Election commissions - independent collegial bodies, formed in accordance with electoral legislation, organizing and ensuring the preparation and conduct of elections at various levels.
Election commissions are independent and independent from state authorities, local governments and public associations. The Russian Federation has a complex and heterogeneous system of election commissions.
1. Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation (CEC RF)- works on a permanent basis and heads the system of election commissions, organizes elections at the federal level (elections of the President of the Russian Federation, elections of deputies of the State Duma)
2. Election commissions of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation (ECs of the Russian Federation)- act on an ongoing basis, participate in the organization of federal elections, organize regional elections (elections of deputies of legislative bodies)
3. Territorial election commissions- act on an ongoing basis, are formed on the territory of cities and districts, participate in the organization of federal and regional elections, they may be entrusted with the powers of election commissions of municipalities
4. Election commissions of municipalities- operate on an ongoing basis, formed on the territory of municipalities. Organize elections to local government bodies (municipal elections), local referendums and voting.
5. District election commissions- are formed shortly before the start of the election campaign during elections of deputies. A district commission may not be formed if its powers are assigned to a commission at another level.
6. Precinct election commissions- are formed during the election campaign (usually about a month before voting day) in the territories of polling stations during elections of any level, their powers usually end 10 days after voting day. These commissions are responsible for the direct work of organizing voting and counting votes.
The Federal Law “On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right to Participate in a Referendum of Citizens of the Russian Federation” establishes the procedure for the formation of election commissions. The CEC consists of 15 members and is formed by three subjects - the State Duma, the Federation Council and the President of the Russian Federation, 5 each.
Formation election commissions of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation carried out by the legislative (representative) and executive bodies of state power of these subjects on the basis of proposals from electoral associations, electoral blocs, public associations, elected bodies of local self-government, the election commission of a subject of the Federation or, accordingly, the district election commission of the previous composition.
Formation territorial election commissions, as well as district election commissions elections to government bodies of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation and local government bodies are carried out on the basis of proposals... (see above), and precinct election commissions- on the basis of proposals from electoral associations, electoral blocs, public associations, meetings of voters at the place of residence, work, service, study by the elected body of local self-government.
- a federal state body that heads the system of election commissions, referendum commissions formed to prepare and conduct elections to government bodies, local government bodies, as well as referendums (popular votes) in the Russian Federation. Established by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of September 29, 1993 No. 1505. According to the current legislation of the Russian Federation, the main functions of the Central Election Commission of Russia are: preparation and conduct of elections and referendums in the Russian Federation; ensuring uniform implementation of legislation on elections and referendums; management of the activities of lower-level election commissions, referendum commissions; ensuring and protecting electoral rights and the right to participate in a referendum of citizens of the Russian Federation and public associations; control over the preparation and conduct of elections and referendums at all levels. The Central Election Commission of Russia, as well as the system of election commissions headed by it, due to the specificity of its functions and legal nature, cannot be classified as one of the three branches of state power established by the Constitution of the Russian Federation of 1993, but occupies an independent niche in the mechanism of the Russian state. The commission operates on a permanent basis and is a legal entity, has a seal with its name and the image of the State Emblem of the Russian Federation, other seals and stamps, as well as an emblem. The official abbreviated name of the commission, according to its Regulations, is the Central Election Commission of Russia. The procedure for the formation, legal status and operating rules of the Central Election Commission of Russia are enshrined in the Federal Law “On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right to Participate in a Referendum of Citizens of the Russian Federation”, other federal laws on elections, the Federal Constitutional Law “On the Referendum of the Russian Federation”, as well as in Regulations of the Central Election Commission of Russia. A separate federal law defining the status of the Russian Central Election Commission has not yet been adopted. The Commission in its activities is guided by the Constitution of the Russian Federation, federal constitutional laws, federal laws, independently resolves issues within its jurisdiction, and is not bound by the decisions of political parties and other public associations. The independent status of the Central Election Commission of Russia, as well as other election commissions and referendum commissions, enshrined in law, is an important guarantee of the independent responsible activities of the Central Election Commission of Russia and the commissions led by it. The procedure for forming the Commission established by Art. 21 of the Federal Law “On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right to Participate in Referendums of Citizens of the Russian Federation”, which is specified in the Regulations of the Federation Council and