News on the topic: local council elections-2010
11.02.2010 Does Minsk have few election constituencies?
57 election constituencies were formed in Minsk for holding the elections to the local Soviets of Deputies of the 26th Convocation. Two new constituencies were added to the 55 remaining from the previous elections. These constituencies were formed in the new suburbs Loshytsa and Brylevichy.
11.02.2010 Minsk oblast executive committee holds seminar-counsel on organizing elections
On 10 February a seminar-counsel on organizing elections to local Soviets of Deputies was held at the Minsk oblast executive committee, with participation of Chairpersons and Secretaries of territorial and constituency election commissions and Chairpersons of the personnel and ideological departments of district and city executive committees of the Minsk oblast.
10.02.2010 Constituency commissions: information from regions
Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections sum up the information received from the regions on the stage of forming of constituency commissions on elections to the oblast Soviets of Deputies.
10.02.2010 Courts dismiss complaints against non-inclusion of nominees in election commissions
Volha Abramovich, Judge of the Barysau town court, dismissed the complaint against the decision of the Barysau district executive committee and the Presidium of the Barysau district Soviet of Deputies on forming of the district territorial commission on elections to the local Soviets of deputies.
10.02.2010 Mazyr: state press still hasn’t published full information on election commissions
In Mazyr, electors still cannot familiarize with the names, numbers, boundaries and location of the Mazyr district commission on elections to the Mazyr district Soviet of deputies and the number of electors there.
03.02.2010 Chairperson of Central Election Commission distorts norms of electoral legislation
According to information of state media, by 14 February the local authorities must determine the places for holding pickets on collecting signatures in support of candidates. Lidziya Yarmoshyna, Chairperson of the Central Commission on elections and holding of republican referenda, voiced this information on 1 February at press-conference in Minsk. However, human rights defenders state that such demand contradicts to Article 61 of the Electoral Code of the Republic of Belarus, where it is stated that ‘…collection of electors’ signatures can be conducted in the form of picketing. No permission is needed for it unless the picketing is held in places that are banned for picketing by the local executive and regulatory authorities.’
02.02.2010 Baranavichy: reliability proved by time
On 1 February the first sitting of the Baranavichy city election commission took place. Siarhei Housha came to it as an observer from the Belarusian Language Society. Yury Shastsiarniou, former army officer who used to head election commissions during earlier elections, was unanimously elected Chairperson of the commission. At present Yury Shastsiarniou is Deputy Chairperson of the TV Company Intex. Tatsiana Zhytko, Chairpersons of the ideological department of the Baranavichy city executive committee and constant member of election commissions, was elected his deputy. By the way, she was nominated to the commission by the trade union of workers of state organs. Almost a half of members of the commission are pensioners. One of them, Ivan Dzehilevich, is 83.
02.02.2010 Babruisk: in search for apolitical members of election commissions
The Babruisk officials engaged with staffing for members of precinct election commissions. Administration of enterprises and state institutions already tells the workers they must become members of these commissions.
02.02.2010 Opposition representatives state they can boycott ‘elections’
The democratic forces may stop participating in the election to local deputy Soviets. This statement was made by leaders of the United Civil Party on 2 February. According to them, the first stage of the campaign, formation of district commissions, was held in traditional style, when the opposition is being thrown out of the campaign.
02.02.2010 Salihorsk: local interpretations of notion of transparency
Young activist Ivan Shyla lodged a complaint with Aliaksandr Rymasheuski, Chairperson of the Salihorsk district executive committee, against the refusal of Anatol Kazakevich, Deputy Chairperson on ideology of the Salihorsk district executive committee, to inform him about the date and place of the sitting for forming of the Salihorsk district election commission.
02.02.2010 Electoral marathon: numbers and tendencies of the week
Elections to local Soviets of deputies of the Republic of Belarus of the 26th Convocation were appointed on 25 April 2010 by Presidential Decree #10 on 18 January 2010. Bear in mind that it is not the first electoral campaign carried out under the electoral legislation containing new amendments that were introduced on the eve on the campaign.
01.02.2010 Orsha: opposition activists consider unlawful forming of district election commission
As it follows from a publication in Arshanskaya Hazeta, there are no representatives of political parties among the 13 members appointed to the Orsha district election commission. Three persons were nominated by NGOs: the Belarusian Republican Youth Union (BRSM, pro-governmental ‘state NGO’), the Belarusian Women’s Union and the Belarusian Union of Veterans, one person – by the district organization of the trade union of workers of agroindustrial complex. All other candidacies were nominated by collecting signatures or by their working collectives.
01.02.2010 Mahiliou oblast: number of deputy seats decreases. No opposition members in election commissions
This change was brought about by the decrease of the number of village soviets and election constituencies compared to the previous elections to the local Soviets. According to Liudmila Makaranka, Chairperson of the organization and personnel work department of the Mahiliou oblast executive committee, a total of 3099 deputies are to be elected at the upcoming elections.
01.02.2010 Election commissions in Hrodna oblast to be ruled by reliable representatives of authorities
The first sittings of Hrodna oblast and Hrodna city commissions for elections to the local soviets have taken place. The electoral constituencies were created and the administration of the commissions was elected.
