 to 5, Article 80 of this Federal Law. 4. To sign the protocols of vote returns a territorial election commission shall call a mandatory final meeting, at which it shall consider complaints (statements) about infractions in the conduct of voting, vote counting and preparation of protocols of precinct election commissions and then sign the protocols of vote returns and issue copies of the protocols to pe rsons indicated in Clause 5, Article 31 of this Federal Law. The protocol of vote returns shall be made in duplicate and shall be signed by all voting members of a territorial election commission present at the meeting, with the indication of the date and time (hours and minutes) when the protocols were signed. Signing of a protocol in violation of these rules may constitute a reason for invalidation of this protocol. Any voting member of a territorial election commission who dissents from a whole protocol or any part thereof may attach his dissenting opinion to the protocol and this fact shall be noted in the protocol. 5. The following documents shall be attached to each original of the corresponding protocol: (1) the summary table of vote returns in the territory for the federal electoral district or the single-seat electoral district, which includes complete data of all protocols of vote returns received from precinct election commissions, (2) the documents certifying receipt of ballots by a territorial election commission, delivery of ballots to precinct election commissions, cancellation of unused ballots kept in a territorial election commission, with the indication of the number of such ballots; (3) the documents certifying issuance of absentee certificates to voters by a territorial election commission, delivery of absentee certificates to precinct election commissions and cancellation of unused absentee certificates, with the indication of the number of such certificates.

6. The summary tables and accompanying documents shall be signed by the chairman and the secretary of a territorial election commission. 7. Attached to the first originals of the protocols of vote returns of a territorial election commission shall be the dissenting opinions of members of a territorial election commission; the complaints (statements) about violations of this Federal Law received by a territorial election commission in the period from voting day to the date of the protocol of vote returns of a territorial election commission; the decisions taken by a territorial election commission on such complaints (statements). Certified copies of the dissenting opinions, complaints (statements) and decisions of a territorial election commission shall be attached to the second original of the protocols. 8. Once signed by all present voting members of a territorial election commission, the first originals of the protocols of vote returns of a territorial election commission along with the attached documents and the protocols of precinct election commissions shall be immediately forwarded to a relevant district election commission and shall not be returned to a territorial election commission. 9. The second originals of the protocols of vote returns of a territorial election commission along with the second originals of the summary tables of vote returns and documents indicated in Clause 5 of this article shall be made available for examination and copying to non -voting members of a territorial election commission and higher election commissions and the persons indicated in Clause 5, Article 31 of this Federal Law, and their certified copies shall be displayed to the general public at a place designated by a territorial election commission. Upon elapse of 20 days after voting day the copies of the second originals of the protocols kept by a territorial election commission shall be destroyed on the basis of an appropriate certificate. 10. The second originals of the protocols of vote returns of a territorial election commission together with the second originals of the summary tables of vote returns, the documents indicated in Clause 5 of this article and the lists of non-voting members of a territorial election commission and persons indicated in Clause 5, Article 31 of this Federal Law, who were present at the determination of vote returns and preparation of the protocols, shall be kept by the secretary of a territorial election commission in a guarded room during a period established in accordance with Article 91 of this Federal Law. 11. If, after the protocol of vote returns and/or the summary table of vote returns of a territorial election commission were signed and their first originals were sent to a district election commission, a territorial election commission which had prepared the protocol, summary table or a district election commission in the course of the preliminary inspection of these documents find any inaccuracy (including a slip of the pen, misprint, error in the summation of the data of protocols of precinct election commissions), such territorial election commission shall call a meeting to consider the question of making corrections in the protocol and/or summary table. In its announcement about this meeting to be made in accordance with Clause 2, Article 31 of this Federal Law a territorial election commission shall state that it is going to consider this matter at the meeting. A territorial election commission shall ensure that its decision is made known to non-voting members of the commission, observers and other persons who were present when the previously approved protocol was being prepared, as well as to members of the press. In this case, a territorial election commission shall prepare a protocol of vote returns, summary table marked Repeat. This protocol and the summary table shall be forthwith sent to a district election commission. 12. If any errors or inconsistencies are found in the protocol (protocols) of vote returns received from precinct election commissions or should any doubts arise as to the correctness of such protocol (protocols), a territorial election commission may resolve that the given precinct election commission carry out a vote recount or that such vote recount in the given electoral precinct be carried out by the territorial election commission itself. This resolution may be taken both in the course of a preliminary inspection and after acceptance of the protocol (protocols) of vote returns of a precinct election commission, but not later than three days before the expiry of the period established by this Federal Law for the establishment of general election results.

13. A vote recount shall be carried out in the presence of a voting member (voting members) of a territorial election commission by the election commission which prepared and approved t e h protocol being verified or by the commission which resolved that a vote recount be carried out. The election commission which is to carry out a vote recount shall inform about the recount the members of a relevant precinct election commission, registered candidates or their agents, other persons indicated in Clause 2, Article 31 of this Federal Law, who are entitled to be present at a vote recount. Based on the vote recount the election commission which carried it out the shall prepare a protocol of vote returns marked Vote Recount. Copies of such protocol made and certified by the election commission shall be issued to observers, other persons indicated in Clause 5, Article 31 of this Federal Law. If such protocol is prepared by a precinct election commission, it shall be immediately forwarded to a territorial election commission. The failure to meet these rules for the preparation of a protocol of vote returns marked Vote Recount may constitute a reason for invalidation of the protocol.

Article 83. Establishment of Election Results for the Single -Seat Electoral District and Determination of Vote Returns for the Federal Electoral District
1. After making sure that the protocols of vote returns of territorial election commissions are prepared correctly a district election commission shall, not later than on the fifth day after voting day, establish the election results for the single-seat electoral district and determine the vote returns for the federal electoral district in the territory of the given single-seat electoral district, by summing up the data contained in the first originals of these protocols. The data contained in the protocols of vote returns of territorial election commissions shall be summed up directly by voting members of a district election commission. The protocols of territorial election commissions shall be accepted, the data of these protocols shall be summed up and the protocols of vote returns, election results shall be prepared in one room, so that all actions of members of a district election commission when they accept the protocols, sum up the data of these protocols and prepare the protocols of vote returns and election results shall be within the field of vision of members of a district election commission, observers and other persons indicated in Clause 5, Article 31 of this Federal Law. There shall be an enlarged form of the summary table for the given territory in this room, where the data of the protocols of vote returns of territorial election commissions shall be enter d, with the e indication of the time of its entry, as soon as the first original of the protocol of vote returns is delivered by the chairman, the secretary or some other voting member of a territorial election commission. The chairman, the secretary or some other voting member of a territorial election commission shall submit the first original of the protocol of vote returns of a territorial election commission together with the attached documents to a voting member of a district election commission, who shall make sure that the protocol is prepared correctly, that all required documents are attached to the protocol and that control relationships are duly complied with. If the protocol and/or the summary table of vote returns of a territorial election commission do not meet the requirements of this Federal Law to such protocol and/or summary table, a territorial election commission shall prepare a corrected protocol and/or summary table in accordance with the requirements of Clause 11, Article 82 of this Federal Law and the previously submitted protocol and/or summary table shall remain in a district election commission. If the protocol and/or summary table of vote returns of a territorial election commission meets the requirements of this Federal Law to such protocol and/or summary table, a member of a district election commission shall enter the data of this protocol in the summary table of the district election commission. The chairman, the secretary or some other voting member of a territorial election commission who handed over the protocol of vote returns to a member of a district election commission shall put his signature in the enlarged form of the summary table under the data of the protocol of vote returns of the given territorial election commission.