the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, is distinguished by the fact that it is the only federal state body that is formed on a parity basis by three other highest government bodies representing various branches of government. This procedure is intended to ensure the representation of various political forces in the commission, their balance, and the adoption of impartial decisions that express national and national interests. The composition of the commission is set at 15 members with voting rights. At the same time, five members of the commission are appointed by the Federation Council, the State Duma and the President of the Russian Federation. In accordance with the law and the Regulations, the leaders of the Central Election Commission of Russia - chairman, deputy chairman, secretary - are elected by the commission itself from among its members by secret ballot using ballots. The activities of the commission are carried out on the basis of collegiality, free, open and public discussion and resolution of issues within its competence. Members of the commission organize work in specific areas of activity of the Central Election Commission of Russia and are responsible for the results of this work. The regulations of the Central Election Commission of Russia establish 14 areas of work. The distribution of responsibilities between members of the commission in these areas is carried out by resolution of the Central Election Commission of Russia. The Central Election Commission of Russia, together with other state bodies and local self-government bodies, organizes a state system of registration (registration) of voters, referendum participants, examination of laws and other regulatory legal acts of constituent entities of the Russian Federation regulating electoral rights and the right to participate in a referendum of citizens of the Russian Federation, and carries out other important functions related to the preparation and conduct of elections and referendums. The will of the Central Election Commission of Russia as a state body is expressed in acts adopted by the Commission. Acts of the Commission, depending on the nature of the issue, are adopted by a majority of the established number of commission members or the number of commission members present at the meeting. They have different names: instructions, regulations, charter, rules, explanations, methodological recommendations. All these names are secondary, since they are approved by a resolution of the Central Election Commission of Russia - the only official act adopted by the Commission as a collegial body. Acts of the Commission are not subject to registration with the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation; they are not subject to prosecutorial supervision. Nevertheless, they are mandatory for execution by executive authorities, local self-government, all collective and individual subjects (participants) of election campaigns, referendums, as well as lower-level election commissions and referendum commissions. The decisions of the Commission are published in the official printed organ of the CEC of Russia - the journal “Bulletin of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation”, transmitted to other media and posted on the website of the CEC of Russia. Acts of the Commission, unlike acts of executive authorities, cannot be canceled administratively. They can be canceled in whole or in part only by the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation when an interested organization or person submits a corresponding application and if there are legal grounds for this. Literature: Federal constitutional law “On the referendum of the Russian Federation” dated June 28, 2004 No. 5-FKZ // Russian newspaper. 2004. June 30; Federal Law “On the Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right to Participate in a Referendum of Citizens of the Russian Federation” dated June 12, 2002 No. 67-FZ // 2002. No. 24. Art. 22.53; Regulations of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. M., 2003. © Biktagirov R.T.MOSCOW, March 3 – RIA Novosti. The new composition of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation has been formed for a five-year term. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on members of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, including Vasily Likhachev, Ella Pamfilova, Alexander Kinyev, Boris Ebzeev and Yevgeny Shevchenko, the Kremlin press service reports.
“To appoint members of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation: Alexander Yuryevich Kinev, Vasily Nikolaevich Likhachev, Ella Alexandrovna Pamfilova, Evgeniy Alexandrovich Shevchenko, Boris Safarovich Ebzeev,” the text of the decree says.
The decree comes into force from the date of its signing.
The head of the Central Election Commission, Vladimir Churov, is not on the list.
Candidates of the Federation Council and State Duma
In addition, the State Duma and the Federation Council previously approved their candidacies for the CEC.
The Commission of the Central Election Commission consists of 15 members, of whom five candidates are appointed by the President of the Russian Federation, the upper and lower houses of parliament.
Last week, the State Duma at its meeting appointed five candidates as members of the Central Election Commission (CEC).
Zyuganov on the expulsion of Churov from the Central Election Commission: renewal is overdueThe head of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation recalled that Vladimir Churov served as head of the Central Election Commission for two consecutive terms and his non-inclusion in the new composition of the Central Election Commission was due precisely to the need to update personnel.Six candidates were put to the vote of the lower house of parliament: five deputies and one public figure. As a result, the State Duma appointed Valery Kryukov, proposed by United Russia, Sergei Sirotkin, nominated by the LDPR, Evgeniy Kolyushin by the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, Nikolai Levichev by A Just Russia, as well as Valery Galchenko (United Russia), proposed by another group of deputies, as members of the Central Election Commission. Another candidate was the co-chairman of the “Voice” movement Grigory Melkonyants, who was proposed by A Just Russia deputy Dmitry Gudkov.
