THE LAW OF THE
REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
ON THE ELECTIONS OF THE
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA


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6.2 Each candidate for President of the Republic has the right to establish a campaign fund himself/herself or through an authorized person, for the organization of pre-election campaigning, and it is formed from voluntary contributions of individual persons and legal entities (except for state and local self-governing bodies, state enterprises and organizations, enterprises with state participation), not to exceed a limit of 100,000 drams for each physical entity and 1,000,000 drams for each legal entity.

6.3 The bank account of a campaign fund is opened in the same bank where the bank account is opened for the united fund created under the management of the Central Electoral Commission.

6.4 Not later than two months after the elections, the candidates must submit to the Central Electoral Commission declarations of the expenditures paid from the funds available in their campaign accounts. This declaration is published in the press.

6.5 If elected President of the Republic, or upon receiving more than five percent of valid votes cast, the electoral deposit of the mentioned candidates is returned, and the funds remaining in their campaign accounts are transferred, upon the decision of the candidate, to the party (parties) which nominated him/her or to charity, within two months after the official publication of the results of the elections. After two months the funds remaining in the campaign accounts of the candidates are transferred to the state budget.

6.6 If a candidate for President of the Republic receives less than five percent of valid votes cast, the funds remaining [in the account], as well as the electoral deposit, are transferred to the state budget.

6.7 In case the elections are recognized as invalid, the electoral deposits of the candidates are returned, and the funds remaining in campaign accounts after the elections are frozen until the registration of candidates for new elections. Candidates registered again for new elections can use the funds remaining in their campaign accounts established for the previous election.

6.8 If a candidate does not register for the new election, then the funds remaining in their campaign account are transferred to the state budget.

Article 7. Public information dissemination during preparation and conduct
of the elections for President of the Republic

7.1 Electoral Commissions, in the manner prescribed by Central Electoral Commission, inform the public of their membership, location, and working hours, as well as on all activities for preparing, conducting and summarizing the results of elections.

7.2 Representatives of mass media, accredited foreign observers, and [candidate] proxies have the right to be present at sessions of the Electoral Commissions as well as during the whole process of the voting.

7.3 The Electoral Commissions must ensure equal conditions for the presence of representatives of mass media, accredited foreign observers and proxies of the candidates.

7.4 Proxies of candidates, accredited foreign observers and representatives of mass media have the right to acquaint themselves with the decisions and protocols of the Electoral Commissions and make extracts.


CHAPTER 2
ELECTORAL COMMISSIONS
Article 8. Formation of Electoral Commissions and organization of their work

8.1 Formation of Electoral Commissions, procedures for changing their membership and issues regarding the organizations of their activity are regulated in the manner prescribed by this law and the law "On the Elections of Local Self-Governing Bodies."

Article 9. Powers of the Central Electoral Commission

9.1 The Central Electoral Commission (CEC) is the body which organizes elections and conducts election oversight.

9.2 The CEC has the following powers:
1) Manages funds allocated for elections, disburses funds to Electoral Commissions, oversees allocation of office space, furnishings, and other material and technical assets;
2) Passes and publishes necessary decisions and mandates not contradicting the law, pertaining to procedures for the preparation and conduct of the elections; regarding measures necessary for the summarizing the results of elections; and oversight of their implementation;
3) Supervises the provision of opportunities prescribed by this law, for access to state means of mass media for pre-election campaigning by the candidates for President of the Republic, parties (party blocs), and initiative groups nominating them;
4) Determines the layout of election documentation, ballots, ballot boxes, specimens of seals, procedures and time frames for filling in and filing election documentation;
5) Establishes a consecutive number for each REC;
6) Attends to reports of Electoral Commissions and corresponding government bodies concerning issues of election implementation preparation;
7) In case of technical impossibility to conduct the elections, changes the location of voting;
8) Provides Regional Electoral Commissions with necessary electoral documentation;
9) Discusses decisions and actions of subordinate committees, based on applications and complaints received; revises or eliminates decisions of these committees contradicting the law;
10) Registers the parties (party blocs) and initiative groups nominating the candidate for President of the Republic;

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