Constituencies formed without law violations only in one district of Vitsebsk oblast

In Vitsebsk oblast, the forming by the district territorial election commissions of the constituencies for the elections to the district Soviets of Deputies of the 26th Convocations came to an end.  The district newspapers published the lists of election constituencies including their numbers, names, boundaries, number of electors and location of election commissions. The number of constituencies ranges from 25 to 40, which corresponds to the legal requirements.

However, Article 15 of the Election Codes provides that ‘election constituencies must have approximately equal number of electors: in constituencies formed for elections to the Chamber of Representatives, digression from the average number of electors cannot exceed 10%’. However, in many constituency commissions the digression from the average number of electors is much larger.

A total of 31 constituencies were formed in the Verkhniadzvinsk district. In 22 of them (71% of the total number) the digression from the average number of electors is 10% and more.
Dokshytsy district: 38 constituencies, digression by 10% and more in 24 constituencies (63%);
Sianno district: 29 constituencies, digression by 10% and more in 17 constituencies (17%);
Braslau district: 36 constituencies, digression by 10% and more in 11 constituencies (31%);
Haradok district: 31 constituencies, digression by 10% and more in 18 constituencies (58%);
Shumilina district: 35 constituencies, digression by 10% and more in 16 constituencies (46%);
Liozna district: 36 constituencies, digression by 10% and more in 13 constituencies (36%);
Ushachy district: 35 constituencies, digression by 10% and more in 6 constituencies (6%);
Vitsebsk district: 40 constituencies, digression by 10% and more in 8 constituencies (20%);
Dubrouna district: 27 constituencies, digression by 10% and more in 11 constituencies (41%);
Chashniki district: 40 constituencies, digression by 10% and more in 8 constituencies (20%);
Lepel district: 40 constituencies, digression by 10% and more in 7 constituencies (18%);
Rasony district: 25 constituencies, digression by 10% and more in 13 constituencies (52%);
Sharkaushchyna district: 38 constituencies, digression by 10% and more in 21 constituencies (52%);
Orsha district: 35 constituencies, digression by 10% and more in 21 constituencies (60%);
Hlybokaye district: 38 constituencies, digression by 10% and more in 40 constituencies (11%);
Polatsk district: 30 constituencies, digression by 10% and more in 1 constituency (3%);
Pastavy district: 30 constituencies, digression by 10% and more in 2 constituencies (7%);
Talachyn district: 31 constituencies, digression by 10% and more in 10 constituencies (32%);
Miory district: 34 constituencies, digression by 10% and more in 14 constituencies (41%).

The aforementioned norm was executed only in the Beshankovichy district.
The only means to eliminate the discovered violations of the election legislation is reforming the election constituencies in the Vitsebsk oblast.

Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections