Address: 25 Lenina Street, Postavy, 211840
Phone: 8 (02155) 4-10-45, 8 (02155) 2-66-07
Fax: (8-02155)-2-18-45
E-mail: kanz@rikpostavy.by

Embankment Postavy at Night Tysenhaus Palace Night Embankment Church
Embankment
Embankment
Postavy at Night
Tysenhaus Palace
Night Embankment
Church
12 December 2017

Nomination of candidates in local elections underway in Belarus

Nomination of candidates to deputies of the local councils of the 28th convocation started in Belarus on 10 December, BelTA has learned.

This period will last till 8 January 2018 inclusively. According to the law, a candidate can be nominated by a labor collective, a political party and through the collection of signatures. A citizen has the right to get nominated in one of the constituencies to the local council of each territorial level (regional, district and rural).

With regard the nomination by labor collective, a potential candidate to the regional council of deputies or Minsk City Council of Deputies should get the approval of a labor collective which consists of not less than 150 employees. When running to the council of lower-levels, a candidate needs the support of 75 and 20 voters in labor collectives.

A self-nominated candidate to the regional council of deputies or the Minsk City Council of Deputies should collect not less than 150 signatures of voters residing in the respective constituency. When running for a seat in the lower-level councils the minimum number of signatures is reduced to 75 and 20.

In order to collect signatures, a candidate shall need to register an initiative group. The minimum number is three persons, the maximum one is ten. Members of the group may not reside in the territory of the constituency where the signatures are collected. The most important thing is that voters who will put these signatures should reside in the district where the candidate is being nominated. Signatures can be collected through door-to-door canvassing or arranging the pickets in the places where it is not prohibited by local authorities.

There is another way to get nominated by a political party if it has regional branches. Thus, the regional structures of the party, represented by their governing bodies, can nominate candidates in all constituencies established in the oblast. The Minsk parties can nominate its representatives in all the constituencies in the Belarusian capital.

A potential candidate to the local councils should live permanently or work on the territory of the local council he or she would like to represent. If he or she does not live or work there, they should a least be part of the organization which serves the region. Thus, the future MP should be well informed and be able to perform his duties properly.

There are also other requirements to those who are determined to run for a seat in the local councils. Running for a seat in the local council of deputies can be a citizen of Belarus, over 18 years old, with no criminal record and living within the corresponding administrative unit. Russian citizens who permanently live in Belarus also have the right to take part in the elections.

Candidates to the local councils shall be registered by the corresponding territorial, district commission from 9 to 18 January 2018, inclusively. The decision on the registration is taken if all the necessary documents are submitted.

The election campaign will be running till 18 February. Early voting will be held on 13-17 February. More than 18,000 members of the local councils will be elected.

BELARUSIAN NEWS