The Federation Council appointed five members of the Central Election Commission on February 10. They were Senator Nikolai Bulaev, current members of the Central Election Commission Maya Grishina, Anton Lopatin and Siyabshakh Shapiev, as well as the head of the political projects department of the Center for Political Projects and Communications Alexander Klyukin.
According to the law, the regions submit candidates for appointment to the Federation Council - 75 out of 85 regions received proposals for 12 candidates. Then the final list of five people was formed by the relevant Federation Council committee on federal policy.
According to the regulations of the Federation Council, a candidate is considered elected to the Central Election Commission if a simple majority of senators votes for him.
New Chairman
Until the last moment, the intrigue remained whether Churov would remain chairman of the Central Election Commission. The Kremlin previously reported that this would become known after Russian President Vladimir Putin decided on his quota.
Churov was elected chairman of the Central Election Commission of Russia on March 27, 2007 on an uncontested basis, and in March 2011 he was re-elected for a second term.
The powers of the CEC commission expire on March 27. Members of the new composition are expected to meet for their first meeting on March 28. At this meeting, they must elect a new head of the Central Election Commission and distribute powers and responsibilities among themselves.
The renewal of the composition of the Central Election Commission is welcomed in the State Duma. According to Vladimir Ponevezhsky (United Russia), a member of the State Duma Committee on Constitutional Legislation and State Building, this should have happened.
“Who will be the chairman will be decided by the commission. Ella Pamfilova is worthy to be the chairman, and Vasily Nikolaevich Likhachev is also worthy, he is a very authoritative, respected deputy,” the parliamentarian added.
Ponevezhsky hopes that the Central Election Commission, also with a new composition, will continue its activities in accordance with the Constitution.
The Federation Council also believes that Vasily Likhachev or Nikolai Bulaev could head the Central Election Commission.
“Of the new members of the Central Election Commission, I can single out Vasily Likhachev and Nikolai Bulaev. These are excellent organizers, in addition, they are politicians and diplomats,” Ekaterina Lakhova, a member of the relevant committee of the Federation Council, told RIA Novosti.
As for the candidacy of Ella Pamfilova, Lakhova believes that her nomination for the post of head of the Central Election Commission is unlikely. “She is an excellent human rights activist, known all over the world, but still it is Likhachev and Bulaev who have excellent organizational skills,” Lakhova is convinced.
Speaking about the Chairman of the Central Election Commission, Vladimir Churov, who was not included in the new composition of the Central Election Commission, the senator expressed confidence that the fact that he was not reappointed only indicates the need to rotate the composition of the commission.
“This does not mean that Churov is bad, we just need rotation. And we do not elect the president forever,” Lakhova said.
But Likhachev, who was appointed a member of the Central Election Commission on Thursday, believes that the current CEC member Boris Ebzeev or Human Rights Commissioner Ella Pamfilova could head the CEC.
“Ebzeev, from the point of view of his work experience in the Constitutional Court and here at the Central Election Commission, would be looked at very seriously (as a leader). As for Pamfilova, we also cannot exclude it. At least at the deputy level, some kind of administrative post.” ,” Likhachev told RIA Novosti.
The head of the ISEPI Foundation (Institute for Socio-Economic and Political Research) Dmitry Badovsky also believes that Pamfilova will become the new chairman of the Central Election Commission.
“(The likelihood) is very high, since Pamfilova enjoys unconditional respect and trust both in society and among representatives of various political forces,” Badovsky told reporters, calling the ombudsman “an influential independent public figure.”
Pamfilova will leave the post of ombudsman
Apparently, Pamfilova will have to resign in connection with her appointment as a member of the Central Election Commission, press secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
“Yes, she will have to do it,” he said.
“I can’t tell you this, but, apparently, in the near future. I don’t know how things stand legally there, but, of course, this is such a position,” Peskov added, answering the question of how long Pamfilova should resign your powers.