2. A district electoral commission shall declare the election in the given single-seat electoral district not to have taken place if: (1) less than 25 percent of the voters included in the voters lists took part in the election by the end of the voting time (the number of voters who took part in the election shall be determined by summing up the numbers in lines 3, 4 and 5 of Protocol No. 1 of Election Results for the single-seat electoral district); (2) the number of votes cast by voters for the candidate who polled a larger number of votes than the other candidate (candidates) is less than the number of votes cast against all candidates. 3. A district electoral commission shall declare the election results for the given single-seat electoral district null and void: (1) if violations of this Federal Law committed during the voting or determination of vote returns do not allow the results of the expression of the voters' will to be determined reliably; (2) if the vote returns for a single-seat electoral district were declared null and void in some electoral precincts where the voters lists as of the end of voting together include not less than one-fourth of the total number of voters included in the voters lists as of the end of voting in the given electoral district; (3) by a court decision. 4. Based on Protocols No. 1 of Vote Returns of territorial election commissions a district election commission shall prepare Protocol No. 1 of Election Results for the single-seat electoral district, where the following data shall be entered: (1) the number of territorial election commissions in the single-seat electoral district; (2) the number of Protocols No. 1 of Vote Returns of territorial election commissions on the basis of which this protocol was prepared; (3) the number of electoral precincts where vote returns were declared null and void and the total number of voters on the voters lists of these electoral precincts as of the end of voting; (4) the summary data for the single-seat electoral district with regard to all lines of Protocols No. 1 of Vote Returns of territorial election commissions; (5) the surname, first name and patronymic of the registered candidate who was elected deputy. 5. A candidate shall be elected in a single-seat electoral district if he polls the largest number of votes cast by voters who took part in the voting. The number of votes of voters who took part in the voting shall be determined from the number of standard ballots found in the ballot boxes. If the same number of votes is received by registered candidates, the candidate who was registered earlier shall be declared elected. 6. Based on Protocols No. 2 of Vote Returns of territorial election commissions a district election commission shall prepare Protocol No. 2 of Vote Returns for the federal electoral district in the territory of the single-seat electoral district, where the following data shall be entered: (1) the number of territorial election commissions in the single-seat district;

(2) the number of Protocols No. 2 of Vote Returns of territorial election commissions on the basis of which this protocol was prepared; (3) the number of electoral precincts where vote returns were declared null and void and the total number of voters on the voters lists of these electoral precincts as of the end of voting; (4) the summary data for the single-seat electoral district with regard to all lines of Protocols No. 2 of Vote Returns of territorial election commissions. 7. To sign the protocols of vote returns and election results a district election commission shall call a mandatory final meeting, at which it shall consider complaints (statements) about irregularities in the conduct of voting, vote counting and preparation of protocols of the lower election commissions. Then a district election commission shall sign the protocols of vote returns and election results and issue copies of the protocols to persons indicated in Clause 5, Article 31 of this Federal Law. The protocols of vote returns and election results shall be made in duplicate and shall be signed by all voting members of a district election commission present at the meeting, with the indication of the date and time (hours and minutes) when the protocols were signed. Signing of a protocol in violation of these rules shall constitute a reason for invalidation of this protocol. Any voting member of a district election commission who dissents from the whole protocols or any part thereof may attach his dissenting opinion to the protocols and this fact shall be noted in the protocols. 8. The following documents shall be attached to each original of the protocols: (1) the summary table of election results for a single-seat electoral district or of vote returns for the federal electoral district, which shall include the complete data of the protocols of vote returns received from territorial election commissions; (2) documents certifying receipt of ballots by a district election commission, delivery of ballots to territorial and precinct election commissions, cancellation of unused ballots kept in a district election commission, with the indication of the number of such ballots; (3) documents certifying issuance of absentee certificates to territorial election commissions and cancellation of unused absentee certificates, with the indication of the number of such certificates. 9. The summary tables and accompanying documents shall be signed by the chairman and the secretary of a district election commission. 10. Attached to the first originals of the protocols shall be the dissenting opinions of members of a district election commission; complaints (statements) about violations of this Federal Law received by the given district election commission in the period from voting day to the date of the protocols of vote returns and election results; the decisions taken on such complaints (statements). Certified copies of the dissenting opinions, the complaints (statements) and the decisions of the district election commission shall be attached to the second originals of the protocols. 11. After the protocols and summary tables of a district election commission are signed, the first originals of each protocol with the attached documents shall be immediately forwarded to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and shall not be returned to the district election commission. 12. The second originals of the protocols of a district election commission, the second originals of the summary tables and documents indicated in Clause 8 of this article shall be made

available for examination and copying to non-voting members of a district election commission and higher election commissions, persons indicated in Clause 5, Article 31 of this Federal Law, and their certified copies shall be displayed to the general public at a place designated by a district election commission. Upon elapse of 30 days after voting day the copies of the second originals of the protocols kept by a district election commission shall be destroyed on the basis of an appropriate certificate. 13. The second originals of the protocols of a district election commission together with the second originals of the summary tables and documents indicated in Clause 8 of this article, the lists of non-voting members of the election commission and persons indicated in Clause 5, Article 31 of this Federal Law, who were present at the determination of vote returns and establishment of election results and at the preparation of the corresponding protocols, as well as the other documents provided for by this Federal Law shall be kept by the secretary of a district election commission till the official publication of the general election results and then shall be handed over to the election commission of a Russian Federation subject. 14. If, after the protocols of vote returns and election results and/or the summary table were signed by a district election commission and their first originals were sent to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, the district election commission which had prepared the protocol, summary tables, or the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation in the course of their preliminary inspection find any inaccuracy in the protocols (including a slip of the pen, misprint, error in the summation of the data of protocols of territorial election commissions), this district election commission shall call a meeting to consider the question of making corrections in the protocols and/or the summary tables. In its announcement about this meeting to be made in accordance with Clause 2, Article 31 of this Federal Law a district A district election commission shall ensure that the decision it takes on the matter is made known to nonvoting members of the commission, observers and other persons who were present when the previously approved protocol was being prepared, as well as to members of the press. In this case, a district election commission shall prepare protocols of vote returns and election results and/or a summary table marked Repeat. Such protocols and/or summary table shall be forthwith sent to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation 15. If any errors or inconsistencies are discovered in the protocols of vote returns or should any doubts arise as to the correctness of the protocols received from lower election commissions, a district election commission may resolve that a vote recount be carried out in the electoral precinct or in the territory in question. 16. In the case indicated in Clause 15 of this article a vote recount shall be carried out in the presence of a voting member (voting members) of a district election commission by the election commission which prepared and approved the protocol of vote returns being verified or by a voting member (voting members) of a higher (territorial or district) election commission. The election commission which is to carry out a vote recount shall inform about this the members of a relevant election commission, registered candidates or their agents, other persons indicated in Clause 2, Article 31 of this Federal Law, who shall be entitled to be present at the vote recount. Based on the vote recount the election commission which carried it out shall prepare a protocol of vote returns marked Vote Recount. The copies of this protocol made and certified by the election commission shall be issued to observers, other persons indicated in Clause 5, Article 31 of this Federal Law. If such protocol was prepared by a lower election commission it shall be immediately forwarded to a district election commission.

