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.
Not everyone knows that one of the most recognizable women in Russian public life began her career as an electronic equipment repairman. By education, the head of the Central Election Commission is an electronics engineer. After graduating from school in 1970, Ella Pamfilova tried to enter Moscow State University. Lomonosov to the Faculty of Journalism, but failed due to non-payment of Komsomol dues and lack of publications - as a result, the future politician entered the Moscow Energy Institute.
Head of the Central Election Commission Ella Pamfilova during the presentation of the Information Center of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation in Moscow, which will operate on the day of the presidential elections in Russia on March 18, March 15, 2018
Ilya Pitalev/RIA NovostiElla Pamfilova is known to Russians as the first woman in the country's history to run for president. She ran for president in 2000 and came in seventh place with just over 1% of the vote.
In 2002, Pamfilova was appointed chairman of the Presidential Commission on Human Rights, which, after reorganization in 2004, became known as the Presidential Council for Promoting the Development of Civil Society Institutions and Human Rights (also known as the Human Rights Council, HRC).
In 2010, Ella Pamfilova’s photograph was included in the “alley of enemies of the people” at the youth forum “Seliger-2010”. In front of the alley, a poster “You are not welcome here” was unfurled and poles with photos of human rights activists, as well as Russian and Ukrainian politicians with helmets with fascist symbols were displayed. The Nashi movement, which organized the action, had previously clashed with Pamfilova and demanded her resignation. In July of the same year, Pamfilova announced her resignation as head of the Human Rights Council; she explained her decision by saying that “it is no longer possible to qualitatively change the situation with rights and freedoms, primarily political ones.”
The head of the Central Election Commission is known for his emotionality:
one of the Russian officials who worked with Pamfilova told Gazeta.Ru that during the period of economic transformations in the 1990s, while defending social payments, she could not hold back her tears and touched the then Prime Minister Yegor Gaidar, who agreed with her arguments.
Little is known about the personal life of the chairman of the Central Election Commission: Pamfilova has a daughter and granddaughter, some sources reported that the head of the Central Election Commission is passionate about gardening and cooking. Pamfilova does not often talk about herself in interviews.
In a conversation with Kommersant twenty years ago, she casually mentioned her musical preferences. “I’m driving in the car, listening to the music of Vivaldi, Rachmaninov—I’m amazed. I love Vysotsky, Okudzhava. I like to dance in the morning - it’s a charge for the whole day,” Pamfilova shared then.
Chairman-wizard: Vladimir Churov
Ella Pamfilova’s predecessor as head of the Central Election Commission, Vladimir Churov, began his political career in the Committee on External Relations of the St. Petersburg Administration. Churov was elected head of the Central Election Commission in 2007, and during his chairmanship he oversaw the parliamentary (2007, 2011) and presidential (2008, 2012) elections.
During his time as head of the Central Election Commission, Churov acquired the nickname “wizard,” as Dmitry Medvedev called him in 2011.
This happened when Churov, in a conversation with the then President of the Russian Federation, boasted that his forecast of the election results was more accurate than that of leading sociological companies. “You’re almost a wizard. Some party leaders call you that,” Medvedev joked in response.
Churov has a very unusual sense of humor and is loved by Russians for his “pearls.” Thus, one day the head of the Central Election Commission swore that if the elections were not fair, he would shave his beard. The beard, by the way, is Churov’s pride. “The beard is well-deserved - she is 41 years old,” the head of the Central Election Commission once said.
Chairman of the Central Election Commission of Russia Vladimir Churov at a meeting of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation in Moscow, December 30, 2015
Maxim Blinov/RIA NovostiChurov is a very versatile person - the ex-chairman of the Central Election Commission has dozens of scientific works and several hundred publications on various socio-political topics. He is also the author of a number of historical and popular science books. In addition, the “wizard” is an avid collector. The ex-head of the Central Election Commission has more than a thousand models and photographs of tanks, as well as a large collection of theatrical programs.
