Паст инфо

You can read the full letter of the Ombudsman attached.

 

According to the RA Electoral Code the precinct election commissions are provided with such a material for the stamps in the identification that stays at least 12 hours after its use and then disappear.

 

After the examination of the international practice it can be concluded that an effective mechanism for the prevention of violations is the two-level system of voter verification, that is not only regulations in the lists compiling, running, their openness, the registration of the voters in the precinct voter list, but also their stamping or voter's finger ink (Egypt, Latvia, India, Mexico, and several other countries).

 

In the 2012 during parliamentary elections, 64 calls were received with the problems in the process of identification of the stamps. These alarms referred to both the early disappearance of the stamps as well as to their maintaining for longer than 12 hours.  In the 2013 presidential election, again 68 calls are received, which are related to the stamps in the identification process. Again the calls refer to both the early disappearance of the stamps as well as to their maintaining for longer than 12 hours.  The alarms also inform that in the event of desire they can be easily erased. The easy disappears of the seals is disturbing because it does not meet objective of the two-level system and moreover creates favorable conditions for fraud.

 

It is no coincidence that a number of international organizations were positive regarding the inclusion of stamps in the new Electoral Code of 2011, because it should serve as a mechanism to prevent violations. However, so far CEC wasn’t able to obtain a material that would satisfy the requirements of the Election Code and international standards.

 

On 6 May 2012 decision of the National Assembly on the organization and conduct of elections, the Electoral Code violations, and proposed legislative amendments to the Central Electoral Commission on 01.08.2012 recommended to release the provision of the stamps from the Election Code. At the same time, a number of international organizations have expressed the opinion that the “two-level check system” for voters is necessary and at the same time added that a more experienced and the most classic way is the inking of the voter’s fingers rather than the institute of stamps. 

 

Based on the abovementioned, we ask to determine in a 5-day period whether it is possible to buy such a material for stamps that meets the requirements of the Election Code and international standards. Otherwise, we believe that for the exclusion of risks and the concerns of the public that this issue brings changes in the Election Code should be made that provide another mechanist instead of stamping, that is, finger inking.