Article 84. Establishment of Election Results for the Federal Electoral District
1. After making sure that Protocols No. 2 of Vote Returns for the federal electoral district received directly from district election commissions are prepared correctly, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall establish the election results for the federal electoral district by summing up the data contained in these protocols. The data contained in the protocols of district election commissions shall be summed up directly by voting members of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.

2. The number of voters who took part in the voting in the federal electoral district shall be determined from the number of standard ballots for the federal electoral district found in the ballot boxes. 3. Registered federal lists of candidates shall be included in the distribution of deputy seats if each such registered federal list of candidates received 5 percent and more than 5 percent of the vote in the federal electoral district, provided that there were not less than three such lists and these three lists together received more than 50 percent of the vote in the federal electoral district. In this case other federal lists of candidates shall not be included in the distribution of deputy seats for the federal electoral district. 4. If the federal lists of candidates each of which received 5 percent and more than 5 percent of the vote in the federal electoral district together received a total of 50 percent or less than 50 percent of the vote in the federal electoral district, such federal lists of candidates shall be included in the distribution of deputy seats together with federal lists of candidates which received less than 5 percent of the vote in the federal ele ctoral district and which shall be consecutively included in the distribution of deputy seats in the order of the decreasing number of votes until the total number of votes cast for all such federal lists of candidates included in the distribution of deputy seats exceeds 50 percent of the vote in the federal electoral district and not less than three federal lists of candidates are included in the distribution of deputy seats. 5. If less than three federal lists of candidates, each of which received 5 percent and more than 5 percent of the vote in the federal electoral district received together more than 50 percent of the vote in the federal electoral district and the other federal lists of candidates received less than 5 percent of the vote in the federal electoral district, then the federal lists of candidates each of which received 5 percent and more than 5 percent of the vote in the federal electoral district shall be included in the distribution of deputy seats together with federal lists of candidates which received less than 5 percent of the vote in the federal electoral district and which shall be consecutively included in the distribution of deputy seats in the order of the decreasing number of votes until the total number of federal lists of candidates included in the distribution of deputy seats reaches three. 6. The federal lists of candidates included in the distribution of deputy seats shall receive said seats in accordance with the procedure set forth in Article 86 of this Federal Law. Before this procedure is applied deputies elected to the State Duma in single-seat electoral districts shall be excluded from each federal list of candidates. 7. Deputy seats received by a federal list of candidates shall, first of all, be given to registered candidates in the federal part of the federal list of candidates. The remaining deputy seats shall be given to registered candidates from the regional groups of candidates, with each of these groups receiving a number of the remaining deputy seats proportional to the number of votes cast for the federal list of candidates in the corresponding Russian Federation subject (subjects). This number of deputy seats shall be determined in accordance with the procedure set forth in Article 86 of this Federal Law. 8. Deputy seats shall be distributed between registered candidates on the federal list of candidates in the order in which the candidates are arranged on this list as established when the list was registered by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, this order being regarded (within the federal part of the federal list of candidates and within each regional group of candidates) as the order of priority for receiving deputy seats. 9. A registered candidate who is entitled to a deputy seat in accordance with his place on a federal list of candidates may refuse to accept a deputy seat. The statement of refusal to receive a deputy seat shall be irrevocable. In this case, the seat shall be given to the next registered candidate on the same list as provided by Clause 10, Article 86 of this Federal Law. If a registered candidate who refused to accept as deputy seat is among the first three candidates in the federal part of the federal list of candidates, the provision of Clause 3, Article 92 of this Federal Laws shall apply and this federal list of candidates shall be deprived of the right to receive deputy seats which are distributed between federal lists of candidates when deputy

seats are taken away from other federal lists of candidates in the cases and in the procedure established by this Federal Law. 10. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall prepare a protocol of distribution of deputy seats in the federal electoral district between political parties, electoral blocs, in which the following data shall be included: (1) the number of district election commissions in the Russian Federation; (2) the number of protocols of district election commissions on which this protocol is based; (3) the summary data for the Russian Federation with regard to all lines of Protocols No. 2 of Vote Returns of district election commissions; (4) the names of political parties, electoral blocs whose federal lists of candidates are included in the distribution of deputy seats and the number of seats due to each of them; (5) the names of the regional groups of candidates on the federal lists of candidates included in the distribution of deputy seats and the number of deputy seats due to each of them; (6) the surname, first name and patronymic of registered candidates elected deputies from each federal list of candidates. 11. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall declare the election in the federal electoral district not to have taken place: (1) if less than 25 per cent of the number of voters included in the voters lists took part in the election in the federal electoral district; (2) if none of the federal lists of candidates received 5 percent or more than 5 percent of the vote in the federal electoral district; (3) if deputy seats were distributed on the basis of Clause 4 of this article and, as a result, federal lists of candidates that may be included in the distribution of deputy seats received together 50 percent or less than 50 percent of the vote in the federal electoral district. 12. The Central Election Commission shall declare election results for the federal electoral district null and void: (1) if the infractions committed during the voting or determination of vote returns do not allow the results of the expression of the voters' will to be reliably determined; (2) if the vote returns were declared null and void in some electoral precincts where, as of the end of voting, the voters lists together include not less than one-fourth of the total number of voters in the federal electoral district included in the voters lists as of the end of voting or if the vote returns were declared null and void in not less than one-third of single-seat electoral districts; (3) by a court decision. 13. The protocol of election results for the federal electoral district shall be prepared by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and signed by all pres ent voting

members of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. Attached to the protocol shall be the summary table of election results for the federal electoral district, including the complete data of all protocols of vote returns received from district election commissions. 14. Any voting member of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation who dissents from the whole protocol or separate provisions thereof shall be entitled to attach his dissenting opinion to the protocol and this fact shall be noted in the protocol. Complaints (statements) about violations of this Federal Law, which were received by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, and the decisions taken on such complaints (statements) shall also be attached to the protocol. 15. Certified copies of the protocol and of the summary table shall be issued to all members of the Central Election Commission, persons indicated in Clause 1, Article 31 of this Federal Law, members of the press who were present when the election results were established for the federal electoral district. 16. If, after the protocol of distribution of deputy seats for the federal electoral district between the federal lists of candidates and/or the summary table were signed, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation finds an inaccuracy in these documents (including a slip of the pen, misprint, error in the summation of the data of the protocols of lower election commissions), the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall call a meeting to consider the question of correcting the protocol and/or the summary table. In its announcement about this meeting to be made in accordance with Clause 2, Article 31 of this Federal Law the Central Election Commission shall state that it will consider this matter at the meeting. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall ensure that its decision is made known to the non-voting members of the commission, other persons, who were present when the previously approved protocol was prepared, and to members of the press. 17. If any errors, inconsistencies are discovered in the protocols of vote returns and should any doubts arise as to the correctness of the protocols received from district election commissions, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation may resolve that a vote recount be carried in an electoral precinct, territory, district. 18. In the case indicated in Clause 17 of this article a vote recount shall be carried out in the presence of a voting member (voting members) of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation by the election commission which prepared and approved the protocol of vote returns, election results to be verified or by an election commission of a higher level in respect of this commission or by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. The election commission which is to carry out a vote recount shall inform about the recount the members of the given election commission, registered candidates or their agents, other persons indicated in Clause 2, Article 31 of this Federal Law, who are entitled to be present at the vote recount. On the basis of the vote recount the election commission which carried out the recount shall prepare a protocol of vote returns, election results marked Vote Recount.

