L A W S
ELECTORAL CODE OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
Adopted by the National
Assembly of the Republic of Armenia,
on February 5, 1999
Third Reading
P A R T O N E
Section three: VOTING
SUMMARIZATION OF THE VOTING RESULTS
CHAPTER ELEVEN
VOTING PROCEDURE
Article 53: Beginning of the Voting
1. On the day prior to the day of voting the Precinct Electoral Commission selects at
its session, by drawing a lot, the three members in charge of signing the ballots, who
then have to sign all the ballots until 8:00 p.m. (the signatures are put on the back side
of the ballot). The signed ballots are kept in a special safe, which is sealed, with the
signatures of the three members mentioned put on the seal.
2. At 7:00 a.m. on the voting day, the Precinct Electoral Commission selects at its
session, by drawing a lot, the members of commission, in charge of registering the
citizens (one member per each 1000 voters), the members in charge of handing out ballots
to voters (one member per each 1000 voters), the two members for overseeing the ballots,
and those two in charge of sealing the ballots, as well as takes a decision on the
timetable of their shifts. The Chairman and the Deputy Chairman of the commission do not
participate in the drawing.
3. At 8:00 a.m. on the voting day, the Chairman of the Precinct Electoral Commission
declares the precinct open, afterwards, in the presence of the commission members (persons
authorized to be present at the voting can also be present) he/she opens the packed seal,
verifies that the ballot box is empty, closes the ballot box and seals it. Then in the
presence of the persons authorized to be present there, he/she opens the safe with the
ballots and submits the counted ballots to the persons responsible for handing out the
ballots, and the voter lists – to the persons responsible for the voter registration,
making relevant notes in the registry.
Article 54: Access to the Precinct Center
1. The military and the servicemen of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and National
Security enter the precinct center not in a marching line, unarmed. Access to the precinct
centers with arms and ammunition is prohibited, with the exception of cases of endangering
the normal course of the elections. In those cases the Chairman or the Deputy Chairman of
the Precinct Electoral Commission permits the entry into the precinct center.
2. Apart from the members of Precinct Electoral Commission and the voters,
candidates’ proxies, observers, representatives of mass media and members of superior
electoral commissions can be present at the precinct center.
3. After having voted the voter shall promptly leave the precinct center.
4. In order to ensure the normal course of the voting the Chairman has the right to
allow the voters to enter the voting room one by one. Not more than fifteen voters can be
present in the voting room simultaneously.
Article 55: Registration of Voters
1. Every voter having arrived for voting is registered in the list, by the commission
member responsible for registration.
2. The commission member responsible for the registration verifies the identification
documents, finds his/her name, family name and the consecutive number in the voter list,
fills in the data of the identification documents in the voter list, and the voter signs
in front of the data. In case if the voter cannot independently sign in the voter list,
he/she has the right to apply for getting assistance from another citizen, with the
exception of the members of the commission and proxies.
3. Passport, document replacing the passport, the military certificate for the military
officers and servicemen, and for other militaries – the military document, are the
identification documents.
Article 56: Voting
1. Immediately after the registration, the member of the commission responsible for
allocation of the ballots to the voters, hands the ballot out to the voter.
2. The member of the commission responsible for sealing the ballots seals them. The
seal shall not come out of the limits of the ballot.
3. The voter marks the ballot in privacy in the voting booth or the room. The presence
of any other person in the voting booth or room while the ballot is being marked, is
forbidden.
4. In case the voter feels that he/she has marked the ballot wrongly, he/she can apply
to the Chairman of the Commission, and in case of his absence – to the Deputy
Chairman, to be allocated a new ballot. The commission member allocating a new ballot,
makes an appropriate note in front of the name of the voter in the voter list. The spoilt
(damaged) ballot is promptly cancelled, upon which an appropriate protocol is compiled.
5. The voter has no right to declare who he/she is going to vote for or against/has
already voted for or against. It is prohibited to inquire in any way, as to who the voter
has voted for or against.
Article 57: Procedure for marking the Ballot
1. The voter makes a note in the ballot in front of the name of the candidate (party),
whom he/she is voting for. If the voter is against all the candidates (parties), he/she
makes a note on the line “I'm against all”, after the names of candidates
(parties).
2. When voting for one candidate (party), the voter makes a note in front of the words
“I'm for”, if he/she votes for, and in front of the words “I'm
against”, if he/she votes against.
3. Citizens, who are unable to fill in the ballot independently, have the right to
invite another person into the voting booth, who shall not be a proxy or a member of the
electoral commission. Except for the above-mentioned case, the presence of other persons
in the voting booth while filling in the ballot is prohibited.
4. The voter takes the four-folded ballot out of the voting booth or the room, and
approaches the commission member responsible for the ballots. The latter verifies the
identification document and making sure of the identity of the voter and his/her being
registered in that constituency, opens the ballot box slot enabling the voter to drop the
ballot in the ballot box.
5. During the voting, all cases of violation of the voting procedure established by
this Code, upon the request of two members of the commission or two proxies, as well as
all the decisions of the Precinct Electoral Commission are recorded in the register.
Article 58: Invalid Ballots
1. Ballots containing votes for more than one candidate (party), ballots containing
notes supporting one candidate (party) and at the same time in the “I'm against
all” line, in case when one candidate (party) is running, and there are notes in
front of both “I'm for” and “I'm against” words, ballots
without any notes, ballots with unnecessary notes and remarks are considered as invalid.
2. Unsealed, unsigned ballots and ballots of not approved specimens are considered as
invalid.
3. The electoral commission settles the matter of disputable ballots by means of
voting.
Article 59: Ballots of Not Approved specimen
1. Ballots differing from the approved specimen are considered as not corresponding to
the approved specimens.
2. The electoral commission settles the matter of disputable ballots by means of
voting.
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