Early voting starts today at 760 polling stations in the region
In the Vitebsk region, the opportunity to cast your vote in advance is available at 760 polling stations. During these days, the precinct commissions expect voters from 10:00 to 14:00 and from 16:00 to 19:00. They will operate in this mode until election day, February 18.
When voting, you can obtain a ballot by presenting a passport or a certificate from internal affairs bodies in case of its loss, a military ID (for conscripts), an official ID of a state body employee, a driver's license, a pension certificate, as well as a disability certificate (if they contain a photograph), a student ID, a residence permit (for citizens of Russia permanently residing in Belarus).
In the Vitebsk region, approximately 867,000 citizens are included in the voter lists. Since February 2, they have been available for review at the premises of the precinct commissions. Each voter has the right to check if they are on the list and if their information is correctly stated.
Before the start of early voting, the Central Election Commission conducted a control check of the readiness of the precinct election commissions. According to Chairman of the Regional Election Commission Dmitry Khoma, they have carried out all the necessary organizational work.
This includes notifying voters about the time and place of voting, personally delivering or mailing about 750,000 notices (if they could not be reached at home), as well as sending information about the candidates for deputies. In the upcoming local elections, on behalf of the Regional Election Commission (previously handled by the CEC), congratulatory addresses will be presented to young citizens participating in elections for the first time. The most convenient locations for placing campaign printed materials have been identified within the polling station territories.
To finance campaign expenses, candidates for deputies have opened almost 800 special election accounts, which is more than six times the corresponding data from the 2014 local elections.
The vast majority of additional resources for campaigning are attracted by candidates for deputy mandates of regional, district, and city Councils, where competition is higher. 982 candidates are running for Councils at these levels, of which about 81% have formed election funds.
Also, in order for voters to make an informed choice, candidates hold mass events and meetings with voters. More than 50% of candidates for deputies of the Vitebsk and Novopolotsk city councils, as well as almost half of the contenders for the regional council mandate, used the opportunity to convey their position through radio broadcasts, which are provided free of charge.