Approved by Decision # 22/147 of the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated on October 08, 2004

COMMENT
on the rule for completing protocol of the Constituency Election Commission on the voting results in the Municipal Elections of the Republic of Azerbaijan

After providing the Constituency Election Commission (Con.EC) with the documents indicated in Article 106.7 of the Election Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the commissioners examine if the submitted documents meet requirements of item # 1 of this Comment and if there is any incompatibility in the voting results (on the protocol). Later, the information on the voting results shall be included in the table on the voting result.
Warning: One shall not be allowed to write the protocol by pencil and make any amendments in it. As it is prohibited to make amendments in the official protocol, firstly, its draft copy shall be compiled.
The line “Number of Precinct Election Commissions (PEC) on the municipality” of the Con.EC protocol should contain the number of precincts established in relevant constituencies.
“Number of protocols on the municipality submitted by PECs” should contain the number of protocols submitted by other PECs excluding precincts where the voting was inconclusive.
The line “Number of PEC protocols adopted as basis for compiling Con.EC protocol on the municipality” should contain the number of protocols entered by precincts where the voting was valid (excluding protocols submitted by PECs where the voting results were invalid).
The line “Number of precincts where the voting results were considered invalid on the municipality” should contain the number of precincts where the voting was conclusive, but the results were considered invalid.
The line “Number of precincts where the voting was invalid on the municipality” should contain the number of precincts where the voting was invalid because of natural calamities, other inevitable events, inability of the police to restore the order and other causes.
The protocol should be completed in the following order:
Item # 1 of the protocol – General number of voters on the municipality.
As well as:
a) number of voters in voters list;
b) number of voters who vote with the de-registration cards.
This item includes general number of voters in the item # 1 of the final protocol of PECs and number of voters who vote with de-registration cards. Sum of the figures in semi-items # “a” and “b” should be equal to the number indicated in the item # 2.
Item # 2 of the protocol – number of voters who got de-registration cards
The figures in the item # 2 of PEC protocols are summed up and the number of voter who got de-registration cards from the Con.EC are added and indicated in this item 45-25 days prior to the voting day.
Item # 3 of the protocol – number of envelopes provided to PECs by the Con.EC
The Con.EC compiles the relevant act and provides the PECs with envelopes to put ballot papers in the equal number together with ballot papers. Number of envelopes indicated in that act shall be included to the item # 3 of the protocol.
Item # 4 of the protocol – number of ballot papers provided to PEC by the Con.EC (4=5+6+7)
This item should include the number of ballot papers given to PECs by the Con.EC, that has been indicated in the act by compiling relevant act.
As in the equitation in the brackets (4=5+6+7), the figure in this item should be equal to the sum of figures in items # 5, 6 and 7.
Item # 5 of the protocol – number of stamped envelopes and voters getting ballot papers (5≥11+12+14)
As well as:
a) outside the voting room;
b) in voting rooms (number of signatures in permanent and temporary voters lists + number of voters who vote with de-registration cards (1b)).
This item should contain the number of voters who get ballot papers and envelopes outside the voting rooms and in voting rooms. As it is in the equitation in the brackets (5≥11+12+14), the figure in this item should more than the sum of figures in items # 11, 12 and 14 or equal to it. This number should make the sum of figures in semi-items “a” and “b” of item # 5.
Item # 6 of the protocol – number of ballot papers canceled without having been used
This item should include the sum of figures in item # 6 of PEC protocols.
Item # 7 of the protocol – number of spoilt ballot papers
This item should contain the sum of figures in item # 7 of PEC protocol .
Item # 8 of the protocol – number of stamped envelopes in ballot boxes (excluding envelopes not in the defined form) (8=9+10)
As well as:
a) in portable ballot boxes;
b) in stationary ballot boxes.

This item should contain the sum of figures in item # 8 of PEC protocol. Relevant semi-items of the protocol should contain the sum of figures in semi-items “a” and “b” of this item of the PEC protocol.
Item # 9 of the Protocol – number of valid votes (number of stamped envelopes that one ballot paper in the defined form completed legally is in)
This item of the Con.EC should contain the sum of figures in the item # 9 of PEC protocols.
Item # 10 of the protocol – number of invalid votes (number of stamped envelopes with several ballot papers in + number of envelopes with ballot papers without any mark in + number of stamped envelopes without any ballot paper or with the ballot paper not in the defined form)
Sum of figures in the item # 10 of PEC protocols should be indicated in this item.
Item # 11 of the protocol – number of ballot papers in stamped envelopes in ballot boxes (excluding those not in the defined form)
This item should contain the sum of figures in the item # 11 of PEC protocols.
Item # 12 of the protocol – number of ballot papers not put in envelopes in ballot boxes (excluding those not in the defined form)
as well as:
a) in portable ballot boxes;
b) in stationary ballot boxes;
This item should contain the sum of figures in item # 12 of PEC protocol. Relevant semi-items of the protocol should contain the sum of figures in semi-items “a” and “b” of this item of the PEC protocol.
Item # 13 of the protocol – number of unstamped envelopes in ballot boxes
This item should contain the sum of figures in the item # 13 of PEC protocols.
Item # 14 of the Protocol – number of ballot papers in unstamped envelopes in ballot boxes (excluding those not in the defined form)
This item should contain the sum of figures in the item # 14 of PEC protocols.
Item # 15 of the protocol – distribution of valid votes among candidates to the municipality membership
In this item of the protocol, surname, name and patronymic of the candidate included in the ballot paper should be written in succession as in the ballot paper, in alphabetical order by considering the requirements of Article 237 of the Election Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the number of votes for each candidate should be indicated in words and figures. Sum of votes for each candidate in the PEC protocol should be indicated in words and in figures in the column for the number of votes for this candidate of the Con.EC protocol.
Item # 16 of the protocol – Candidate elected to the municipality membership
This item should contain the surname, name and patronymic of the candidate elected deputy.
Compiling date and time of the protocol should be indicated after the whole completion of the protocol.
While compiling the protocol, the information in each item should be written separately in words and figures.
If the territory of the municipality surrounds some territories of the constituencies then voting results on those municipalities shall be settled in the order defined by the Central Election Commission.
First copy of the Con.EC protocol, as well as complaints (applications)related to the violation of the Election Code, entered the Con.EC on the voting day and decisions concerning these adopted by the Con.EC, act on receiving envelopes and ballot papers by the Con.EC, act on the cancel of ballot papers ( by indicating the number of such ballot papers), act on the cancel of voting cards (by indicating the number of such cards) should be compiled immediately but not later than 2 days after the voting day and sent to the Central Election Commission by the accompany of the chairman of the Con.EC and members representing different political parties. The above-mentioned acts should be signed by the Con.EC chairman and secretaries.