Commissions should provide separate results for early vote, says CEC

Numerous observers say the announcement of voting results is quite differently treated by various election commissions. At some of the polling stations, the commission chairs say they are going to announce separate results for early vote, ballot boxes for ‘home vote’ and those used on the day of the election. Others claim the law does not require separate results.

In reality, part 2 of Article 55 of the Electoral Code states: ‘The unsealing of ballot boxes and the counting of votes should be carried out in turn’: first, early vote ballots, then, ballots from portable boxes, and last, the boxes used at the polling stations on the day of the election.

It should be noted that the provision is new for the Code. And, although the Central Election Commission takes a clear stand on the issue, as confirmed by the CEC lawyer Mkrtchan, the Commission unfortunately failed to take the necessary measures to provide expert explanations on the provision. The guidelines for the election commissions simply repeat the provisions, without giving any explanations on how to understand it.

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