Territorial election commissions have started their work

Representatives of political parties and other public associations have taken more than two-thirds of the seats in the regional election commission for the elections of deputies of local Soviets of the 27th convocation. The decision on the formation of the regional election commission was made on December 26 at a joint meeting of the presidium of the regional Council of Deputies and the regional executive committee, during which adjustments were also made to the formation of electoral districts for the elections to the regional council.

Opening the event, the Chairman of the regional executive committee, Alexander Kosinets, specifically noted the importance and significance of the upcoming elections, which will be held in the year of the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Belarus from the Nazi invaders and in preparation for the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War. "That is precisely why it is necessary to conduct the election campaign at the highest organizational level, openly and democratically," the head of the region set the task.

According to the Deputy Chairman of the regional executive committee, Vladimir Terentyev, an important stage of the launched campaign is the formation of territorial election commissions, which actually organize the elections and control compliance with the legislation. 17 people were nominated for the regional election commission, information about whom was posted on the official website of the regional executive committee. During meticulous work, the personal qualities of the candidates were studied, including their participation in election campaigns, other political events, and their active life position. As a result, 13 candidates were proposed for approval. "These are the most hardworking citizens who can work in a team and ensure the activities of the regional election commission in accordance with the legislation," emphasized Vladimir Terentyev, noting that there are no civil servants among them.

The regional election commission includes 9 people representing public associations, including four members of political parties (LDLP, KPB, Republican Party of Labor and Justice, Belarusian Left Party “A Just World”), as well as one representative of a labor collective and three nominated by citizens through signature collection. The first organizational meeting of the regional election commission is scheduled for December 27.

An equally important organizational issue of the meeting was the adjustment of constituencies for the elections to the regional Council of Deputies. These changes are due to the demographic situation and are intended to ensure equal representation of voters' interests in this local self-government body. A total of 60 constituencies have been formed for the elections to the regional council, with an average of 14,783 voters, the deviation from which, as a rule, does not exceed 10%. According to Vladimir Severin, Head of the Organizational and Personnel Work Department of the Regional Executive Committee, the proposals for constituencies were developed taking into account some geographical features of the administrative-territorial units.

Two constituencies have been formed with a deviation exceeding the permissible limit from the average number of voters – these are the Dubrovensky constituency (with the smallest number of voters, a deviation of minus 16.59%) and the Kirovsky constituency in Vitebsk (the largest in terms of the number of voters, a deviation of plus 13.27%). One constituency is formed in the territory of the Dubrovensky and Sharkovshchinsky districts, and two constituencies are formed in the territories of the Gluboksky and Postavsky districts, and the Chashniksky district. The territories of other rural districts are involved in the formation of two constituencies, with the exception of the Vitebsk district (here, the Oktyabrsky rural council is included in the boundaries of the Liozno electoral district, and the Shapechinsky rural council – in the Senno district) and the Dokshitsky district (the Begomlsky rural council is included in the boundaries of the Borovsky district, and the Berezinsky and Tumilovichsky rural councils – in the Ushachsky district). The Bigosovsky constituency is formed from adjacent territories of the Braslavsky, Verkhnedvinsky, and Miorsky districts.

Compared to the 2010 local council elections, the total number of voters in the Vitebsk region has decreased by more than 8,000 people, while in the regional center, it has increased by almost 5,000, reaching 256,325 voters (as of 2012). Due to these trends, 16 electoral districts have been formed in Vitebsk (previously there were 15). The new district, Bilevsky, is formed within the boundaries of the residential microdistrict of the same name, while the Palminsky district, which combined the territories of Gorodok and Vitebsk regions, will not be formed. In the regional center, almost all electoral districts are formed within the city districts, with the exception of Pravdinsky, which includes the left-bank part of Zheleznodorozhny and part of Oktyabrsky districts. In total, 8 districts have been formed in Pervomaisky district, 2 in Zheleznodorozhny, and 6 in Oktyabrsky.

8 electoral districts have been formed in the Orsha district, including 6 directly within the boundaries of the district center and Barani. 5 districts have been formed in the Polotsk district, 4 of which are in the city, and Novopolotsk will have 5 districts for the regional council elections.

We remind you that during the elections on March 23, voters in the Vitebsk region will have to form the regional council, 21 district councils, 5 city councils in cities of regional and district subordination, and 197 rural and town councils.

Sergey Kochetov, "Vitebskiye vesti"