Article 85. Establishment of General Election Results

1. On the basis of the protocol of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation on the distribution of deputy seats between political parties, electoral blocs in the federal electoral district and on the basis of protocols No. 1 of district election commissions the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall, within two weeks after voting day, establish the general election results. 2. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall declare the election in a single-seat electoral district null and void if the infractions committed in the course of voting, determination of vote returns, establishment of general election results do not make it possible reliably to determine the results of the expression of the voters' will.

Article 86. Methodology of Proportional Distribution of Deputy Seats

1. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall calculate the sum total of votes cast by voters in the federal electoral district for federal lists of candidates included in the distribution of deputy seats in accordance with the rules set forth in Clauses 3 to 5, Article 84 of this Federal Law. This sum total of votes shall be divided by 225 - the number of deputy seats to be distributed in the federal electoral district. The result is the first electoral quotient, which is used in the distribution of seats between the federal lists of candidates. 2. Then, the number of votes received by each federal list of candidates included in the distribution of deputy seats shall be divided by the first electoral quotient. The integer part of the number obtained as a result of such division represents th number of deputy seats to be e received by the given federal list of candidates as a result of the primary distribution of seats. 3. If, after performance of the calculations indicated in Clause 2 of this article, there remain undistributed deputy seats, a secondary distribution of the seats shall be carried out. The federal lists of candidates, which have the largest fractional part of the number obtained as a result of the division performed in accordance with Clause 2 of this article shall each receive one of the undistributed deputy seats. In case the fractional parts are equal (up to and including the sixth digit after the decimal point) preference shall be given to the federal list of candidates which received more votes. 4. After that, deputy seats shall be distributed inside each federal list of candidates - between regional groups of candidates and the federal part of the federal list (if any). At the first stage of this distribution, the number of registered candidates in the federal part of the federal list shall be determined. These registered candidates shall be the first to receive deputy seats, which shall be given to them in the order of their arrangement on the federal list of candidates. 5. If, after deputy seats were given to registered candidates from the federal part of the federal list, there remain deputy seats due to the given federal list of candidates, such seats shall be distributed inside the federal list of candidates between the regional groups of candidates as follows. The sum total of votes cast for the federal list of candidates in the Russian Federation subjects (groups of the Russian Federation subjects) corresponding to the regional groups of candidates into which the federal list of candidates is divided (hereafter votes cast for regional groups of candidates) shall be divided by the number of deputy seats to be distributed between the regional groups of candidates of the given federal list of candidates. The result of the division is the second electoral quotient of the given federal list of candidates, which is used in the distribution of deputy seats between the regional groups of candidates of the given list. 6. Then, the number of votes cast for each regional group of candidates shall be divided by the second electoral quotient of the given federal list of candidates. The integer part of the number obtained as a result of such division represents the number of deputy seats to be received by the regional group of candidates as a result of the primary distribution of deputy seats inside the given federal list of candidates. 7. If, after performance of the calculations indicated in Clause 6 of this article, there remain undistributed deputy seats due to the federal list of candidates, a secondary distribution of the deputy seats shall be carried out between the regional groups of candidates of this federal list of candidates. The regional groups of candidates, which have the largest fractional part of the number obtained as a result of the division performed in accordance with Clause 6 of this article shall each receive one of the undistributed deputy seats. In case the fractional parts are equal preference shall be given to the regional group of candidates which has a larger number of votes used in the calculations in accordance with Clause 6 of this Article. 8. If, in the course of the distribution of deputy seats inside a federal list of candidates, one of or several regional groups of candidates is/are found to lack the required number of registered candidates, the deputy seats that remained undistributed shall be additionally distributed between the regional groups of the same federal list of candidates, if these regional groups

have registered candidates who did not receive deputy seats. If, as of the time of such additional distribution, there are regional groups that did not receive deputy seats when the seats were distributed in accordance with the values of the fractional parts as provided by Clause 7 of this article and among such regional groups of candidates there a groups which re include registered candidates who did not yet receive deputy seats, one seat shall be given to each of such regional groups of candidates. In this case, deputy seats shall be given in the same order of priority (in accordance with the value of the frictional parts) determined on the basis of the second electoral quotient that was initially calculated. If, in the course of an additional distribution, there remain no regional groups of candidates that received no deputy seats in accordance with the aforementioned procedure but some deputy seats still remain undistributed, these deputy seats shall be given, one by one, to the regional groups of candidates with the smallest coefficient of additional distribution to be calculated for each of such regional groups. The coefficient of additional distribution for each regional group of candidates shall be calculated by dividing the number of deputy seats that were already received by the given regional group of candidates by the number of votes receive by this d regional group of candidates. In case the said coefficients are equal, deputy seats shall be given to the regional group of candidates which received a larger number of votes. If, after such distribution, the number of deputy seats available for additional distribution exceeds the number of the regional groups of candidates that are entitled to receive them, additional distribution shall be repeated as many times as necessary, with the said coefficient to be calculated anew each time. Additional distribution shall be also carried out in other cases provided by this Federal Law. 9. If, after the distribution of deputy seats between the federal lists carried out in accordance with Clauses 1, 2 and 3 of this article, one or more deputy seats has/have to be additionally distributed between all or some of the federal lists of candidates, distribution of such deputy seats between the federal lists of candidates shall be carried out in accordance with the additional distribution procedure set forth in Clause 8 of this article. In this case, deputy seats shall first be given to the federal lists of candidates which received no deputy seats when deputy seats were distributed in accordance with the value of the fractional parts and then deputy seats shall be distributed in accordance with the coefficient of additional distribution of deputy seats to be calculated for each federal list of candidates by dividing the total number of deputy seats already received by the given federal list by the number of votes rec eived by this federal list. Deputy seats received by a federal list of candidates shall be given to registered candidates from the federal part of the federal list of candidates who did not receive deputy seats and, in the absence of such candidates, to registered candidates from the regional groups of candidates of the given federal list of candidates, in accordance with the additional distribution procedure set forth in Clause 8 of this article. Federal lists of candidates may participate in the additional distribution only if they have registered candidates who did not receive deputy seats. 10. If, after the initial distribution of deputy seats, a registered candidate refused to accept a deputy seat, or if a registered candidate did not resign the powers incompatible with the status of a deputy of the State Duma and also if a deputy seat became vacant because of other reasons, this seat shall be given to a registered candidate from the same federal list of candidates, unless otherwise provided by this Federal Law. The deputy seat shall be given to the first of the registered candidates who did not receive deputy seats in the regional group of candidates (in the federal part of the federal list of candidates) which included the candidate whose seat became vacant. If there are no registered candidates in the given regional group of candidates (in the federal part of the federal list of candidates) who did not receive deputy seats, the vacant seat shall be distributed between the other regional groups of candid ates of the same federal list of candidates in accordance with the additional distribution procedure set forth in Clause 8 of this article. 11. If, in the course of the distribution of deputy seats inside a federal list of candidates, there remain no registered candidates who did not received deputy seats, the undistributed deputy seats shall remain vacant until the next election of deputies of the State Duma.