After leaving the post of head of the Central Election Commission, Churov continued to work, but in the field of diplomacy - since 2016 he has been Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Chairman-sailor: Alexander Veshnyakov
Before chairing the Central Election Commission, Alexander Veshnyakov’s professional activities were closely connected with the maritime industry. Which is not surprising - Veshnyakov lived near the White Sea from childhood. He was educated at the Arkhangelsk Maritime School and worked as a sailor on ships of the Northern Shipping Company.
Before the collapse of the USSR, Veshnyakov managed to work as secretary of the Northern River Shipping Company, secretary of the Arkhangelsk City Committee of the CPSU and a deputy of the Arkhangelsk City Council of People's Deputies, and in 1993 he became an adviser to the Department of Maritime Transport of the Russian Ministry of Transport.
As Veshnyakov himself said, he was invited to work at the Central Election Commission by its first chairman, Nikolai Ryabov. Five years after joining the Central Election Commission, Veshnyakov headed the commission, replacing Alexander Ivanchenko as chairman.
Later in an interview, Veshnyakov said that he was “obsessed” with democratic elections; this was very important to him. He proudly claims to have conducted "the most democratic elections in the history of our country." Under him, Duma (1999, 2003) and presidential (2000, 2004) elections were held twice.
After leaving the Central Election Commission, Veshnyakov went into diplomacy and was the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Russia to Latvia from 2008 to 2016.
Chairman-policeman: Alexander Ivanchenko
Alexander Ivanchenko took office as chairman of the Central Election Commission in 1996. Before this, Ivanchenko served in law enforcement - he received his education at the Higher School of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs and worked in the Moscow police. In addition, Ivanchenko taught constitutional law.
Ivanchenko’s career in politics began in 1988, initially he worked in the apparatus of the Supreme Council of Russia, where he dealt with issues of organizing and conducting elections. In 1993, he became deputy to the first chairman of the Central Election Commission, Nikolai Ryabov, and three years later he himself headed the Central Election Commission.
An interesting fact is that during the three years of Ivanchenko’s chairmanship, not a single federal election was held in Russia.
By the way, so far Ivanchenko is the only ex-head of the Central Election Commission who, after leaving the post of chairman of the commission, continued to work in the field of election technologies. In 1999, the ex-head of the commission became chairman of the board of directors of the Independent Election Institute, and after that - head of the Center for Training in Electoral Technologies at the Central Election Commission. In a 2003 interview with Kommersant, Ivanchenko said that when he was chairman, the elections were “much more democratic.”
“When I was chairman of the Central Election Commission, the elections were more democratic and there were a lot of surprises. But now more and more negative precedents are emerging in the elections. And the more unpleasant stories there are, the more passive the voters are - it seems to them that nothing depends on them, and everything has already been decided,” complained the former chairman of the Central Election Commission.
Chairman-tractor driver: Nikolay Ryabov
Before joining the Central Election Commission, Ryabov managed to work as a tractor driver at a stud farm, as an engineer, as a teacher, and as a deputy at the Salsky Agricultural College. His political career began in 1990, when he received a leadership position in the Legislation Committee of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR. He quickly moved up the career ladder and already in 1992 became deputy chairman of the Supreme Council of Russia.
Chairman of the Central Election Commission for elections to the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Nikolai Ryabov, May 01, 1993
Yuri Abramochkin/RIA NovostiIn September 1993, Ryabov was appointed the first chairman of the Central Election Commission. During his three years in this position, Ryabov oversaw the State Duma elections in 1993 and 1995, as well as the 1996 presidential elections, which resulted in the re-election of Boris Yeltsin.
After the 1996 elections, Ryabov was appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Russia to the Czech Republic. Then he worked as the Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Azerbaijan, and the last point in his political biography was the post of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Moldova.
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.
“From the point of view of his work experience in the Constitutional Court and here at the Central Election Commission, Ebzeev would look very serious (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 Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation is a permanent collegial body of state power.
The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation carries out its activities on the basis of the Federal Law "On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right to Participate in Referendums of Citizens of the Russian Federation" dated September 5, 1997, as amended on March 30, 1999. It manages the activities of election commissions for the presidential election of the Russian Federation, deputies of the State Duma, as well as other federal government bodies provided for by the Constitution of the Russian Federation and for holding a referendum of the Russian Federation.
