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13.02.2018

Early voting kicks off in Belarus

MINSK (BelTA) – Belarusians will be able to vote early in the forthcoming elections to the local councils of deputies from 13 to 17 February 2018, BelTA has learned.

Polling stations will be opened from 10h00 to 19h00 with a lunch break between 14h00 and 16h00. According to the Central Election Commission (CEC), everyone who is unable to come to the polls on 18 February will have an opportunity to cast their votes early in support of one of the candidates. For those who are going to be abroad on the voting day, 18 February, the CEC suggests voting early as no polling stations are set up outside the country for the local elections.

In order to receive a ballot paper a voter should present a passport or other identification papers such as military service record card, a certificate of employment, a pension certificate or a student identity card, a certificate from the interior bodies (for the citizens who have lost their passports), or a residence permit (for the citizens of the Russian Federation who permanently live in Belarus).

Depending on the place of residence the voter will be given up to three ballots in order to elect deputies to the corresponding councils. The ballot paper contains the rules of filling it in. Each ballot paper contains names of the registered candidates in alphabetical order, as well as their biographical information. There is an empty box to the right of each entry. There is also a ballot choice “none of the above”. If the ballot paper has one name, then the voter puts any mark in the box “for” or in the box “against”.

Each filled ballot paper should be placed into the ballot box.

If a voter makes a mistake while voting, he/she needs to ask a member of the election commission for a new ballot paper.

More than 18,000 deputies of local councils will be elected in Belarus on 18 February 2018. Over 22,200 candidates have been registered to run in the local elections.