Answering the question about whether there are already any candidates for the position of ombudsman instead of Pamfilova, Peskov said that “I don’t know about this yet.”
Pamfilova has been Commissioner for Human Rights since March 18, 2014. She is well known for her social and human rights activities. She worked as Minister of Social Protection of the Russian Population in the governments of Yegor Gaidar and Viktor Chernomyrdin (1991−1994), as well as Chairman of the Council under the President of the Russian Federation for promoting the development of civil society institutions and human rights (2004−2010).
In general, the CEC commission has been significantly updated, but at the same time continuity has been preserved.
The President delegated to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation a State Duma deputy from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, a member of the Committee on CIS Affairs Vasily Likhachev, a member of the Patriots of Russia, one of the leaders of the party Yevgeny Shevchenko, a representative from Yabloko Alexander Kinyov, who, like his leader in the FAS RF Igor Artemyev , has been a member of the St. Petersburg Yabloko since the 1990s.
It is also important that the composition of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation has been strengthened by influential constitutional lawyers and doctors of law. Among them are Vasily Likhachev and Boris Ebzeev, who were included in the commission under the “presidential quota”.
At the same time, continuity with the previous composition of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation was maintained due to the reassignment of key professionals. According to the decision of the head of state, the former judge of the Constitutional Court and President of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic Boris Ebzeev, as well as economist Valery Kryukov and lawyer Evgeny Kolyushin, who passed through the “State Duma quota,” and Maya Grishina and Siyabshakh Shapiev from the Federation Council, remain on the commission.
The formation of election commissions at all levels is based on ensuring their independent status.
Nowadays, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation (including from 1995 to the present 15 members instead of 21, as it was in 1993) is formed for a period of 4 years not only by the President of the Russian Federation, but also on a parity basis by the chambers of the Federal Assembly of Russia: the State Duma and the Federation Council. Note that the term of office of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation is equal to the term of office of the President of the Russian Federation and the State Duma. The very procedure of formation emphasizes the role played by the Central Election Commission, which heads the entire system of election commissions in the Russian Federation. Both the President of Russia and both chambers of the Federal Assembly take part in its formation. In the State Duma, the right to nominate candidates to the CEC belongs to deputy associations (factions and groups) and individual deputies. However, candidates proposed by factions and deputy groups have the greatest chance of getting into the Central Election Commission. True, according to the 1997 Federal Law “On Basic Guarantees...”, more than one candidate nominated by the same deputy association (faction or group) cannot be elected to the CEC. In the Federation Council, in accordance with the established procedure, candidates nominated by the legislative and executive bodies of state power of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation are put to a vote. Voting for candidates is secret.
Members of the CEC, by secret ballot, elect their Chairman, his deputy and the Secretary of the Commission instead of the previous principle (according to the 1993 acts) of appointing the leadership of the Commission, which strengthened the democratic principles of formation while increasing the personal responsibility of the members of the Commission. These innovations were enshrined in a special Regulation in accordance with the resolution of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation No. 11 of March 21, 1995 (later amendments were made to it), adopted on the basis of Art. 12 of the Federal Law “On Basic Guarantees of Citizens’ Electoral Rights...”. In particular, this Regulation stipulates that before the election of the Chairman, the meeting is chaired by the oldest member of the newly elected Commission, and a counting commission of 3 members is elected by open voting. Candidates for the post of Chairman are subject to an open discussion among the members of the Commission, the text of the ballot is also openly and publicly approved, voting takes place and votes are counted, after which the data is entered into the protocol. The candidate for the position of Chairman of the Commission who receives 8 or more votes of the members of the Commission is recognized as elected. If necessary, a second round of voting is held based on the adoption of a special resolution, or new elections are organized (if none of the candidates included in the list received the number of votes required for election). The Deputy Chairman and Secretary of the Commission are elected in the same way. Kolpakov N. Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation in the system of public power - M.: RTSOIT, 2002. P. 82
The Central Election Commission acts in accordance with its own Regulations. True, for the first time at the legislative level, the Regulations of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation were mentioned in the 1997 Federal Law “On Basic Guarantees...”. Naturally, the CEC not only adopts its Regulations (originally adopted on June 28, 1995), but also makes changes to it. The right to adopt their own regulations emphasizes the organizational independence of election commissions.
