New regions will vote for president according to their own rules

The Central Election Commission (CEC) on Wednesday approved a special procedure for presidential elections in new regions. Local residents will be allowed to vote not only with a passport, information about polling stations and members of commissions will be classified, a special accreditation procedure will be established for the media, and election commissions will be able to reduce the duration of voting. All these innovations have already been successfully applied in the elections to the parliaments of new subjects in the fall of 2023, but they are being postulated at the level of the Central Election Commission for the first time.

The draft regulations on the specifics of preparing and conducting presidential elections during the period of martial law in certain territories were presented to colleagues by the deputy chairman of the Central Election Commission, Nikolai Bulaev. He recalled that the commission had previously decided to hold elections in the DPR, LPR, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions: “Holding elections during a period of martial law is not an easy task. But we believe that our consolidated actions will lead to the fact that the election campaign will be conducted at a high level, voters will be able to vote safely, and commission members will be able to work safely during this time.” Many innovations were tested in the fall of 2023 at elections to the legislative assemblies of new entities and proved their effectiveness, added the deputy chairman of the Central Election Commission.

As in those elections, election commissions will be able to determine a list of documents that can be used to identify a voter instead of a passport: this is due to the fact that not everyone has yet managed to obtain Russian passports. Information about polling stations and commission members will not be published for security reasons, but the CEC promises to use alternative tools to bring information to voters. The mechanism for the formation of precinct commissions (PECs) in hard-to-reach areas or on the territory of military units can also be simplified: it is allowed to appoint people not from the reserve composition and without taking into account the proposals of political parties.

Election campaigning through public events is applied “subject to the restrictions established in accordance with the legislation on martial law.” Accreditation of media representatives to polling stations will take place in a special manner established by the regional election commission; restrictions will also be introduced on photo and video filming during voting (for example, people can only be filmed with their consent). The duration of voting may be shortened by decision of the regional election commission. If a security threat arises for voters and PEC members, it is possible to move ballots and election documentation to the premises of the territorial election commission (TEC) or another safe place. Also, information about the voting results at the polling station can be transmitted to the TEC via technical communication channels “with the obligatory subsequent submission of the first copy of the protocol and the documents attached to it.”

The election commissions of the new regions thanked the Central Election Commission most of all for the opportunity to independently determine the list of documents identifying the voter’s identity. Although the majority of residents have already acquired Russian passports, there are still people who, for one reason or another, could not do this, explained the head of the DPR election commission, Vladimir Vysotsky. They cannot be deprived of the opportunity to express their will in elections, which are one of the most anticipated events in both the political and social life of the republic, Mr. Vysotsky insisted. Chairman of the Kherson Regional Election Commission Marina Zakharova added that early voting from February 25 to March 14 is “vital” in her region, since a significant part of the region can now be classified as hard-to-reach areas.

CEC member Boris Ebzeev said that the document is “constitutionally justified” and will become a classic of human rights protection. And CEC member Igor Borisov added that the provision on the peculiarities of elections in new territories could well become the basis for the preparation of international recommendations on organizing elections in difficult conditions. As a result, the document was supported unanimously.

Also on Wednesday, the Central Election Commission distributed funds allocated for the elections – this is 33.2 billion rubles, Mr. Bulaev recalled. They have already arrived at the disposal of the Central Election Commission in full and by the end of the week they will be in the accounts of regional election commissions. Most of these funds (20.8 billion) will be directed to localities: traditionally, most of the expenses are intended to pay members of election commissions (16.1 billion rubles). The budget of the Central Election Commission itself will be 217 million rubles, and another 170 million will be allocated to executive authorities organizing stations abroad and in military units. Finally, 11.9 billion rubles. are reserved for “unforeseen expenses” (in case of a second round).

The remuneration of members of election commissions for these elections is calculated based on a rate of 42 rubles. per hour for ordinary PEC employees (plus coefficients), and members of regional commissions will receive from 92 to 131 rubles. at one o’clock. A separate reward is provided to participants in the door-to-door canvassing of voters scheduled for February-March (“InformUIK”): a fixed payment is provided for this in the amount of 9 thousand to 10.4 thousand rubles, but taking into account additional coefficients it can rise to 22.5 thousand rubles, promised Nikolai Bulaev.

Anastasia Kornya