All-Russian vote on amendments to the Constitution of the Russian Federation has entered the final stage - on July 1 - the main and last day when Russians will be able to support or oppose the proposed changes to the Basic Law of the country.
The initiative to amend the country's Constitution was made by Russian President Vladimir Putin, during his annual address to the Federal Assembly on January 15, 2020. The amendments to the Basic law address new requirements for the President, government members and state officials at various levels, fix the state's social guarantees to citizens, change the terms of reference of the Parliament, prohibit the alienation of Federal territories, and establish the status of the Russian language. In addition, the amendments allow the current President to run for office again in 2024. The President submitted amendments to the Constitution to the all-Russian vote.
Due to the adverse epidemiological situation, the all-Russian vote on the amendments, originally scheduled for April 22, was postponed to July 1.
After setting a new date for voting, the CEC had only about a month for preparations. Some election commissions in the regions needed to allocate additional funds for the preparation and conduct of voting. In total, the CEC received 14.8 billion rubles from the Federal budget for the preparation and conduct of voting.
Terms extended
For the first time in history, Russian citizens had the opportunity to express their will within several days: in order to maximize the flow of people at the polling stations, voting began on June 25.
As the CEC Chairman Ella Pamfilova noted, "this idea has justified itself." More than 49.6 million people voted in the first five days, with a turnout of 45.7%.
For electronic remote voting, available to residents of Moscow and the Nizhny Novgorod region from June 25 to 30, the turnout was about 93%. Everyone who signed up for electronic remote voting, but for some reason did not vote, will be able to do it in person on July 1.
Observation by standard
CEC Chairman Ella Pamfilova noted that all forms of voting must be held in the presence of observers. She also called on all skeptics to participate in the observation.
The training of observers was carried out by the Civil chamber, where the "gold standard" was developed - a step-by-step instruction regulating the work of the observer.
According to the Secretary of the Civil chamber Lidia Mikheeva, almost 512 thousand public observers monitor the vote on amendments to the Russian Constitution.
The Civil Chamber of the Russian Federation has also created a Situation center for monitoring voting on amendments to the Constitution, which has already received 140 complaints about non-compliance with the monitoring standard.
Pamfilova called on all commissions to perceive observers as partners and allies, and to pay attention to all the shortcomings that they point out.
Unprecedented security measures
The CEC together with Rospotrebnadzor developed recommendations for safe voting in compliance with all sanitary standards, and they were sent to all commissions.
According to the developed instructions, all those who are at the polling station should keep a distance, voting booths should be used without a back wall, and visitors must be measured the temperature. The venue should have disinfecting mats and hand sanitizers.
Pamfilova stated that the CEC took it upon itself to provide all participants in the all-Russian vote on amendments to the Constitution with masks, gloves and disposable pens. Protective suits, dressing gowns and protective screens were also purchased for members of the commissions.
Voters do not need to pass their passports in the hands of the commission, but only show at a distance in order to check the data with those that are already included to the list.
The measures proposed by the CEC and Rospotrebnadzor to ensure sanitary safety when voting on amendments are "unprecedented and complete, even with a vengeance," the CEC Chairwoman said.
She also reported that members of election commissions were tested for coronavirus, depending on the epidemiological situation in the region, it was complete or selective.
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Based on materials from RIA-Novosti