Approved by Decision
#17/64
dated on July 21, 2005
of the Central Election Commission
of the Republic
of Azerbaijan
I N S T R U C T I O
N
on rules for preparation of ballot papers, envelopes,
protocols of Constituency and Precinct Election
Commissions (Con.ECs and PECs) and their submission
to relevant election commissions
1. This Instruction defines rules for the preparation
of ballot papers, envelopes to put them in,
voting protocols of election commissions (hereafter
referred to as ballot papers, envelopes and
protocols) and their submission to Con.ECs and
PECs pursuant to requirements of Articles 99,
100 and 166 of Election Code of the Republic
of Azerbaijan (hereafter referred to as Election
Code).
2. Before the preparation of ballot papers,
envelopes and protocols, their text, format
and number shall be determined by the Central
Election Commission at order defined by Central
Election Commission of the Republic of Azerbaijan
(hereafter referred to as Central Election Commission)
pursuant to Articles 99.1 and 100.1 of Election
Code.
Articles 99.2, 99.3, 100.2, 100.3, 100.4 and
100.5 of Election Code shall be taken into consideration
while approving samples of ballot papers and
protocols.
3. After implementing the actions implied by
item # 2 of this Instruction, Central Election
Commission shall adopt decision on the preparation
of ballot papers, envelopes and protocols.
4. For the preparation of ballot papers, envelopes
and protocols, Central Election Commission shall
submit to the publishing house the following
documents:
4.1. letter on the basis of the decision by
the Central Election Commission on the information
about the number of ballot papers and envelopes
to be prepared on each constituency (under the
condition of being not more than 3 % than the
number of registered voters, the number of protocols
considered for Con.EC sand PECs and addressed
to the publishing house;
4.2. samples of ballot papers, envelopes and
protocols approved by Central Election Commission;
5. Ballot papers, envelopes and protocols shall
be prepared by considering the requirements
of Articles 99.4 and 100.6 of Election Code.
In this case, the participation of representatives
of Central Election Commission shall be ensured.
6. In accordance with Article 100.11 of Election
Code, the publishing house shall prepare samples
of protocols amounted 30 for each election commission
besides election protocols.
7. After the preparation of ballot papers and
envelopes, representatives of the publishing
house shall select the invalid ones out of ballot
papers and envelopes.
Ballot papers and envelopes inappropriate for
their text and format with the sample determined
by Central Election Commission, shall be considered
invalid.
8. After selecting invalid ones, if the number
of the remaining ballot papers, envelopes and
protocols is found out to be less than the necessary
figure, then their number shall be fitted to
the requested number.
Thereafter, valid ballot papers shall be grouped
on relevant constituencies. The same actions
shall be done with protocols considered for
Con.ECs and PECs.
9. After the preparation of valid ballot papers,
envelopes and protocols at necessary number,
they shall be handed to authorized representatives
of Central Election Commission by the publishing
house.
Relevant acts on handing ballot papers, envelopes
and protocols shall be compiled. Text and formats
of acts shall be compiled pursuant to Appendices
# 1 and 2 made to this Instruction.
10. After handing ballot papers, envelopes and
protocols according to the request, the publishing
house shall cancel invalid and already published
ballot papers, envelopes and protocols. Act
shall be compiled on this by being signed by
Central Election Commission and representatives
of the publishing house (Appendice # 3 made
to Instruction).
Handing of valid ballot papers, cancel of invalid
and already published ballot papers, envelopes
and protocols can be observed by members of
Central Election Commission, members of Con.ECs
and PECs having decisive and consultative rights,
candidates or their authorized representatives
or agents, agents of political parties, political
party blocs that nominated candidate, citizens
of the Republic of Azerbaijan having active
suffrage and international observers. Central
Election Commission shall inform these persons
of the place and time of handing and canceling
processes.
Observation of handing and canceling processes
should be organized so as not to demolish these
processes, their normal observation and working
regime of publishing houses. But the right to
observe should be ensured at any way.
11. According to Articles 99.6 and 100.8 of
Election Code, after getting ballot papers and
envelopes, Central Election Commission shall
distribute ballot papers and envelopes at least
5 days prior to the voting day by the decision
of the Con.EC and voting protocols at least
20 days prior to the voting day by considering
the number of precincts. The number of ballot
papers provided to PECs by Con.ECs should not
be less than 90 % and more than 0,5 % of voters`
number included in the list on the precinct
up to the day of issuing ballot papers.
Handing of ballot papers and envelopes shall
be implemented by compiling special Acts by
participation of Con.EC chairman and secretaries
(Appendices # 4 and 5 made to Instruction).
12. After receiving ballot papers, envelopes
and protocols, the Con.EC shall turn over the
ballot papers and envelopes to the PEC at latest
3 days prior to the voting day and protocols
at latest 4 days prior to the voting day. During
turning over them, special Acts shall be compiled
(Appendice # 5 and 6 made to Instruction).
13. After receiving ballot papers and envelopes,
the following actions should be implemented
at the PECs:
13.1. ballot papers shall be counted and results
shall be approved by the decision of the commission
(if there is any inappropriateness between numbers
of ballot papers to be turned over and received,
then the Con.EC shall be informed on this):
13.2. upper right corner of each ballot paper
shall be verified by the stamp of the commission;
13.3. ballot papers, envelopes and protocols
shall remain only at the building of the precinct,
at place faithfully protected.
14. Responsibility of keeping ballot papers,
envelopes and protocols shall be carried by
Central Election Commission since turning over
from the publishing house up to distributing
among PECs; since turning over from the Con.EC
up to handing them and protocols together with
other documents implied by Article 106.7 of
Election Code to Con.ECs after the voting, responsibility
is carried by the chairman of the PEC.
After handing ballot papers, envelopes and protocols
to the relevant election commissions, during
sending them to the precinct all necessary measures
shall be ensured.