The principle of collegiality is also reflected in the organization of the work of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and election commissions at other levels. According to the procedure for convening and holding meetings of the Commission, the right to convene belongs to the Chairman of the Commission or, on his instructions, to his deputy, as well as on the basis of a written request of at least a third of all members of the Commission with voting rights or half of the members of the Commission with advisory voting rights. In this case, a meeting of the Commission is recognized as valid if it is attended by the Chairman or Deputy Chairman of the Commission and at least half of the list of voting members of the Commission. Decisions must be made by open voting by a majority of votes from those present at a particular meeting, and decisions of a normative nature - by a majority of votes from the total number of members of the Commission. The Chairman of the Commission, distributing responsibilities among its members in order to organize work to implement its decisions, has the right to give instructions to members of the Commission, invite representatives of government, public organizations, etc. to meetings, as well as represent the Commission in government bodies, international organizations and etc., inform the President of the country, the State Duma, and other government bodies about the work of the Commission. The chairman also has other powers, including managing finances.
Members of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, who have the right to a casting vote, have the right to make proposals on the agenda of the meeting, comments and amendments on the issues discussed. In case of disagreement with the decision of the Commission, voting members have the right to express a dissenting opinion, attached in writing to the minutes of its meeting. During the work of the Commission, CEC members can create special working groups to prepare draft specific decisions, as well as receive citizens and representatives of state bodies, local governments, public associations, etc., get acquainted with the documentation of the CEC and lower commissions.
A meeting of the election commission, like any other collegial body, is considered competent if a majority of the established number of members with a casting vote is present. At the same time, Part 6 of Art. 27 of the Federal Law of 1997 “On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right to Participate in a Referendum of Citizens of the Russian Federation” establishes that a meeting of the Central Election Commission, the election commission of a constituent entity of the Russian Federation is valid if at least two-thirds of the members of the relevant commission with voting rights are present. It should be noted that the requirement for the presence of a qualified majority of CEC members with voting rights for the validity of a meeting of the Central Election Commission was introduced back in 1995 by some Federal laws (in particular, Article 21 of the Law “On Elections of the President of the Russian Federation” and Article 29 of the Law “On elections of deputies of the State Duma..."). In connection with this, the Regulations of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, which determine the procedure for the work of the Commission, introduced a rule according to which its meeting is valid if at least two-thirds of the established number of members are present (Article 25). According to Art. 33 of the same Regulations, certain documents of the Commission are signed by all members with voting rights. Let us recall that the established number of voting members of the Commission is 15, and there are as many present as actually participate in a particular meeting. Avtonomov A.S. Electoral power. - M., 2001. P. 35
So, the Central Election Commission of Russia consists of 15 voting members and is formed on a parity basis by the President, the Federation Council and the State Duma. Members of the Commission are appointed by the Federation Council at the proposal of regional authorities, and by the State Duma at the proposal of factions, associations in the Duma and deputies. By establishing the procedure for forming the Central Election Commission of Russia, the legislator seeks to ensure the political heterogeneity of the Commission in order to achieve the maximum possible independence and impartiality.
The commission is formed piece by piece for a four-year term, although it is not tied to a specific convocation of the State Duma.
The current, fourth, composition of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation was formed in March 2003 in accordance with the Federal Law “On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right to Participate in Referendums of Citizens of the Russian Federation.”
Five members of the Central Election Commission of Russia were appointed by the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation from among the candidates proposed by deputy associations in the State Duma.
Five members of the Commission were appointed by the Federation Council from among the candidates proposed by the legislative and executive bodies of state power of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation.
Five members of the Commission are appointed by the President of the Russian Federation.
All fifteen members of the Commission have voting rights.
On March 26, 2003, members of the Central Election Commission elected from among their members the Chairman of the Central Election Commission of Russia, A.A., by secret ballot. Veshnyakov, Deputy Chairman - O.Yu. Velyashev and Secretary of the Central Election Commission of Russia - O.K. Zastrozhnaya.
The Central Election Commission of Russia can be disbanded in exceptional cases (disruption of elections or referendums, failure to comply with a court decision). by the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation at the request of a group of members of the Federation Council or deputies of the State Duma, numbering at least one third of the composition of the chamber. The dissolution of the Commission is a measure of the legal, public legal responsibility of this body.
