Posted:
03.10.2023 14:41:00
Towards major election campaigns
Constituencies for the election of deputies of the House of Representatives have been formed in Belarus
A single voting day in Belarus is coming up on February 25th, 2024, when deputies of Parliament and local councils will be elected. Then we will have elections of the Belarusian People’s Congress. Preparations for important election campaigns are in full swing.
The President of Belarus,
Aleksandr Lukashenko,
“The country is gearing up for major election campaigns and the ideological component is of paramount importance. Please, think who will represent you in the parliament, the Belarusian People’s Congress… Pick up worthy patriotic people, professionals. Support them in the parliamentary elections and the elections to the Belarusian People’s Congress. I am not hiding anything, and you have nothing to hide either. But these should be professionals, decent people. Everything should be done so that people will support the candidates we back. We have enough smart, talented people.”
When considering personnel issues
on September 25th, 2023
Aleksandr Lukashenko,
“The country is gearing up for major election campaigns and the ideological component is of paramount importance. Please, think who will represent you in the parliament, the Belarusian People’s Congress… Pick up worthy patriotic people, professionals. Support them in the parliamentary elections and the elections to the Belarusian People’s Congress. I am not hiding anything, and you have nothing to hide either. But these should be professionals, decent people. Everything should be done so that people will support the candidates we back. We have enough smart, talented people.”
When considering personnel issues
on September 25th, 2023
Elections of deputies are held on a SINGLE VOTING DAY — the last Sunday of February.
~12.6 THOUSAND DEPUTIES of all levels will be elected on a single voting day.
A PROHIBITION has been established on taking the issued ballot outside the voting premises, as well as taking photos and videos of a completed ballot.
A damaged ballot paper can only be replaced ONCE.
Voting stations will NOT be established abroad.
In the 2020 Presidential elections, 21,230 voters or 0.3 percent took part in voting abroad. The average turnout in the elections was 75 percent.
It is PROHIBITED to make donations to the election funds of persons nominated as candidates for the President of the Republic of Belarus, for deputies, on the part of foreign states and organisations, foreign citizens and stateless persons, as well as international organisations.
ACCREDITATION of national observers is carried out before the start of early voting.
A BAN is introduced on the nomination as delegates of the Supreme Council, members of the Council of the Republic, deputies of persons who have citizenship (nationality) of a foreign state, representing the rights to benefits and advantages in connection with political, religious views or nationality.
Citizens in respect of whom there is a court conviction that has entered into legal force cannot be nominated as CANDIDATES for the President of the Republic of Belarus, for deputies of the House of Representatives, or members of the Council of the Republic.
Citizens who have an unexpunged or outstanding criminal record CANNOT be nominated as CANDIDATES for deputies of local Councils of Deputies
or delegates of BPC.
Citizens declared incompetent by a court and persons held by court verdict in detention facilities DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO ELECT OR BE ELECTED.
In Minsk, voters will receive 2 BALLOTS: for the elections of deputies of the House of Representatives and the Minsk City Council of Deputies.
In regional centres, district centres — 3 BALLOTS each: for elections of deputies of the House of Representatives, regional council, city council or district council.
Voters living in rural areas — 4 BALLOTS each: for elections to the House of Representatives, regional council, district council, village or town council.
The quantitative composition of the commission, the method of nomination and the contact details of the commission (address and telephone number) will be indicated in the printed media, in the message about the formation of the election commission without the personal data of the commission members.
FAST FACTS
During a conversation with reporters, Chairman of the Central Election Commission Igor Karpenko noted important aspects of the upcoming election campaign. In particular, it was:
“In accordance with the new electoral legislation, we are not setting up polling stations abroad. However, this does not infringe on the rights of citizens who have gone abroad for one reason or another. They can come to the country and during the early voting period from Tuesday to Saturday or on the single voting day — February 25th, 2024 — fulfil their civic duty: come to the polling stations and vote.”
On information security
“The website of the Central Election Commission is currently undergoing a complete modernisation. In the near future, you will see it in a new format. In addition, we are working on issues of increasing its throughput: we see that the websites of government agencies are often subject to external attacks that can destroy an unprepared website. Moreover, we are well aware that all the messengers that we have on social networks managed by external managers outside the country can be disabled, blocked, etc. Therefore, we will direct everyone to the fact that the first and most reliable information of the Central Election Commission will be posted on the CEC website.”
On inviting foreign observers
“This matter is being considered by those entities who can invite foreign observers. Besides the Central Election Commission, these are the President of the Republic of Belarus, both houses of parliament, the Council of Ministers and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. But for now, it’s too early to talk about sending an invitation, at least an official one, because we need to wait for the decree of the Head of State that is to be released in mid-November and will give a start to the election campaign. I’d like to note that when we were in Uzbekistan to monitor the presidential election, I took part in the meeting of the Advisory Council of Heads of Election Bodies of CIS member states. At this meeting I invited my counterparts from the CIS countries to come here and take part in observing the elections on the single voting day.”
On the educational work of the CEC
“The Central Commission regularly holds meetings with students of the Academy of Public Administration under the aegis of the President, and seminars in the regions for representatives of organisational, personnel and ideological services who are directly involved in preparations for the elections. The specifics of organising a single voting day and elections of delegates to the Belarusian People’s Congress are discussed during meetings in work collectives and educational institutions, and explanations are given on television and in the print media. Since the beginning of this year, about 50 such events have been held in the regions. The CEC also held seminars for media representatives, where more than 40 representatives of republican and regional print media and television and radio companies were trained.”
On media openness of the electoral process
“We intend to actively work with the press; traditionally, there will be a multi-channel direct telephone line. It is also planned to create the Elections 2024 Information Centre in the Small Hall of the Palace of the Republic.”
By Maksim Osipov