Article 87. Repeat Elections

1. If the election in an electoral district was declared not to have taken place or to be null and void on the grounds indicated in Articles 83 to 85 of this Federal Law, or if the election results were annulled in accordance with Clause 5, Article 88 of this Federal Law, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall announce a repeat election to be held in accordance with the procedure established by this Federal Law. If the composition of the State Duma is such that it is not competent to exercise its powers, voting in a repeat election shall be conducted not later than four months after the election was declared not to have taken place or to be null and void. In other cases, a repeat election shall be held not later than one year after the election was declared not to have taken place or to be null and vo or after the election id results were annulled. In the event of a repeat election the periods of electoral actions may be reduced, however by not more than one-third, by a decision of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. The announcement about a repeat election shall be published in the mass media not later than three days after a relevant decision was taken. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation may order that the powers of precinct election commissions be prolonged or that, in such cases, new precinct election commissions be formed in accordance with the procedure established by Article 22 of this Federal Law. If a repeat election in a single-seat electoral district was declared not to have taken place because of the circumstances indicated in Clause 2, Article 83 of this Federal Law, voting at the next repeat election in this single-seat electoral district shall be conducted within two years of the day of the previous repeat election. 2. A repeat election shall not be announced and conducted if, as a result of this election, a deputy of the State Duma cannot be elected for a term exceeding one year until the end of the constitutional term for which the State Duma of the given convocation was elected. 3. If a vacant deputy seat is available, a deputy of the State Duma shall not be nominated as a candidate at a repeat election.

Article 88. Registration of Elected Deputies of the State Duma

1. Having signed the protocol of election results an election commission shall forthwith serve a notice to this effect on a registered candidate elected to the State Duma, after which the candidate shall, within five days, present to the election commission a copy of the order (other document) relieving him from the duties incompatible with the status of a deputy of the State Duma or a copy of a document certifying that, within three days, he filed an application to be relived from such duties. 2. If a registered candidate elected as a result of the distribution of deputy seats on a federal list of candidates fails to comply with the requirements of Clause 1 of this article, he shall be removed from the federal list of candidates and the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall transfer his deputy seat to another registered candidate on the same federal list of candidates in accordance with the procedure set forth in Clause 10, Article 86 of this Federal Law. 3. If a registered candidate who did not resign the powers incompatible with the status of a deputy of the State Duma occupied one of the top three places in the federal part of a federal list of candidates, the federal list of candidates of the political party, electoral bloc which nominated this deputy shall lose the deputy seat. In this case, the vacant deputy s eat shall be transferred to another federal list of candidates. The federal list of candidates which lost this deputy seat shall be deprived of the right to receive deputy seats distributed between federal lists of candidates when other federal lists of candidates lose deputy seats, in the cases and in the procedure provided for by this Federal Law. 4. Upon the elapse of six days from the day when the Central Election Commission signs the protocol of election results for the federal electoral district, the deputy seats which became vacant in accordance with Clause 9, Article 84 of this Federal Law and Clause 3 of this article shall be transferred to federal lists of candidates which were not deprived of the right to receive deputy seats on the grounds indicated in Clause 9, Article 84 of this Federal Law and Clause 3

of this article, in accordance with the additional distribution procedure for deputy seats, set forth in Clause 9, Article 86 of this Federal Law. 5. If a registered candidate elected in a single-seat electoral district fails to comply with the requirements of Clause 1 of this article, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall annul the election results in this electoral district and shall announce a repeat election. If a candidate fails to comply with the requirements of Clause 1 of this article without compelling circumstances indicated in Clause 13, Article 52 and Clause 3, Article 92 of this Federal Law and, as a result of this, a repeat election was announced, this candidate shall fully repay the federal budget funds to be expended by relevant election commissions on the conduct of the repeat election. 6. After the official publication of the general election results and after a registered candidate presents a copy of the order (other document) relieving him from the duties incompatible with the status of a deputy of the State Duma, a relevant election commission shall register the elected deputy of the State Duma and issue a certificate of election to this deputy.

Article 89. Publication of Vote Returns and Results of the Election of Deputies of the State Duma
1. Vote returns for each electoral precinct, each territory, election results for an electoral district within the scope of the data contained in the protocols of relevant election commissions and election commissions of the next lower level shall be made available for examination to all voters, registered candidates, agents and authorized representatives of registered candidates, political parties and electoral blocs, observers, foreign (international) observers, members of the press at their request, immediately after the protocols of vote returns, election results were signed by the members of the election commission from which this data was requested. This data shall be provided by a relevant election commission. 2. District election commissions and the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall furnish the general data on election results in electoral districts to the mass media within one day after the election results were established. 3. Within two weeks of voting day, the election commission of a Russian Federation subject shall officially publish the data contained in protocols No. 1 and No. 2 of all territorial and precinct election commissions of single-seat electoral districts in the regional state print media. Subject to official publication shall be all numerical data contained in the protocols of each precinct election commission of single-seat electoral districts. If a vote recount was carried out in some electoral precincts, territories and the results of the vote recount are received by a district election commission past this deadline, the district election commission shall officially publish the corrected data within a week of the day when it took an appropriate decision based on this data. 4. The general election results as well as the data on the number of votes received by each registered candidate, federal list of candidates, the number of votes cast against all candidates and all federal lists of candidates shall be officially published by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation in its official bulletin within three weeks of voting day. Within the same period, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federatio shall n officially publish the complete data of protocols No. 1 and No. 2 of all district election commissions. 5. Within two months of voting day, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall officially publish in its bulletin the information about the vote returns, including complete data of the protocols of vote returns of all election commissions with the exception of precinct election commissions, the information about election results and the data for all elected deputies, indicated in Clause 6, Article 75 of this Federal Law. Within three months of the official publication of the complete election results, the data contained in the protocols of vote returns, election results of all election commissions shall by published by the Central Election

Commission of the Russian Federation in the public information-telecommunications system Internet.

Article 90. Use of the State Automated Information System

1. For receipt, transmission and processing of information in the conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma, including registration of voters, preparation of voters lists, determination of vote returns and establishment of election results, use shall be made only of the state automated information system. No other information systems shall be used in the conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma. 2. If appropriate equipment is available, immediately after the protocols of vote returns, election results are signed the data of these protocols shall be transmitted in an electronic form to the higher election commission over the technical communication channels of the state automated information system, subject to a mandatory rule that the first originals of the protocols of vote returns, election results shall be subsequently submitted to the higher election commission. 3. An election commission shall form a supervisory group consisting of voting and non -voting members of the commission to supervise the use of the state automated information system or its separate technical facilities. This supervisory group shall check the operational readiness of the set of automation facilities; exercise control over correct entry of data from the protocols of election commissions and correct re-entry or correction of entered data to be carried out by a decision of an election commission; monitor compliance with the requirements of this Federal Law, instructions and other documents of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation relating to the use of the state automated information system, including ballot scanners or other technical facilities used for vote counting; check mandatory documentation of the actions prescribed by the rules and plans of election commissions (entries in the journal, certificates, computer printouts certified by the signatures of the supervisory group members). The supervisory group may involve in its work specialists in the field of automatic data processing systems. 4. All members of an election commission, observers shall have the right to ex amine any information contained in the state automated information system. 5. Voting members of an election commission and non-voting members of an election commission who are included in the supervisory group shall have the same rights, including the right to examine any information transmitted to any election commission over technical communication channels; inspect the technical documentation of the state automated information system; require explanations of all their actions from the operating personnel of the state automated information system; compare the results of manual and automated data processing; receive the data of protocols of vote returns, election results and summary tables recorded on machine readable mediums provided by them. If any infractions or unlawful actions are discovered on the part of the operating personnel of this system or on the part of observers, the supervisory group shall inform about such infractions and actions the chairman of an election commission and shall make proposals as to how to remove them. The results of checkups carried out by the supervisory group shall be recorded in the current documentation of the information center (service) of an election commission. 6. From the beginning of voting and up to the time when an election commission signs the protocol of vote returns, election results, the state automated information system in which the data are transmitted from lower election commissions to higher election commissions shall be used for monitoring the progress of voting and determining vote returns. During this period transmission of any data from the information centers and services of higher election commissions to the information centers and services of lower election commissions shall be prohibited, except for the signals acknowledging receipt of information. 7. The data on the progress of voting and vote returns received through the state automated information system shall be regarded as preliminary information of no legal significance, save