A voting member of the Central Election Commission of Russia is a federal official of category “A”. The law establishes qualification requirements for a member of the Commission (higher legal education or academic degree in law), as well as job and some other necessary restrictions - members of the Commission cannot be deputies, elected officials, judges, prosecutors, candidates and some other persons (Article .29, paragraph 1). A member of the Commission is not bound by an imperative mandate and is not accountable to either the body that appointed him or the association that nominated him. Kolpakov N. Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation in the system of public power - M.: RTSOIT, 2002. P. 129
A member of the Central Election Commission of Russia cannot be brought to criminal liability, as well as to administrative liability in court, without the consent of the Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation. To release a member of the Commission from office (from duties), there must be appropriate grounds (Article 29). Bringing a member of the Commission to legal liability is possible only by court decision - if the court imposes an administrative penalty for violating the legislation on elections and referendums or recognizes him, at the request of the Commission, as systematically failing to fulfill his duties, his powers are terminated automatically. Relatively speaking, irremovability and immunity are guarantees of independence and protection from political pressure of a member of the Commission.
The Central Election Commission of Russia elects from among its members a Chairman, a Deputy Chairman and a Secretary, whose powers are determined by the Rules of the Commission.
The status of members of the Commission with advisory voting rights (in international terminology - long-term observers) differs significantly from the status of members of the Commission with voting rights. They are appointed and recalled by political parties, registered candidates, initiative groups, have an imperative mandate and represent their interests.
The Commission's apparatus provides organizational, information-analytical, financial, documentation, publishing, logistics, social and other support for the activities of the Commission. In general, the apparatus is the working body of an individual or collegial government body (as a rule, endowed with authority), ensuring its activities and staffed by civil servants.
The Control and Audit Service is a permanent financial control body under the Commission, which exercises control over the expenditure of budgetary funds by election commissions and compliance with the law in the financing of election campaigns of candidates, and is headed by the Deputy Chairman of the Commission.
The Commission operates advisory and consultative bodies that do not have an independent legal status: councils, commissions, working groups consisting of members of the Commission, employees of the Apparatus, scientists, specialists from government and other bodies and institutions. The Scientific and Methodological Council provides scientific and methodological support for the activities of the Commission, develops a concept for the development of the electoral system, scientific research programs, measures to improve legal mechanisms, develops and evaluates bills. Working groups are created to perform specific tasks - checking submitted documents, considering appeals, monitoring compliance with election campaign rules, monitoring the work of the State Automated System “Elections,” and developing bills.
The following government institutions operate under the Commission - the Federal Center for Informatization and the Russian Center for Training in Electoral Technologies. The official press organ and publisher of legal acts of the Commission is the journal “Bulletin of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation”.
electoral dispute election body
TASS DOSSIER. On March 27, 2016, the five-year term of office of the current sixth composition of the Central Election Commission (CEC) of the Russian Federation expires. On March 28, the first meeting of its new composition will take place, during which a new chairman of the Central Election Commission will be elected. Vladimir Churov, who headed the commission since 2007, was not appointed to a new term.
The Central Election Commission is a state collegial body whose main task is to organize elections and referendums in Russia. The procedure for the formation and status of the commission is established by the federal law “On basic guarantees of electoral rights and the right to participate in a referendum of citizens of the Russian Federation” of June 12, 2002 and other legislative acts.
Powers of the commission
The Central Election Commission monitors the observance of the electoral rights of citizens of the Russian Federation, ensures the preparation and conduct of elections and referendums, organizes their financing and controls the distribution of budget funds, verifies the receipt and expenditure of candidate funds, establishes voting results, and also provides legal, organizational, technical and other assistance to election commissions. The powers of the Central Election Commission also include the development of the Russian electoral system, the introduction of automation tools in elections, the consideration of complaints against decisions of election commissions of the constituent entities of the Federation, etc.
Story
The Central Election Commission for elections to the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation was formed by decree of the President of the Russian Federation Boris Yeltsin dated September 24, 1993.
The first composition of the commission - 20 people - was approved by the head of state on September 29, 1993. Ten of them were proposed by regional parliaments, ten - by executive authorities of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. A prerequisite was that applicants had a higher legal education or an academic degree in the field of law (then, since 2007, a higher education was required).
