Vitebsk region polling stations will be provided with transparent ballot boxes

In the Vitebsk region, it is planned to equip every polling station with transparent ballot boxes for the election to be held on October 11. Secretary of the Central Election Commission Nikolay Lozovik drew attention to such progressive initiatives and the overall good organization of the initial stages of the election campaign in the region during a training seminar with the management staff of the territorial election commissions of the region, held on July 29 at the regional executive committee.

According to him, the region traditionally acts as a generator of progressive initiatives in many areas, including during election campaigns. Equipping all polling stations with transparent ballot boxes is one of them.

“Although the Central Election Commission did not set this task, the Vitebsk region set such a goal for itself, and I want to thank everyone involved in its achievement. Perhaps for this reason, opponents will have fewer complaints about the organization of the elections,” Nikolay Lozovik noted, adding, however, that transparent ballot boxes and transparent elections are not identical concepts.

Another feature of the current election campaign, which was discussed in more detail at the training seminar, is the creation of conditions for the independent expression of will by visually impaired voters at each polling station. Nikolay Lozovik conveyed such recommendations to the leadership of the executive committees and territorial election commissions. It is planned to produce informational materials using Braille, as well as special stencils into which the ballot paper will be inserted, and visually impaired citizens will be able to make their choice by filling it out without outside help. At the same time, this innovation does not cancel the norm of legislation that gives any citizen with disabilities the right to use the help of another person when voting.

Territorial commissions have been formed throughout the country today, so during the seminar cycle, which concluded with an event in the Vitebsk region, the Central Election Commission is clarifying organizational tasks, work regulations, and operating conditions for them. There are 26 territorial election commissions operating in the Vitebsk region, and Nikolay Lozovik specifically thanked the presidiums of local executive committees and Councils of Deputies for ensuring openness, transparency, and democracy in resolving procedural issues. Now, the most important task for these commissions is to create good working conditions for initiative groups to collect signatures for the nomination of candidates for the highest state position.

– Signature collectors must have the opportunity to communicate freely with voters, and after the signature sheets are submitted, the territorial election commissions must approach the verification of signatures objectively, carry out this work clearly, in an organized manner, and in strict accordance with the law, – emphasized Nikolay Lozovik. By the way, according to the Central Election Commission's assessment, the local authorities of the Vitebsk region have adopted sufficiently democratic restrictions on signature collection, allowing picketing wherever it is not prohibited. In many ways, such decisions predetermined the absence of complaints on this issue, stated the Secretary of the CEC. All subsequent stages of the election campaign must be organized in the same spirit. The next step is the formation of precinct election commissions, which should be completed no later than August 26. Nikolay Lozovik recommended forming these commissions with an optimal composition, and when determining the locations for polling stations, preference should be given to traditional premises and facilities used for these purposes, so as not to cause inconvenience to voters. Then the campaigning will start, and election organizers will have to deal with equipping polling stations, preparing and refining voter lists, and creating all the necessary conditions for the free and democratic expression of citizens' will, summarized the Secretary of the Central Election Commission.

Sergey Antonov, "Vitebskiye Vesti"

For information

On July 28, 2015, a meeting of the Vitebsk Regional Commission for the Election of the President of the Republic of Belarus was held. Decisions were made on the allocation of funds for the preparation and conduct of the elections, and on the procedure for reimbursing travel expenses for members of the regional commission for the election of the President of the Republic of Belarus.