the cases where technical facilities are used for vote counting in the procedure established by the Federal Law On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum. 8. The computer printout containing the data entered into the state automated information system shall be attached to the protocol of an election commission kept by its secretary. The authenticity of the data contained in the computer printout shall be certified by the signatures of members of the supervisory group and the person responsible for data entry. 9. The data on the voter turnout, preliminary and final vote returns, election results entered into the state automated information system shall be readily accessible (in the read only mode) to the users of the public information-telecommunications network Internet in accordance with the procedure to be established by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.

Article 91. Safekeeping of Electoral Documentation

1. Documents of precinct election commissions (including ballots) and territorial election commissions shall be kept in guarded rooms and shall be handed over to election commissions of the next higher level within the period established by this Federal Law. 2. Documents of district election commissions, election commissions of Russian Federation subjects and the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation together with the documents which were transferred to them for safekeeping from lower election commissions shall be kept by relevant election commissions for the periods established by Russian Federation laws. 3. The safekeeping periods for bulletins, absentee certificates, voters lists and signature sheets shall be not less than one year from the day of the official publication of election results. 4. The safekeeping period for the first originals of protocols of vote returns, election results of election commissions and of summary tables, for financial reports of election commissions, final financial reports of registered candidates, political parties and electoral blocs which registered federal lists of candidates shall be not less than one year from the day of the official publication of the decision to call the next main election of deputies of the State Duma. 5. If there are appeals against decisions of election commissions on vote returns, election results pending in courts or if criminal cases were initiated in connection with the violation of the electoral rights of citizens of the Russian Federation, the safekeeping periods of the corresponding electoral documents shall be extended for as long as necessary until the court decision enters into legal force (until the case is dismissed in accordance with the law). 6. Ballots, absentee certificates, voters lists, protocols of vote returns, election results of election commissions and documents attached thereto, summary tables, financial reports of election commissions, final financial reports of registered candidates, political parties and electoral blocs which registered federal lists of candidates shall be documents subject to strict accountability. Until the electoral documentation is handed over to the higher election commission or to the archives or until it is destroyed upon the expiry of the its safekeeping period the responsibility for its preservation shall rest with the chairman (deputy chairman) and the secretary of an election commission.

Chapter XI. Filling of Vacant Deputy Seats

Article 92. Filling of Vacant Deputy Seats in the F ederal Electoral District
1. If a deputy elected as a result of the distribution of deputy seats between federal lists of candidates of political parties, electoral blocs vacates office before its term expires, the Central

Election Commission shall transfer his seat to a registered candidate on the same federal list of candidates in accordance with Clause 10, Article 86 of this Federal Law. 2. A resolution to terminate powers of a deputy of the State Duma elected as a result of the distribution of deputy seats between federal lists of candidates on the grounds established by the federal law shall be taken by the State Duma not later than ten days after such grounds arise or, in the event of an interruption in the sessions of the State Duma, within ten days of their resumption. Powers of a deputy of the State Duma shall also be terminated if the deputy submits a written statement of resignation from office, from the date of such statement 3. Clause 1 of this article shall not apply if a deputy, who vacates office without any compelling reasons within a period less than one year from the day of the election of deputies of the State Duma, occupied one of the top three places in the federal part of a federal list of candidates at the time the federal list of candidates was certified. In this case, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall transfer this deputy seat to another federal list of candidates included in the distribution of deputy seats in the State Duma of the given convocation in accordance with Clause 9, Article 86 of this Federal Law. The circumstances compelling a deputy to resign shall be appointment to a state office specified by the Constitution of the Russian Federation as well as the circumstances indicated in Clause 13, Article 52 of this Federal Law. 4. A federal list of candidates which lost a deputy seat in accidence with Clause 3 of this article shall lose the right to receive any deputy seats vacated by deputies who occupied one of the top three places in the federal .part of federal lists of candidates. 5. If there are no more registered candidates on the federal list of candidates, the vacancy shall remain unfilled until the next main election of deputies to the State Duma.

Article 93. Filling of Vacant Deputy Seats in Single-Seat Electoral Districts

1. A resolution to terminate powers of a deputy of the State Duma elected in a single -seat electoral district on the grounds established by the federal law shall be taken by the State Duma not later than ten days after such grounds arise or, in the event of an interruption in its sessions of the State Duma, within ten days of their resumption. Powers of a deputy of the State Duma shall also be terminated if the deputy submits a written statement of resignation from office, from the date of such statement 2. Should a deputy seat become vacant, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall announce a by-election to elect a deputy of the State Duma in the given singleseat electoral district. Voting in such by-election shall be conducted within one year of the day when a vacancy is created. 3. A by-election shall not be announced and held if, as a result of this by-election, a deputy of the State Duma cannot be elected for a term exceeding one year before expiraton of the i constitutional term for which the State Duma of the given convocation was elected. If a by election in a single-seat electoral district was declared not to have taken place because of the circumstances indicated in Clause 2, Article 83 of this Federal Law, voting at a repeat byelection shall be conducted not later than two years after the previous by -election. The byelection shall be announced not later 85 days before voting day. 4. In the event of a vacant deputy seat a deputy of the State Duma shall not be nominated as a candidate at a by-election. 5. When a by-election is to be held, candidates in a single-seat electoral district shall be nominated and registered and other electoral actions shall be performed in accordance with this Federal Law.

Chapter XII. Actions In Response to Violations of Electoral Rights of Citizens and the Responsibility for Violation of Russian Federation Laws on the Election of Deputies of the State Duma
Article 94. Appealing Against Decisions and Actions (Omissions) Which Violate Electoral Rights of Citizens
Appeals against decisions and actions (omissions) which violate the electoral rights of citizens shall be submitted in the procedure and within periods established by the Federal Law On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum.

