24.09.2008 Mahiliou: Police Academy students can’t vote on Sunday

On September 24th, at polling station # 17 of Leninskaya district # 84 of Mahiliouo, it became surprisingly crowded after 6 p.m. It turned out, students of Mahiliou Police Academy came to perform their civic duty, together with their instructors.

Obviously, police students will not have any opportunity to cone to the polling stations on Sunday.

24.09.2008 Minsk: “Official” candidate Vital Busko uses administrative resource

Siarhei Yuranau, agent of Viktar Kavalchuk, candidate in Uskhodniaya district # 107 in Minsk, filed a complaint to district election commission about violation of the election legislation. Members of Kavalchuk’s initiative group report, his opponent – pro-rector of BSUER – violated seven articles of the Election Code by publication of his platform in Savetski Rayon Newsletter.

24.09.2008 Compulsion is typical for early voting

Baranavichy, Mazyr, Vitebsk

24.09.2008 Vitebsk: Up to 10% of voters voted early on the first day

At monitored polling stations from 1% (# 54 of Vitebsk-Kastrychnitskaya district # 20) to 10.14% (#19 of Vitebsk-Horkauskaya district # 17) of voters took part in early voting on the first day.

When asked what their reasons to vote early were, the majority of voters replied: you can guess. Really, observers began to receive statements from voters that they had been recommended to vote early at staff meetings at work.

24.09.2008 Vitebsk: Ideology worker reminds who is boss at polling station

On September 23rd the work of precinct commission # 34 in Vitebsk-Chkalauskaya district # 18 began with a staff meeting initiated by head of ideology department of Pershamaiski administration of Vitebsk. Mikalai Shliupakou, who used to serve as member of this commission many times, reminded the commission members about the statement of the president that they and only they are the bosses in the precinct.

24.09.2008 Mahiliou: Meetings with voters are possible only at one place in a district

There are two election districts in Kastrychnitski rayon of Mahiliou: # 86 and # 87. There is only one place for meetings with voters in each of the districts. These are Palace of Culture of “BelAZ-MaAZ” company in district 86 and “Zadniaprouye Ltd.” Club in district 87.

Human rights defender Barys Bukhel points out, both buildings are on the outskirts of the city. Voters who live in the center or other parts of the districts have no opportunity to come to the meeting.

24.09.2008 Vitebsk: It is impossible to receive information about the number of voters and ballot papers

On the first day of early voting permanent chair of precinct election commission # 52 of Vitebsk-Chkalauskaya district # 18 Nina Shubina began to violate the election legislation from the very first second. She sealed the ballot box on her own, failing to open and demonstrate it to commission members before the sealing.

24.09.2008 Brest: Polling stations lack information about candidates

On September 23rd Anatol Liaukovich, chairman of the BSDP (Hramada) and candidate to the Chamber of Representatives in Brest-Zakhodniaya district #1, filed a statement to the Central Election Commission and OSCE and CIS observation missions.

The statement says, according to Article 45 of the Election Code, “stands with informational materials about candidates are to be prepared at all polling stations, no later than 14 days before the election day. Information stands should be kept in the voting premises also on the day of the election”.

24.09.2008 Mahiliou: UDF candidate’s presence "spoiled” the campaign event of the official candidate

Walking by the Square of Stars in the city center, Aliaksei Paulouski saw a youth event organized by city BRSM in support of official candidate Alexander Yushkevich.

Aliaksei Paulouski says he and other candidate were not aware of the event which was taking place. Paulouski did not lose his head. He took out a pack of his leaflet and began to hand them out to passers-by. Inna Karatkevich, head of the local BRSM organization, could not stand that. She started to yell at Aliaksei that he was depraving the youth with his leaflets that had not gone through the state censorship.

24.09.2008 District commission votes for dismissal of candidate Zhukouski

On September 23rd district commission of Buda-Kashaliou district # 38 held a special hearing of the statement by candidate Kanstantsin Zhukouski . In the document Zhukouski states, the elections are not free and fair, that is why he does not think it makes sense for him to further participate in the election.

24.09.2008 Buda-Kashaliou: Campaign materials of the official candidate hang in wrong places

Portraits of the pro-governmental candidate incumbent MP Uladzimir Kuzhanau hang everywhere in Ivolsk village of Buda-Kashaliou district # 38. Posters hang on wells and fences. Certainly, the district commission did not determine these places as the places for posting campaign materials.

24.09.2008 Brest: Observers point to numerous violations on the first day of early voting

On September 23rd during the work of election commission at precinct # 36, at 12.10 two students were writing a test at the desk for observers. When observers came in and asked what was happening and who the people at the desk were, commission chair V. Shcherbachevich told the students to leave the room.

24.09.2008 Candidate Refused to Communicate with a Non-state Newspaper

Miechyslau Kastsiuk, a parliamentary candidate from Slonim (Hrodna region) and his authorized representative Mikalay Lishyk refused to answer a number of questions, put by a «Gazeta Slonimskaya» correspondent Mikalay Kananovich. The questions were related to thecandidate's election pledges.

24.09.2008 Observers note “typical” irregularities in early voting

As many as 2.7 percent of the country’s all registered voters cast ballots on the first day of early voting, according to the central election commission.

Mr. Stefanovich, who is a coordinator of a group monitoring the vote, said that election observers were denied any information about the progress of early voting by members of precinct election commissions. “Our observers are not told how many ballots have been brought to polling stations, how many people are on electoral registers, how many people voted on the first day of early voting,” he said.

24.09.2008 Rechytsa: Leanid Nevar has problems with meetings with people

Two candidates run for the Chamber of Representatives in Rechytsa. Meetings with voters at the city enterprises are organized for head of the finance department of Rechytsa rayon executive committee Ala Isachanka. Independent candidate Leanid Nevar has problems with organizing meetings.