The Central Election Commission consists of fifteen members and its term of office is four years. It is formed in a special way. Five members of the Central Election Commission are appointed by the State Duma. Candidates for these positions are proposed by deputy associations. Five members are appointed by the Federation Council. Candidates for these positions are proposed by the legislative and executive bodies of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, and five members of the Central Election Commission are personally appointed by the President of the Russian Federation. From among its members, the Central Election Commission elects a chairman, deputy chairman and secretary by secret ballot.
In its actions, the Central Election Commission is completely independent; it is not controlled and accountable to any government body. The Central Election Commission issues instructions and clarifications on issues of uniform application of electoral legislation, issues of preparation and conduct of elections, determination of their results, etc. Documents issued by the Central Election Commission regulate almost all areas of preparation and conduct of elections.
According to the law, the powers of the Central Election Commission are quite significant.
- Together with the election commissions of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, it primarily:
- exercises control over compliance with the electoral rights of citizens of the Russian Federation and their right to participate in referendums, controls the legality of elections, organizes a nationwide voter registration system;
- organizes the development of standards for technological equipment necessary for the work of election commissions and monitors their compliance;
- implements measures to organize a system for financing elections and referendums, controls their intended use;
- provides legal, methodological, organizational and technical assistance to election commissions, etc.
The Central Election Commission approves the personal composition of territorial election commissions of territories, regions, federal cities, autonomous regions, and autonomous districts. The Central Election Commission is taking measures to organize a uniform system for summing up voting results, including using the “GAS - Elections” system. Members of the Central Election Commission work under the direction of the chairman and can be early dismissed from their positions only by decision of the body that appointed them to this position. More specifically and in detail, the powers of the Central Election Commission are defined in the laws on elections of the President of the Russian Federation, elections of deputies of the State Duma, and holding a referendum in the Russian Federation.
Changes in the status of the Central Election Commission can only be made in connection with the adoption of new federal election laws.
The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation was created and intended to conduct elections to federal government bodies provided for by the Constitution and elected by citizens (federal elections). Currently, such bodies are the President of the Russian Federation and the State Duma. Due to the organizational similarity of the electoral and referendum processes, the Commission is also entrusted with the authority to organize a referendum of the Russian Federation. However, the sphere of competence of the Russian Central Election Commission is not limited only to the organization of federal elections and referendums. Its control powers extend to all elections held in Russia. The Central Election Commission of Russia is also entrusted with some powers for the development of the electoral system.
Also, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation:
a) exercises control over the observance of electoral rights and the right to participate in a referendum of citizens of the Russian Federation;
b) organizes the development of standards for technological equipment (voting booths, voting boxes) for precinct commissions, approves these standards and monitors their compliance, and also organizes the placement of an order for the production of this technological equipment during elections to federal government bodies, referendums Russian Federation;
c) implements measures to organize a uniform procedure for the distribution of air time and print space between registered candidates, electoral associations for election campaigning, between the referendum initiative group and other groups of referendum participants for campaigning on referendum issues, establishing voting results, determining election results , referendums, as well as the procedure for publishing (disclosing) voting results and results of elections, referendums, including on the public information and telecommunications network “Internet”;
d) implements measures to organize the financing of the preparation and conduct of elections, referendums, distributes funds allocated from the federal budget for financial support of the preparation and conduct of elections, referendums, controls the intended use of these funds;
e) provides legal, methodological, organizational and technical assistance to commissions;
f) hears reports from federal executive bodies, executive bodies of constituent entities of the Russian Federation and local governments on issues related to the preparation and conduct of elections to federal bodies of state power and referendums of the Russian Federation;
g) establishes standards in accordance with which lists of voters, referendum participants and other election documents, as well as documents related to the preparation and conduct of a referendum, are prepared;
h) considers complaints (applications) against decisions and actions (inaction) of lower commissions and their officials that violate the electoral rights of citizens and the right of citizens to participate in a referendum during elections to government bodies of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, referendums of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, elections in local government bodies, local referendums and takes reasoned decisions on these complaints (applications);
i) The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, within the limits of the allocations provided for by the federal law on the federal budget for the next financial year in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation, determines the amount and establishes the procedure for remuneration of employees of institutions and organizations created to ensure its activities.