Article 95. Grounds for Annulment, Cancellation of Registration of Candidates, Federal Lists of Candidates
1. The decision of a district election commission to register a candidate shall be annulled by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation if the requirement of Clause 5, Article 47 of this Federal Law is not complied with. In this case all decisions to register a candidate shall be annulled with the exception of the first one. 2. Registration of a candidate, federal list of candidates shall be annulled by a decision of the election commission which registered the candidate, federal list of candidates on the basis of a statement of the candidate that he withdraws his candidature, the decision of a political party, an electoral bloc to recall the candidate, federal list of candidates, to be submitted to this election commission in accordance with Article 52 of this Federal Law. 3. Registration of a candidate shall be annulled by the commission which registered the candidate if the candidates loses a passive electoral right. 4. Registration of a federal list of candidates shall be annulled if the number of candidates, who were removed from the federal list of candidates on the basis of their statements about withdrawal of their candidatures, by the decision of a political party, an electoral bloc to remove candidates from the federal list of candidates (save the cases where candidates were removed owing to compelling circumstances) and by the decision of an election commission to remove candidates from the federal list of candidates on the grounds indicated in Clause 8, Article 47 of this Federal Law, exceeds 25 percent of the number of candidates in a certified list of candidates. 5. Registration of a federal list of candidates shall be annulled if after removal of candidates from this federal list of candidates results in the fact that less than seven regional groups of candidates remain on the list. 6. Registration of a candidate, federal list of candidates may be cancelled by a court on the basis of an application of the election commission which registered the candidate, federal list of candidates, on the basis of an application of a candidate registered in the same electoral district, application of a political party or an electoral bloc which registered a federal list of candidates, not later than five days before voting day in the following cases: (1) new circumstances have come to light, which constitute a ground for refusal of registration in accordance with Clause 8, Article 47 of this Federal Law; (2) a candidate, a leader of a political party, an electoral bloc have repeatedly taken advantage of their office or official position;

(3) it has been established that voters were bribed, i.e., that acts prohibited by Clause 2, Article 64 of this Federal Law were committed by a candidate, a political party or an electoral bloc which registered a federal list of candidates, their authorized representative or agent or by some other person at their request or on their instructions; (4) in order to achieve a definite result at the election a candidate nominated in a single-seal electoral district, his authorized representative for financial matters have used financial resources other than those of the candidate's electoral fund in an amount exceeding by more than 5 percent the maximum limit of all expenditures from a candidate's electoral fund established by this Federal Law; (5) in order to achieve a definite result at the election a political party, an electoral bloc which registered a federal list of candidates, their authorized representative have used financial resources other than those of their electoral fund in an amount exceeding by more than 5 percent the maximum limit of all expenditures from the electoral fund of a political party, an electoral bloc established by this Federal Law; (6) the expenditures made by a candidate nominated in a single-seal electoral district, his authorized representative for financial matters from the candidate's electoral fund have exceeded by more than 5 percent the maximum limit of all expenditures from a candidate's electoral fund established by this Federal Law; (7) the expenditures made by a political party, an electoral bloc which registered a federal list of candidates, their authorized representative from their electoral fund have exceeded by more than 5 percent the maximum limit of all expenditures from the electoral fund of a political party, an electoral bloc established by this Federal Law; (8) a candidate, a political party, an electoral bloc have failed to comply with the requirements of Clause 1, Article 64 of this Federal Law; (9) it has been established that a candidate concealed the information about his conviction or foreign citizenship (if such fact has been established in respect of a candidate on a federal list of candidates it may constitute a reason only for removal of this candidate from the federal list of candidates); (10) in order to achieve a definite result at the election a candidate simultaneously nominated in several electoral districts at different elections, his authorized representative for financial matters have used financial resourc es other than those of his electoral fund formed in accordance with Clause 1, Article 66 of this Federal Law, in an amount exceeding by more than 5 percent the maximum limit of all expenditures from a candidate's electoral fund established by Clause 11, Article 66 of this Federal Law; (11) the expenditures made by a candidate simultaneously nominated in several electoral districts at different elections, by his authorized representative for financial matters from all electoral funds of the candidate have exceeded by more than 5 percent the maximum limit of all expenditures from all electoral funds of a candidate established by Clause 11, Article 66 of this Federal Law. 7. An application for canceling registration of a candidate, federal list of candidates may be filed with a court not later than eight days before voting day.

Article 96. Annulment of the Decision of an Election Commissions on Vote Returns, Election Results

1. In the event of any violations of this Federal Law, the Federal Law On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum the higher election commission, before it determines the vote returns and establishes election results, may annul the decision of a lower election commission on the vote returns, election results and order a vote recount or, if the violations do not make it possible reliably to determine the results of the expression of the voters' will, declare the vote returns, election resultsnull and void. If vote returns are declared null and void, the data of the corresponding protocols of vote returns shall not be included n the protocols of vote returns, election results of the higher election commissions. 2. A court may annul the decision of an election commission on the results of the elec tion of deputies of the State Duma after establishment of these results, on the basis of the following facts as established by the court: (1) the sums expended by a candidate declared elected, a political party, an electoral bloc, whose federal lists of candidates were included in the distribution of deputy seats, on their election campaign from sources other than their electoral funds exceeded, respectively, 10 percent of the maximum limit of all expenditures from an electoral fund of a candidate or 10 percent of the maximum limit of all expenditures from an electoral fund of a political party, an electoral bloc established by this Federal Law; (2) a candidate declared elected, a political party, an electoral bloc, whose federal lists of candidates were included in the distribution of deputy seats, bribed voters and this infraction does not make it possible to establish the real will of the voters; (3) in the course of election campaigning a candidate declared elected, a political party, an electoral bloc, whose federal lists of candidates were included in the distribution of deputy seats, failed to comply with the requirements of Clause 1, Article 64 of this Federal Law and this infraction does not make it possible to establish the real will of the voters; (4) a candidate declared elected, a leader of a political party, an electoral bloc, whose federal lists of candidates were included in the distribution of deputy seats, took advantage of their office or official position and this infraction does not make it possible to establish the real will of the voters. 3. A court of an appropriate level may also annul the decision of an election commission on the vote returns and election results in an electoral precinct, territory, single-seat electoral district, in the whole of the Russian Federation if infractions were committed in respect of the rules for the preparation of voters lists, procedures for the formation of election commissions, voting and vote counting procedures (including interference with their monitoring), establishment of election results, if a candidate, federal list of candidates were unlawfully refused registration and this fact was admitted after voting day, and in the event of other violations of electoral laws if such infractions and violations do not make it possible to establish the real will of the voters. 4. The decision of an election commission on vote returns, election results shall not be annulled because of violations of this Federal Law which were conducive to the election of, or which aimed to encourage or encouraged voters to vote for, candidates who have not been elected according to the vote returns, federal lists of candidates which have not been included in the distribution of deputy seats. 5. Annulment of the decision on election results by an election commission in the cases where infractions committed during the conduct of voting or determination of vote returns do not allow the expression of the voters' will to be established reliably or by a court in the cases where the infractions do not make it possible to established the real will of the voters shall make the election results in this electoral district null and void.

6. Infraction indicated in Clause 2 of this article, if committed by separate political parties, electoral blocs, may result in the annulment of the decision to include these political parties, electoral blocs in the distribution and redistribution of deputy seats. 7. If vote returns in some electoral precinct are declared null and void and this results in the reversal of the decision to declare a candidate elected or in the redistribution of deputy seats, all higher election commissions shall prepare new protocols and summary tables. In the other cases alterations shall be made in the previously prepared protocols and summary tables.

Article 97. Responsibility for the Violation of Russian Federation Laws on the Election of Deputies of the State Duma
Criminal, administrative or other responsibility shall be established for the violation of Russian Federation laws on the election of deputies of the State Duma, in accordance with the federal laws.

