Checking Accuracy by the Election Commissions of Signature Sheets and Documents Submitted by Candidates, Political Parties, Blocks of Political Parties.
The relevant election commission shall check correctness of the information in the documents defined by this Code and in the signature sheets of each candidate and whether the information of nominating the candidates is in compliance with the requirements of this Code. The relevant election commission shall have the right to check the accuracy of information about biography and other information about the candidates, submitted by the candidates, political party, block of political parties and voters in accordance with this Code.
The election commission can apply to the relevant bodies with a purpose to check accuracy of information and facts submitted in accordance with this Code. Those bodies should inform the election commissions about the results of examination within the period defined by the election commission, but if there are less than 75 days remaining prior to the voting day the information should be provided within a one-day period. The relevant election commission can make a decision on creating working groups consisting of experts invited to check accuracy of signatures and relevant information. The working groups should be chaired by the member of the commission that forms the group. Independent experts, experts of the relevant bodies as well as specialists of bodies and organizations carrying out registration of population can be invited after the fee established by the Central Election Commission is paid. Their opinions shall be accepted, as a basis, which approves accuracy of the information in the signature sheets. The election commissions can use the voters lists and the citizens registration system to check accuracy of information in signature sheets.
Candidates, their authorized representatives, authorized representatives of political parties, blocks of political parties can be present in the relevant election commission while checking signature sheets. The relevant election commission should inform the above-mentioned persons about examination of documents, in advance. The election commission cannot refuse or obstruct above-mentioned persons sent by a candidate, political party and block of political parties to participate in these actions. All signatures in the voters lists should be examined.
Checking of signatures should be stopped, if number of appropriate signatures provides grounds for registration of the candidate, or if the number of the remaining signatures is not sufficient for registration of the candidate. Accuracy or incorrectness of voters’ signatures should be approved due to results of investigation.
Crossed out signatures in the signature sheets of the persons who have nominated a candidate shall not be checked and registered if persons who collect signatures made relevant notes on it before they submit the signatures sheets to the relevant election commission.
If a signature of one person appears several times while checking them, only one signature shall be considered valid, others are considered incorrect.
Along with provisions of Article 59.6 of this Code, the following signatures shall also be considered incorrect:
59.7.1 The signatures of voters who do not have the right to vote or noted incorrect information based on the opinion of invited specialists to the work of election commission according to Article 59.2 of this Code or based on the reference given by relevant executive authority;
59.7.2. Signatures of voters entered into signature sheets before the notification on nomination of the candidate is sent to relevant election commission;
59.7.3. Signatures considered invalid in accordance with violation of requirements of Article 57.1 of this Code;
59.7.4. Signatures put by one person on behalf of several persons, or by several persons on behalf of one person;
59.7.5. Signatures, which are not recorded in hand or recorded by pencil.
If dates of signatures have been changed in the signature sheets, these signatures shall be considered correct if the person who approves signature sheets certifies them also;
All of the signatures in the signature sheets shall be considered invalid if signature sheets are not certified with the signature of the person who collected them, also by the authorized representative of candidate, political party, a block of political parties or if signature of authorized representative is not correct.
If a written line in a signature sheet does not fulfil the requirements of this Code only this line where signature shall be considered invalid, except for the cases mentioned in Articles 59.7 - 59.9 of this Code;
According to Articles 59.6. - 59.10 of this Code, if signatures shall not be defined during examining accuracy of signatures and calculating accuracy of quantity of signatures, changes and notes made by determined way in the signature list should not be the reason for considering the signature invalid.
According to Articles 59.6 - 59.10 of this Code, the candidate shall not be registered if the number of signatures is less than required number for registration after invalid signatures have been removed.
The head of a working group and a member of relevant election commission who has decisive right to vote shall prepare a protocol on results of checking signature sheets of each candidate, then sign it and give to the Election Commission for a relevant decision. The protocol shall indicate the number of checked signatures of voters and number of invalid signatures with a note of reason. The protocol shall be attached to the relevant decision of Election Commission. A copy of the protocol shall be submitted to a candidate, authorized representative of political party, a block of political parties at least 24 hours prior to the meeting of election commission, which deals with registration of a candidate. A candidate, a political party, a block of political parties shall have the right to get following documents if signatures are less than the required quantity of voter signatures during examination of signatures:
Copy of the protocol approved by the head of working group.
Reasons for considering signatures invalid including number of a relevant folder and number of line in relevant signature sheet
Copy of the table on results of examination.