After the parliamentary elections in December 1993, the department was renamed the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. The Federal Law “On Basic Guarantees of the Electoral Rights of Citizens of the Russian Federation” dated December 6, 1994 established that the Central Election Commission operates on a permanent basis and manages the activities of election commissions for the elections of the President, State Duma deputies, other federal government bodies, as well as for holding a referendum in the Russian Federation. The commission's term of office was set at four years, and the number of its members was reduced to 15 people, five of whom were appointed by the State Duma, five by the Federation Council and five by the President of the Russian Federation.
In December 1994 - March 1995, a new composition of the Central Election Commission was formed. Subsequently, the commission was formed every four years - in 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011. In 2010, the term of office of the CEC was increased to five years, according to which its sixth composition worked from 2011 to 2016.
Heads of the Central Election Commission
Since its formation, the Central Election Commission has had four chairmen. The first head of the commission in September 1993 was the deputy head of the Supreme Council of the Russian Federation, Nikolai Ryabov (re-elected in March 1995). At the head of the Central Election Commission, he organized the parliamentary elections in 1993 and 1995, as well as the presidential elections in 1996.
In November 1996, after Ryabov was appointed Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the Czech Republic, Alexander Ivanchenko was elected head of the Central Election Commission. He headed the Central Election Commission for three years, during which not a single federal election campaign was held in Russia. In 1999, Ivanchenko headed the board of directors of the Independent Institute of Elections, and later the Center for Training in Electoral Technologies under the Central Election Commission.
The third composition of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation in March 1999 elected Alexander Veshnyakov as chairman, who served in this post until 2007. Under him, four election campaigns were held: in 1999 and 2003. - elections to the State Duma, in 2000 and 2004. - presidential elections. In 2007, he was not included in the fifth composition of the commission; a year later he was appointed Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Latvia.
The place of the chairman of the Central Election Commission in March 2007 was taken by Vladimir Churov (re-elected in March 2011). He led the parliamentary (2007, 2011) and presidential elections (2008, 2012). In 2016, when the new composition of the Central Election Commission was formed, he was not included among its members.
Composition and structure of the CEC
The commission consists of 15 voting members. Five of them are appointed by the State Duma of the Russian Federation from among the candidates proposed by factions and deputy associations. Five - the Federation Council at the proposal of the leaders and parliaments of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. Another five members of the Central Election Commission are appointed by the head of state by decree. The commission elects a chairman, his deputies and the secretary of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation from among its members by secret ballot.
The CEC also includes members with advisory voting rights. They can participate in commission meetings, but do not have the right to vote on certain issues considered by the CEC. These are representatives of parties participating in parliamentary elections, registered candidates for the post of President of the Russian Federation, as well as initiative groups for holding a referendum.
Ensuring the activities of the commission and implementing the decisions it makes is entrusted to the CEC staff. According to the staffing table, it consists of 277 people.
The Federal Center for Informatization has been created under the Central Election Commission, which is responsible for providing information support to the activities of the Central Election Commission, as well as the creation and operation of the State Automated System "Elections" (GAS "Elections"). Also operating under the CEC are the Russian Center for Training in Electoral Technologies, the Control and Audit Service and the Public Scientific and Methodological Advisory Council.
New composition of the commission
The seventh composition of the Russian Central Election Commission was formed in February - March 2016, and the commission was renewed by 60%. Six members of the sixth composition were appointed to new terms. Of these, according to the State Duma quota - Evgeny Kolyushin and Valery Kryukov; Federation Council - Maya Grishina, Siyabshakh Shapiev and Anton Lopatin; according to the quota of the head of state - Boris Ebzeev.
Nine people became new members of the commission, including former Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation Ella Pamfilova (2014-2016), Deputy Speaker of the State Duma Nikolai Levichev (2011-2016), Senator Nikolai Bulaev (2015-2016), and others.
The first elections to be held by the new composition of the Central Election Commission will take place on September 18, 2016. On this day, a single voting day will be held in Russia, combined with the elections of deputies to the State Duma of the Russian Federation of the seventh convocation.
The term of office of the seventh composition of the CEC expires in March 2021.