Chapter XIII. Concluding and Transitional Provisions

Article 98. Entry into Force of this Federal Law
1. This Federal Law shall enter into force from the day of its official publication. 2. The following shall no longer be in force form the day when this Federal Law enters into force: Federal Law No. 121-FZ of June 24, 1999 On the Election of Deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation (Collection of Laws of the Russian Federation, 1999, No. 26, art. 3178); Federal Law No. 35-FZ of April 12, 2001 On the Amendment of Clause 11, Article 51 of the Federal Law `On the Election of Deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation' (Collection of Laws of the Russian Federation, 2001, No. 16, art. 1532); Federal Law No. 89-FZ of July 10, 2001 On the Introduction of Modifications and Amendments and in the Federal Laws `On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum' and `On the Election of Deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation' (Collection of Laws of the Russian Federation, 2001, No. 29, art. 2944); Clause 38, Article 2 of Federal Law No. 31-FZ of March 21, 2002 On Bringing Legislative Acts in Line with the Federal Law `On State Registration of Legal Entities' (Collection of Laws of the Russian Federation, 2002, No. 12, art. 1093). 3. If there is no office of head of a municipality and the municipality has no representative body of local self-government or if the representative body of local self-government has not appointed a person authorized to perform electoral actions under this Federal Law, such electoral actions shall be performed by the head of the executive body of state power of the Russian Federation subject or by some other official appointed by him. 4. In the conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma of the convocation elected for the first time under this Federal Law: (1) Clauses 7 and 8, Article 45 of the Federal Law shall not apply;

(2) political parties formed through transformation of public associations, including those which were comprised in electoral blocs, if in debt to TV and radio broadcasting organizations and the editorial offices of print media as of the day of the official publication of the decision to call the election shall not be entitled to free space in print media when this election is held. This provision shall also apply to electoral blocs formed with the participation of such political parties or other all-Russia public associations; (3) If a political public association, which was recognized as an electoral association and had the right to propose candidatures of members of election commissions and make proposals about extension of invitations to foreign (international) observers before this Federal Law entered into force, underwent transformation which did not affect its status as a political public association or was transformed into a political party, it shall retain the right to make such proposals. A voluntary association of two and more electoral associations, which was recognized as an electoral bloc and had the right to propose candidatures of members of election commissions and make proposals about extension of invitations to foreign (international) observers before this Federal Law entered into force shall retain the right to make such proposals. Subject to the decision of a duly authorized body such electoral bloc may grant this right to one of the electoral associations comprised in the given electoral bloc or to an electoral association founded by the electoral associations comprised in this electoral bloc. If this electoral association undergoes transformation which does not affect its status as a political public association or is transformed into a political party, it shall retain the right to make such proposals. If the first election of deputies of the State Duma after entry into force of this Federal Law is announced before the elapse of two years from the day when the Federal Law Political On Parties entered into force, all-Russia political public associations may participate in this election with the same rights as political parties. These political public associations, or modifications and amendments introduced in the charters of public associations to grant them the status of political public associations, shall be registered not later than one year before voting day. This time requirement shall not apply to other modifications and amendments introduced in the charters of political public associations. The list of such political public associations shall be made up by the federal justice authority. At the request of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation this list made up as of the date of the request shall be forwarded to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation within ten days of receipt of such request.

Article 99. Participation of Federal Lists of Ca ndidates in the Distribution of Deputy Seats After the Election of Deputies of the State Duma of the Convocation Elected for the First Time under This Federal Law
After the election of deputies of the Sate Duma of the convocation elected for the first time under this Federal Law the following modifications shall be introduced in this Federal Law: Clause 16, Article 47 shall read as follows: 16. If, 35 days before voting day, no candidates or only one candidate is registered in a singleseat electoral district and less than two federal lists of candidates are registered in the federal electoral district, then by the decision of, respectively, a relevant district election commission, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation the election shall be postponed for a period not exceeding two months for the additional nomination of candidates, federal lists of candidates and performance of subsequent electoral actions.; clause 11 of Article 52 shall read as follows:

11. If, by voting day, no registered candidates or only one registered candidate remains in an electoral district or if less than two registered federal lists of candidates remain in the federal electoral district, then, by the decision of, respectively, a relevant district election commission, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, the election shall be postponed for a period not exceeding two months in a single-seat electoral district and not exceeding three months in the federal electoral district for additional nomination of candidates, lists of candidates and performance of subsequent electoral actions.; in Article 84: Clauses 3 to 5 shall read as follows: 3. Registered federal lists of candidates shall be included in the distribution of deputy seats if each such registered federal list of candidates received 7 percent and more than 7 percent of the vote in the federal electoral district, provided that voting was conducted on not less than four federal lists of candidates, that there were not less than four federal lists of candidates each of which received 7 percent and more than 7 percent of the vote and that all these lists together received more than 50 percent of the vote in the federal electoral district. In this case other federal lists of candidates shall not be included in the distribution of deputy seats for the federal electoral district. If voting was conducted on less than four federal lists of candidates and each of them received 7 percent and more than 7 percent of the vote in the federal electoral district, all these federal lists of candidates shall be included in the distribution of deputy seats provided that all these lists received together more than 50 percent of the vote in the federal electoral district. 4. If the federal lists of candidates each of which received 7 percent and more than 7 percent of the vote in the federal electoral district together received 50 percent or less than 50 percent of the vote in the federal electoral district, such federal lists of candidates shall be included in the distribution of deputy seats together with federal lists of candidates which received less than 7 percent of the vote in the federal electoral district and which shall be consecutively included in the distribution of deputy seats in the order of the decreasing number of votes until the total number of votes cast for all federal lists of candidates included in the distribution of deputy seats exceeds 50 percent of the vote in the federal electoral district and not less than four federal lists or, if voting was conducted on less than four federal lists of candidates, all federal lists of candidates are included in the distribution of deputy seats. 5. If less than four federal lists of candidates, each of which received 7 percent and more than 7 percent of the vote in the federal electoral district received together more than 50 percent of the vote in the federal electoral district and the other federal lists of candidates received less than 7 percent of the vote in the federal electoral district, then the federal lists of candidates each of which received 7 percent and more than 7 percent of the vote in the federal electoral district shall be included in the distribution of deputy seats together with federal lists of candidates which received less than 7 percent of the vote in the federal electoral district and which shall be consecutively included in the distribution of deputy seats in the order of the decreasing number of votes until the total number of federal lists of candidates included in the distribution of deputy seats reaches four. If voting was conducted on less than four federal lists of candidates and these lists received together more than 50 percent of the vote in the federal electoral district, all federal lists of candidates on which voting was conducted shall be included in the distribution of deputy seats.; Clause 11 shall read as follows: 11. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall declare the election in the federal electoral district not to have taken place: (1) if less than 25 per cent of the number of voters included in the voters lists took part in the election in the federal electoral district;

(2) if none of the federal lists of candidates received 7 percent or more than 7 percent of the vote in the federal electoral district; (3) if deputy seats were distributed on the basis of Clause 4 of this article and, as a result, federal lists of candidates that may be included in the distribution of deputy seats received together 50 percent or less than 50 percent of the vote in the federal electoral district.. V.V Putin President of the Russian Federation