j) together with the election commissions of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, in interaction with federal executive authorities, executive authorities of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, local government bodies and officials of local self-government bodies, organizes a state system for registration (accounting) of voters, referendum participants and participates in the implementation of registration ( registration) of voters, referendum participants, including the formation and maintenance of a register of voters, referendum participants.
k) The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, together with the election commissions of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, checks consolidated financial reports and information on the receipt and expenditure of funds of political parties, controls the sources and amounts of property received by political parties in the form of entrance and membership fees, donations from citizens and legal entities, informs citizens about the results of these checks.
l) The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, within its competence, has the right to issue instructions on the uniform application of this Federal Law, which are binding.
m) The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation has the right to give opinions on the compliance of laws and other regulatory legal acts of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation with this Federal Law, as well as other federal laws regulating the electoral rights and the right to participate in a referendum of citizens of the Russian Federation.
The Central Election Commission of Russia is also entrusted with some powers for the development of the electoral system of the Russian Federation, not related to specific elections and referendums. The commission ensures the implementation of activities related to the operation and development of automation equipment, legal education of voters, professional training of election organizers, as well as the publication of printed materials. Federal target programs related to the development of the State Automated System “Elections”, training of voters and election organizers, have now become permanent areas of its activity.
The Russian Central Election Commission is developing international contacts with the central election bodies of other countries. The Russian Central Election Commission is a member of the Association of Election Organizers of Central and Eastern European Countries (ACEEEC), which unites state election bodies responsible for the preparation and conduct of elections in the countries of the region. ACEEEC is one of the leading international organizations doing a lot of work to develop international electoral standards and conduct international observation of elections. ACEEEE has been granted consultative status in the Council of Europe.
Based on the powers of the Central Election Commission of Russia, the following functions can be determined: (1) organizing federal elections, (2) organizing a referendum in the Russian Federation, (3) monitoring compliance with the electoral rights of citizens and the right to participate in a referendum, (4) promoting the development of the electoral system of Russia.
After I examined the powers of the Central Election Commission of Russia, I formed the opinion that at the moment the Central Election Commission of Russia itself will violate the electoral rights of Russian citizens by eliminating the “against all” column on the ballot papers. After all, the Commission in its activities must be guided by the Constitution of the Russian Federation, Federal Law and international treaties.
According to Part 1 of Art. 15 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation in Russia provides for the supremacy of the Constitution. According to Part 4 of Art. 15 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, international treaties have greater legal force than Russian laws - literally this part of the Constitution of the Russian Federation says the following:
“... If an international treaty of the Russian Federation establishes rules other than those provided for by law, then the rules of the international treaty apply.”
And according to Part 2 of Article 8 of the Convention on the Standards of Democratic Elections, Electoral Rights and Freedoms in the Member States of the Commonwealth of Independent States (which was concluded in Chisinau on 10/07/2002, ratified by Russia Federal Law dated 07/02/2003 No. 89-FZ and entered into in force for the Russian Federation on November 11, 2003): “Citizen participation in elections is free and voluntary. No one can force him to vote “for” or “against” any specific candidate (candidates), a specific list of candidates, no one has the right to influence a citizen in order to force him to participate or not participate in elections, as well as on his free expression "
International treaties recognized by Russia also prohibit the introduction of restrictions on voting rights. So according to paragraph “b” of Art. 25 of the “International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights”: “Every citizen shall have... without unreasonable restrictions the right and opportunity: b) to vote and be elected in genuine periodic elections held on the basis of universal equal suffrage by secret ballot and ensuring the free expression of the will of voters "
The right to vote against all lists is basic; it is from such positions that it is set out in international treaties recognized by Russia. However, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, when approving the form of ballot papers, discriminated against these electoral rights by applying norms of federal electoral legislation that contradicted the provisions enshrined in international treaties of Russia.
But then it turns out that if Russian electoral legislation contradicts international treaties, then it is no longer subject to application by virtue of Part 4 of Article 15 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation and elections in our country become illegal, and knowingly before they are held.